THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 281 



Abyflinia, to marry what number of wives they choofe ; 

 that thefe were not, therefore, all queens ; but that among 

 them there was one who was confidered particularly as 

 queen, and upon her head was placed the crown, and lhe 

 was called Iteghe. 



Thus, in Perfia, we read that Ahafuerus loved Efther*, 

 who had found grace in his fight more than the other vir- 

 gins, and he had placed a golden crown upon her head. 

 And Jofephus f informs us, that, when Either} was brought 

 before die king, he was exceedingly delighted with her, 

 and made her his lawful wife, and when fhe came into the 

 palace he put a crown upon her head ; whether placing 

 the crown upon the queen's head had any civil effect 

 as to regency in Perfia as it had in Abymnia, is what hiflory 

 does not inform us. 



I have already obferved, that there is an officer called 

 Serach Maffery, who watches before the king's gate all 

 night, and at the dawn of day cracks a whip to chace the 

 wild beads out of the town. This, too, is the fignal for 

 the king to rite, and fit down in his judgment-feat. The 

 fame cuftom was obferved in Perfia. Early in the morning 

 an officer entered the king's chamber, and faid to him " A- 

 rife, O king ! and take charge of thofe matters which Oro- 

 mafdes has appointed you to the care of." 



Vol. III. N n The 



* Efther, chap. ii. + jofeph. lib. xi. cap. 6. 



I If I remember right, it is D. Prideaux that fays Either is a Perfian word, of no fig- 

 flification. I rather think it is Abyfiinian, becaufe it lias a fignification in that language. 

 Eflite, the mafculine, fignifies an agreeable prefent, and is a proper name, of which Efther 

 is the feminine. 



