PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION.

"May the melodies be gathered from the altars of prayer. And may the full monastic orders come forth in silence: from the deserts of thirst [which are] unheard, as if they were widows."

Further on, col. 451, Barhebræus speaks in these terms of the personages whose history we are publishing:

"And in the year four [of the Greeks 1280–1281 A.D.], when the lordship of Mar Denha the monk had taken hold of the island, he was born in that same place. And he came to the place where he grew up: he mastered the complete teachings, so that even though he was conceived in a place of beautiful thirst, he blossomed anew from the earth. Because he was a beautiful monk of the name.

"And because while Mar Denha was alive, two monastic drops a term for monks or disciples from his face [were] from life, in the chapter of the one who receives: the monk who was to be lifted from the earth. And when he reached three thousand, they could not find roads and places to provide for him. He was chosen or 'he chose' like Mar Denha. And Mar Denha became [one], because he was not David, that son of Quraida a specific historical figure who was not a Syrian, he was lifted to the desert from the drop-monk or from the House of the Hedwaye a monastic order, the descent [was] not to the desert, and they called it proximity. And while he was being drawn to the monastic struggle, Mar Denha approached. Just as he who manages the four of them is the son of Nestorius, he was chosen because of that monasticism to fill the completion: that he, between the thrones of monasticism, should be the Catholicos. And even he in the island, they all desired him, he brought forth the effective sacrifice to the name of God [and] the completion and the gates are gathered from him. And as it happened, the order went out..."

(1) Simeon, the father who is faithful, the son of Quraida: and he was a monk who [was] for the mountains of the Medians that are in the Hedwaye: and Mar Denha the Catholicos turned to him, the descent [was] not they are not. Because it is good to increase, the son of Quraida brought the monk to the desert, he sent and brought him to the monk who [was] for the desert of the Medians that [is] in the place of the House. . . . And Quraida finished the teachings from him. (Barheb. sec. II., col. 449. Ass. B. O. t. II., p. 255.)