338 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



The firft prelude to Jonael's rebellion was an anonymous 

 letter written to the king, in which all the ftale and lame 

 arguments of the Alexandrians were raked together, and 

 Hated with a degree of prefumption worthy of the igno- 

 rance and obftinacy of thofe from whom they came. This, 

 though ridiculous, and below notice in point of argument, 

 offended greatly both the king and the Jefuits, by the afpe- 

 rity of its terms, and the perfonal applications contained in 

 k. The king was treated as another Dioclefian, thirfting af- 

 ter Chriftian blood, and for this devoted to hell; as were al- 

 io the Jefuits, whom they called relations- of Pilate, in allu- 

 fipn to their origin from Rome. 



The king, grievoufly offended, added this injunction v&- 

 the former proclamation,. " That all out-door work, f iich as 

 plowing and fowing, mould be publicly followed by the- 

 hufbandman on the Saturday, under penalty of paying a 

 web of cotton cloth, for the firft. omiffion, which cloth 

 was to be of five millings value ; and the fecond offence, 

 was to be punifhed by a confifcation of moveables, and 

 the crime not to be pardoned for {even years ;" — the greatelt 

 punifhment for mifdemeanors in Abyffmia. To this Socinios 

 added, viva vocc> from his throne, that he never aboli/hedy but 

 explained and eftablilhed their religion, which always taught, 

 as their own books could teflify, that Chriftwas perfect God 

 and perfect man, two diftinct natures united in one hypo£- 

 tafis of the eternal word ; neitherwas it in compliance with 

 the Jefuits that he abrogated the obfervation of the Jewifh 

 fabbath, but in obedience to the council of Chalcedon, 

 which was founded in the holy fcriptures, for which he was 

 ready at all times to lofe his life, though he fhould endea- 



3, vour 



