282 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
Tue king of Abyflinia never is feen to walk, nor to fet 
his foot upon the ground, out of his palace; and when he 
would difmount from the horfe or mule on which he rides, 
he has a fervant with a ftool, who places it properly for 
him for that purpofe. He rides into the anti-chamber to the 
foot of his throne, or to the ftool placed in the alcove of his 
tent. We are told by Athenaeus *, fuch was the practice in 
Perfia, whofe king never fet his foot upon the ground out of- 
his palace. 
Tue king of Abyflinia very often judges capital crimes: 
himfelf. It 1s reckoned a favourable judicature, fuch as,. 
Claudian fays, that of a king in perfon fhould be, “ Piger ad 
panas, a7 premia velox.” No man is condemned by the king in 
perfon to die for the firft fault, unlefs the crime be of a 
horrid nature, fuch as parricide or facrilege. And, in general, 
the life and merits of the prifoner are weighed againtt his. 
immediate guilt ; fo that if his firft behaviour has had more 
merit towards the ftate than his prefent delinquency is 
thought to have injured it, the one is placed fairly againft 
the other, and the accufed is generally abfolved when the- 
fovereign judges alone.. 
Heroporvus jf praifes this as amaxim of the kings of Pers. 
fia in capital judgments, almoft in the very words that I 
have juft now ufed; and he gives an inftance of it :—Darius. 
had condemned Sandoces, one of the king’s judges, to be 
crucified for corruption, that is, for having given falfe judg- 
ment for a bribe. The man was already hung up on the: 
crofs, when the king, confidering with himfelf how many 
good; 
Sv EUELE SON SEATS ont THAR EIRINS OMNIS oon) es MPEP AEE 
%* Athen, lib. xii. cap. 2.. + Herod, lib. vit.. 
