THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 69. 



other led the halter of the mule on the other, both of them 

 with lances in their hands. Chremation had his hands 

 bound, but his legs were not tied, nor was there any rope 

 made fail to his hands by which he was held. While they 

 were untying Abba Salama, I went into the prefence-cham^ 

 ber, and flood behind the king's chair. Very foon after 

 Aylo's men brought in their prifoners, and, as is ufual, 

 threw them down violently with their faces to the ground ; 

 their hands being bound behind them, they hada very rude 

 fall upon their faces. 



The Acab Saat rofe in a violent paffion, he ftruggled to 

 get loofe his hands, that he might be free to ufe the ad of 

 denouncmg excommunication, which is by lifting the right 

 hand, and extending the fore-finger ; finding that impofli- 

 ble, he cried out, Unloofc my hands, or you are all excom- 

 municated. It was with difficulty he could be pre- 

 vailed upon to hear the king, who with great compofure, 

 or rather indifference, faid to him. You are the firft ccclefiaf- 

 tical officer in my houfehold, you are the third in the 

 whole kingdom ; but I have not yet learned you ever had 

 power to curie your fovereign, or exhort his fubjedls to 

 murder him. You are to be tried for this crime by the 

 judges to-morrow, fo prepare to fhew in your defence, up- 

 on what precepts of Chrift, or his apoftles, or upon what 

 part of the general councils, you found your title to do 

 this. 



Let my hands be unloofed, cries Salama violently ;.I am 

 a prieil, a fervant of God ; and they have power, fays David, 

 to put kings in chains, and nobles in irons. And did not 

 Samuel hew king Agag to pieces before the Lord ? I excom- 

 municate 



