THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 275 
J 
I HAVE mentioned a council of ftate held in Abyffinia in 
time of danger or difficulty, where the king fitting invifible, 
though prefent, gives his opinion by an officer called Kal- 
Hatzé. Upon his delivering the fentence from the king 
the whole aflembly rife, and ftand upon their feet; and this 
they muft have done the whole time the council lafted had 
the king appeared there in perfon. According to the cir- 
cumftances of the time, the king goes with the majority, or 
not; and if, upon a divifion, there is a majority againft him, 
he often punifhes the majority on the other fide, by fendin g 
them to prifon for voting againft his fentiments; for tho’ 
it is underftood, by calling of the meeting, that the majori- 
ty is to determine as to the eligibility of the meafure, the 
king, by his prerogative, fuperfedes any majority on the 
other fide, and fo far, I fuppofe, has been an encroachment 
upon the original conftitution. This I underftand was the 
fame in Perfia. 
Xerxes *, being about to declare war againft the Greeks, 
affembled all the principal chiefs of Afia in council. “ That 
I.may not, fays he, be ¢hought to aét only by my own judg- 
ment, I have called you together. At the fame time, I 
think proper to intimate to you, that it is your duty to 
obey my will, rather than enter into any deliberation or re- 
monftrances of your own.” | 
We will now compare fome particulars, the drefs and 
ornaments of thetwo kings. The king of Abyffinia wears 
his hair long; fo did the ancient kings of Perfia. We learn 
Mm 2 this 
* Herod. lib, vi. 
