in support of their privileges and the freedom of their assemblies. From the Itchegué's house they ran to the Abuna's, without soliciting or receiving any permission from the king; and, upon interrogation, they succeeded with the Abuna to the height of their wishes; for he answered in the precise words of their profession—"One God, of the Father alone, united to a body perfectly human, consubstantial with ours, and by that union becoming the Messiah;" in direct opposition to what was proclaimed by the king's order at the gate of the palace the day before—Perfect God and perfect man, by the union one Christ, whose body is composed of a precious substance, called Babery, not consubstantial with ours, or derived from his mother.
Had they stopt here it had been well; but the victory was too great, too unexpected, and complete, to admit of their sitting quietly down without a triumph. They returned, therefore, from the Abuna's, frantic with joy, shouting, and singing, and more peculiarly one kind of song, or hallelujah, used always upon victories obtained over infidels. As they passed the door of the king's palace, some of the officers of the household, Azage Zakery, Azage Tecla Haimanout, and Badjerund Welleta David, moderate men, lovers of peace, and inclined to no party, endeavoured to persuade them to content themselves with what they had done, to disperse, and each go to his home, before some mischief overtook them. But they were too high-minded. They redoubled their songs; and, in this manner, again assembled in the Itchegué's house to deliberate on what further they were to attempt; when one of the monks, a prophet, or dreamer, declared, "That God had opened his eyes, and that he then saw a cherub with a flaming sword guarding
