Author Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1897 edition. Excerpt:... lives, and I will never relax my efforts to uphold his government, consecrating to his service my life and wealth, my sword and my men; I will obey his commands and conform to his will. Afterwards I will keep the same faith with his son, el-Afdal 'Ali, and the heirs of that prince. I take God to witness that I will obey him and uphold his government and land, consecrating to his service my life and wealth, my sword and my men; I will observe his commands and prohibitions, and I swear that my private resolutions correspond with my oath. I call upon God to tbe witness of my words.'1 CHAPTER CLXXXII. DEATH OF THE SULTAN--MAY GOD HAVE MERCY UPON HIM, AND SANCTIFY HIS SOUL! The eve of Wednesday, the 27th of Safer, in the year 589, was the twelfth night of the illness. He grew worse, and his strength failed; and from the first there was no hope. He remained sometimes with us, and sometimes wandering; but that night they sent for me, as well as el-Kadi el-Fadel and Ibn ez-Zeki,2 and it was not the usual time for our being present. El-Melek el-Afdal wished us to spend the night with him, but the kadi objected, because people used to wait for us on our return from the castle, and he feared that if we did not make our appearance, an alarm might spread through the 1 Our author omits the second clause containing the penalties attached, and which must have run somewhat as follows: 'If I break my oath, I swear that by that fact alone my wives are divorced, my slaves set free, and I must go, barefoot, on the pilgrimage to Mecca, ' etc. * See p. 40. city, and they might begin pillaging. He therefore thought it best for us to leave. El-Afdal then decided to summon Abu J'afer, imdm of the Kellasa, and a man of known rectitude, in order that he might be at...