in . <><; amined 
Ee 
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 faftto his hands by which he was held. While they 
were untying Abba Salama, I went into the prefence-cham- 
ber, and ftood 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. 
Tue Acab Saat rofe in a violent paffion, he ftruggled to 
get loofe his hands, that he might be free to ufe the act of 
denouncing excommunication, which is by lifting the right 
hand, and extending the fore-finger ; finding that impofii- 
ble, he cried out, Unloofe 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 ecclefiaf 
tical officer in my houfehold, you are the third in the 
whole kingdom; but I have not yet learned you ever had 
power to curfe your fovereign, or exhort his fubjects 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 ; Iam 
a pricit, 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 
