to the Caliph, “O my lord, strike off my head; haply that will dispel
thine unease and do away the restlessness that is upon thee.” So
Al-Rashid laughed at his saying and said, “See which of the
boon-companions is at the door.” Thereupon he went out and returning,
said, “O my lord, he who sits without is Ali bin Mansur of Damascus, the
Wag.”[327] “Bring him to me,” quoth Harun: and Masrur went out and
returned with Ibn Mansur, who said, on entering, “Peace be with thee, O
Commander of the Faithful!” The Caliph returned his salutation and said
to him, “O Ibn Mansur, tell us some of thy stories.” Said the other, “O
Commander of the Faithful, shall I tell thee what I have seen with my
eyes or what I have only heard tell?” Replied the Caliph, “If thou have
seen aught worth telling, let us hear it; for hearing is not like
seeing.” Said Ibn Mansur, “O Commander of the Faithful, lend me thine
ear and thy heart;” and he answered, “O Ibn Mansur, behold, I am
listening to thee with mine ears and looking at thee with mine eyes and
attending to thee with my heart.” So Ibn Mansur began:—Know then, O
Commander of the Faithful, that I receive a yearly allowance from
Mohammed bin Sulaymán al-Háshimi, Sultan of Bassorah; so I went to him,
once upon a time, as usual, and found him ready to ride out hunting and
birding. I saluted him and he returned my salute, and said, “O son of
Mansur, mount and come with us to the chase:” but I said, “O my lord, I
can no longer ride; so do thou station me in the guest-house and give
thy chamberlains and lieutenants charge over me.” And he did so and
departed for his sport. His people entreated me with the utmost honour
and entertained me with the greatest hospitality; but said I to myself,
“By Allah, it is a strange thing that for so long I have been in the
habit of coming from Baghdad to Bassorah, yet know no more of this town
than from palace to garden and from garden to palace; When shall I find
an occasion like this to view the different parts and quarters of
Bassorah? I will rise forthwith and walk forth alone and divert myself
and digest what I have eaten.” Accordingly I donned my richest dress and
went out a-walking about Bassorah. Now it is known to thee, O Commander
of the Faithful, that it hath seventy streets, each seventy leagues[328]
long, the measure of Irak; and I lost myself in its by-streets and
thirst overcame me. Presently, as I went along, O Prince of True
Believers, behold, I came to a great door, whereon were two rings of
brass,[329] with curtains of red brocade drawn before it. And on either
side of the door was a stone bench and over it was a trellis, covered
with a creeping vine that hung down and shaded the doorway. I stood
still to gaze upon the place, and presently heard a sorrowful voice,
proceeding from a heart which did not rejoice, singing melodiously and
chanting these cinquains:—
My body bides the sad abode of grief and malady, ✿ Caused by a fawn
whose land and home are in a far countrie:
O ye two Zephyrs of the wold which caused such pain in me ✿ By Allah,
Lord of you! to him my heart’s desire, go ye
And chide him so perchance ye soften him I pray.
And tell us all his words if he to hear your speech shall deign, ✿ And
unto him the tidings bear of lovers ‘twixt you twain:
And both vouchsafe to render me a service free and fain, ✿ And lay my
case before him showing how I e’er complain:
And say, “What ails thy bounden thrall this wise to drive away,
Without a fault committed and without a sin to show; ✿ Or heart that
leans to other wight or would thy love forego:
Or treason to our plighted troth or causing thee a throe?” ✿ And if he
smile then say ye twain in accents soft and slow,
“An thou to him a meeting grant ‘twould be the kindest way!
For he is gone distraught for thee, as well indeed, he might. ✿ His eyes
are wakeful and he weeps and wails the livelong night:”
If seem he satisfied by this why then ‘tis well and right, ✿ But if he
show an angry face and treat ye with despite,
Trick him and “Naught we know of him!” I beg you both to
say.[330]
Quoth I to myself, “Verily, if the owner of this voice be fair, she
conjoineth beauty of person and eloquence and sweetness of voice.” Then
I drew near the door, and began raising the curtain little by little,
when lo! I beheld a damsel, white as a full moon when it mooneth on its
fourteenth night, with joined eyebrows twain and languorous lids of
eyne, breasts like pomegranates twin and dainty lips like double
carnelian, a mouth as it were the seal of Solomon, and teeth ranged in a
line that played with the reason of proser and rhymer, even as saith the
poet:—
O pearly mouth of friend, who set those pretty pearls in line, ✿ And
filled thee full of whitest chamomile and reddest wine?
Who lent the morning-glory in thy smile to shimmer and shine ✿ Who with
that ruby-padlock dared thy lips to seal and sign!
Who looks on thee at early morn with stress of joy and bliss ✿ Goes mad
for aye, what then of him who wins a kiss of thine?
And as saith another:—
O pearl-set mouth of friend ✿ Pity poor Ruby’s cheek;
Boast not o’er one who owns ✿ Thee, union and unique.
In brief she comprised all varieties of loveliness and was a seduction
to men and women, nor could the gazer satisfy himself with the sight of
her charms; for she was as the poet hath said of her:—
When comes she, slays she; and when back she turns, ✿ She makes all men
regard with loving eyes:
A very sun! a very moon! but still ✿ From hurt and harmful ills her
nature flies.
Opes Eden’s garden when she shows herself; ✿ And full moon see we o’er
her necklace rise.
Now as I was looking at her through an opening of the curtain, behold,
she turned; and, seeing me standing at the door, said to her handmaid,
“See who is at the door.” So the slave-girl came up to me and said, “O
Shaykh, hast thou no shame, or do impudent airs suit hoary hairs?” Quoth
I, “O my mistress, I confess to the hoary hairs, but as for impudent
airs, I think not to be guilty of unmannerliness.” Then the mistress
broke in, “And what can be more unmannerly than to intrude thyself upon
a house other than thy house and gaze on a Harim other than thy Harim?”
I pleaded, “O my lady, I have an excuse;” and when she asked, “And what
is thine excuse?” I answered, “I am a stranger and so thirsty that I am
well-nigh dead of thirst.” She rejoined, “We accept thine excuse,”——And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Three Hundred and Twenty-ninth Night,
She said, it hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the young lady
rejoined, “We accept thine excuse,” and calling one of her slave-maids,
said to her, “O Lutf,[331] give him to drink in the golden tankard.” So
she brought me a tankard of red gold, set with pearls and gems of price,
full of water mingled with virgin musk and covered with a napkin of
green silk; and I addressed myself to drink and was long about my
drinking, for I stole glances at her the while, till I could prolong my
stay no longer. Then I returned the tankard to the girl, but did not
offer to go; and she said to me, “O Shaykh, wend thy way.” But I said,
“O my lady, I am troubled in mind.” She asked me “For what?” and I
answered, “For the turns of Time and the change of things.” Replied she,
“Well mayst thou be troubled thereat for Time breedeth wonders. But what
hast thou seen of such surprises that thou shouldst muse upon them?”
Quoth I, “I was thinking of the whilom owner of this house, for he was
my intimate in his lifetime.” Asked she, “What was his name?”; and I
answered, “Mohammed bin Ali the Jeweller and he was a man of great
wealth. Tell me did he leave any children?” Said she, “Yes, he left a
daughter, Budur by name, who inherited all his wealth?.” Quoth I,
“Meseemeth thou art his daughter?” “Yes,” answered she, laughing; then
added, “O Shaykh, thou hast talked long enough; now wend thy ways.”
Replied I, “Needs must I go, but I see thy charms are changed by being
out of health; so tell me thy case; it may be Allah will give thee
comfort at my hands.” Rejoined she, “O Shaykh, if thou be a man of
discretion, I will discover to thee my secret; but first tell me who
thou art, that I may know whether thou art worthy of confidence or not;
for the poet saith:[332]—
None keepeth a secret but a faithful person: with the best of mankind it
remaineth concealed.
I have kept my secret in a house with a lock, whose key is lost and
whose door is sealed.”
Thereto I replied, “O my lady, an thou wouldest know who I am, I am Ali
bin Mansúr of Damascus, the Wag, cup-companion to the Commander of the
Faithful, Harun al-Rashid.” Now when she heard my name, she came down
from her seat and saluting me, said, “Welcome, O Ibn Mansur! Now will I
tell thee my case and entrust thee with my secret. I am a lover
separated from her beloved.” I answered, “O my lady, thou art fair and
shouldest be on love-terms with none but the fair. Whom then dost thou
love?” Quoth she, “I love Jubayr bin Umayr al-Shaybáni, Emir of the Banú
Shaybán;[333]” and she described to me a young man than whom there was
no prettier fellow in Bassorah. I asked, “O my lady, have interviews or
letters passed between you?” and she answered, “Yes, but our love was
tongue-love, not heart and soul-love; for he kept not his trust nor was
he faithful to his troth.” Said I, “O my lady, and what was the cause of
your separation?”; and she replied, “I was sitting one day whilst my
handmaid here combed my hair. When she had made an end of combing it,
she plaited my tresses, and my beauty and loveliness charmed her; so she
bent over me and kissed my cheek.[334] At that moment he came in
unawares, and, seeing the girl kiss my cheek, straightways turned away
in anger, vowing eternal separation and repeating these two couplets:—
If another share in the thing I love, ✿ I abandon my love and live lorn
of love.
My beloved is worthless if aught she will, ✿ Save that which her lover
doth most approve.
And from the time he left me to this present hour, O Ibn Mansur, he hath
neither written to me nor answered my letters.” Quoth I, “And what
purposest thou to do?” Quoth she, “I have a mind to send him a letter by
thee. If thou bring me back an answer, thou shalt have of me five
hundred gold pieces; and if not, then an hundred for thy trouble in
going and coming.” I answered, “Do what seemeth good to thee; I hear and
I obey thee.” Whereupon she called to one of her slave-girls, “Bring me
inkcase and paper,” and she wrote thereon these couplets:—
Beloved, why this strangeness, why this hate? ✿ When shall thy pardon
reunite us two?
Why dost thou turn from me in severance? ✿ Thy face is not the face I am
wont to know.
Yes, slanderers falsed my words, and thou to them ✿ Inclining, madest
spite and envy grow.
An hast believed their tale, the Heavens forbid ✿ Now thou believe it
when dost better trow!
By thy life tell what hath reached thine ear; ✿ Thou know’st what said
they and so justice show.
An it be true I spoke the words, my words ✿ Admit interpreting and
change allow:
Given that the words of Allah were revealed, ✿ Folk changed the
Torah[335] and still changing go:
What slanders told they of mankind before! ✿ Jacob heard Joseph blamed
by tongue of foe.
Yea, for myself and slanderer and thee ✿ An awful day of reckoning there
shall be.
Then she sealed the letter and gave it to me; and I took it and carried
it to the house of Jubayr bin Umayr, whom I found absent a-hunting. So I
sat down to wait for him; and behold, he returned from the chase; and
when I saw him, O Prince of True Believers, come riding up, my wit was
confounded by his beauty and grace. As soon as he sighted me sitting at
the house-door, he dismounted and coming up to me embraced me and
saluted me; and meseemed I embraced the world and all therein. Then he
carried me into his house and, seating me on his own couch, called for
food. They brought a table of Khalanj-wood of Khorasan with feet of
gold, whereon were all manners of meats, fried and roasted and the like.
So I seated myself at the table and examining it with care found these
couplets engraved upon it:[336]——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day
and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Three Hundred and Thirtieth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Ali son of Mansur
continued:—So I seated myself at the table of Jubayr bin Umayr
al-Shaybani and, examining it with care, found these couplets engraven
upon it:—
On these which once were chicks,
Your mourning glances fix,
Late dwellers in the mansion of the cup,
Now nearly eaten up!
Let tears bedew
The memory of that stew,
Those partridges, once roast,
Now lost!
The daughters of the grouse in plaintive strain;
Bemourn, and still bemourn, and mourn again!
The children of the fry,
We lately saw
Half smothered in pilau,
With buttery mutton fritters smoking by!
Alas! my heart, the fish!
Who filled his dish,
With flaky form in varying colours spread
On the round pastry cake of household bread!
Heaven sent us that kabob!
For no one could
(Save heaven he should rob)
Produce a thing so excellently good,
Or give us roasted meat
With basting oil so savourily replete!
But, oh! mine appetite, alas! for thee!
Who on that furmeaty
So sharpset wast a little while ago—
That furmeaty, which mashed by hands of snow,
A light reflection bore,
Of the bright bracelets that those fair hands wore;
Again remembrance glads my sense
With visions of its excellence!
Again I see the cloth unrolled
Rich worked in many a varied fold!
Be patient, oh! my soul, they say
Fortune rules all that’s new and strange,
And though she pinches us to-day,
To-morrow brings full rations, and a change![337]
Then said Jubayr, “Put forth thy hand to our food and ease our heart by
eating of our victual.” Answered I, “By Allah, I will not eat a
mouthful, till thou grant me my desire.” He asked, “What is thy
desire?”; so I brought out the letter and gave it to him; but, when he
had read it and mastered its contents, he tore it in pieces and throwing
it on the floor, said to me, “O Ibn Mansur, I will grant thee whatever
thou askest save thy desire which concerneth the writer of this letter,
for I have no answer to her.” At this I rose in anger; but he caught
hold of my skirts, saying, “O Ibn Mansur, I will tell thee what she said
to thee, albeit I was not present with you.” I asked, “And what did she
say to me?”; and he answered, “Did not the writer of this letter say to
thee, If thou bring me back an answer, thou shalt have of me five
hundred ducats; and if not, an hundred for thy pains?” “Yes,” replied I;
and he rejoined, “Abide with me this day and eat and drink and enjoy
thyself and make merry, and thou shalt have thy five hundred ducats.” So
I sat with him and ate and drank and made merry and enjoyed myself and
entertained him with talk deep into the night;[338] after which I said
to him, “O my master, is there no music in thy house.” He answered,
“Verily for many a day we have drunk without music.” Then he called out,
saying, “Ho, Shajarat al-Durr!” Whereupon a slave-girl answered him from
her chamber and came in to us, with a lute of Hindu make, wrapped in a
silken bag. And she sat down and, laying the lute in her lap, preluded
in one-and-twenty modes; then, returning to the first, she sang to a
lively measure these couplets:—
Whoso ne’er tasted of Love’s sweets and bitter draught, ✿ No difference
kens ‘twixt presence-bliss and absence-stress;
And so, who hath declined from Love’s true road, ✿ No difference kens
‘twixt smooth and ruggedness:
I ceased not to oppose the votaries of love, ✿ Till I had tried its
sweets and bitters not the less:
How many a night my pretty friend conversed with me ✿ And sipped I from
his lips honey of love-liesse:
Now have I drunk its cup of bitterness, until ✿ To bondman and to
freedman I have proved me base.
How short-aged was the night together we enjoyed, ✿ When seemed it day
break came on nightfall’s heel to press!
But Fate had vowed to disunite us lovers twain, ✿ And she too well hath
kept her vow, that votaress.
Fate so decreed it! None her sentence can withstand: ✿ Where is the
wight who dares oppose his Lord’s command?
Hardly had she finished her verses, when her lord cried out with a great
cry and fell down in a fit; whereupon exclaimed the damsel, “May Allah
not punish thee, O old man! This long time have we drunk without music,
for fear the like of this falling sickness befal our lord. But now go
thou to yonder chamber and there sleep.” So I went to the chamber which
she showed me and slept till the morning, when behold, a page brought me
a purse of five hundred dinars and said to me, “This is what my master
promised thee; but return thou not to the damsel who sent thee, and let
it be as though neither thou nor we had ever heard of this matter.”
“Hearkening and obedience,” answered I and taking the purse, went my
way. Still I said to myself, “The lady must have expected me since
yesterday; and by Allah there is no help but I return to her and tell
her what passed between me and him: otherwise she will revile me and
revile all who come from my country.” So I went to her and found her
standing behind the door; and when she saw me she said, “O Ibn Mansur,
thou hast done nothing for me!” I asked, “Who told thee of this?”; and
she answered, “O Ibn Mansur, yet another thing hath been revealed to
me;[339] and it is that, when thou handedst him the letter, he tore it
in pieces and throwing it on the floor, said to thee:—O Ibn Mansur, I
will grant thee whatever thou askest save thy desire which concerneth
the writer of this letter; for I have no answer to her missive. Then
didst thou rise from beside him in anger; but he laid hold of thy
skirts, saying:—O son of Mansur, abide with me to-day, for thou art my
guest, and eat and drink and make merry; and thou shalt have thy five
hundred ducats. So thou didst sit with him, eating and drinking and
making merry, and entertainedst him with talk deep into the night and a
slave-girl sang such an air and such verses, whereupon he fell down in a
fit.” So, O Commander of the Faithful, I asked her “Wast thou then with
us?”; and she answered, “O Ibn Mansur, hast thou not heard the saying of
the poet:—
The hearts of lovers have eyes I ken, ✿ Which see the unseen by vulgar
men.
However, O Ibn Mansur, the night and day shift not upon anything but
they bring to it change.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Three Hundred and Thirty-first Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the lady
exclaimed, “O Ibn Mansur, the night and the day shift not upon anything
but they bring to it change!” Then she raised her glance to heaven and
said, “O my God and my Leader and my Lord, like as Thou hast afflicted
me with love of Jubayr bin Umayr, even so do Thou afflict him with love
of me, and transfer the passion from my heart to his heart!”[340] Then
she gave me an hundred sequins for my trouble in going and coming and I
took it and returned to the palace, where I found the Sultan come home
from the chase; so I got my pension of him and fared back to Baghdad.
And when next year came, I repaired to Bassorah, as usual, to seek my
pension, and the Sultan paid it to me; but, as I was about to return to
Baghdad, I bethought me of the Lady Budur and said to myself, “By Allah,
I must needs go to her and see what hath befallen between her and her
lover!” So I went to her house and finding the street before her door
swept and sprinkled and eunuchs and servants and pages standing before
the entrance, said to myself, “Most like grief hath broken the lady’s
heart and she is dead, and some Emir or other hath taken up his abode in
her house.” So I left it and went on to the house of Jubayr, son of
Umayr the Shaybani, where I found the benches of the porch broken down
and ne’er a page at the door, as of wont, and said to myself, “Haply he
too is dead.” Then I stood still before the door of his house and with
my eyes running over with tears, bemoaned it in these couplets:—
O Lords of me, who fared but whom my heart e’er followeth; ✿ Return; and
so my festal days with you shall be renewed!
I stand before the home of you, bewailing your abode; ✿ Quiver mine
eyelids and my eyes with tears are ever dewed:
I ask the house and its remains that seem to weep and wail, ✿ “Where is
the man who whilom wont to lavish goods and good?”
It saith, “Go, wend thy way; those friends like travellers have fared ✿
From Springtide-camp, and buried lie of earth and worms the food!”
Allah ne’er desolate us so we lose their virtues’ light ✿ In length and
breadth, but ever be the light in spirit viewed!
As I, O Prince of True Believers, was thus keening over the folk of the
house,[341] behold, out came a black slave therefrom and said to me,
“Hold thy peace, O Shaykh! May thy mother be reft of thee! Why do I see
thee bemoaning the house on this wise?” Quoth I, “I frequented it of
yore, when it belonged to a good friend of mine.” Asked the slave, “What
was his name?”; and I answered, “Jubayr bin Umayr the Shaybani.”
Rejoined he, “And what hath befallen him? Praised be Allah, he is yet
here with us in the enjoyment of property and rank and prosperity,
except that Allah hath stricken him with love of a damsel called the
Lady Budur; and he is so whelmed by his love of her and his longing for
her, that he is like a great rock cumbering the ground. If he hunger, he
saith not, Give me meat; nor, if he thirst, doth he say, Give me drink.”
Quoth I, “Ask leave for me to go in to him.” Said the slave, “O my lord,
wilt thou go in to one who understandeth or to one who understandeth
not?”; and I said, “There is no help for it but I see him whatever be
the case.” Accordingly he went in to ask and presently returned with
permission for me to enter, whereupon I went in to Jubayr and found him
like a rock that cumbereth the ground, understanding neither sign nor
speech; and when I spoke to him he answered me not. Then said one of his
servants, “O my lord, if thou remember aught of verse, repeat it and
raise thy voice; and he will be aroused by this and speak with thee.” So
I versified in these two couplets:—
Hast quit the love of Moons[342] or dost persist? ✿ Dost wake o’ nights
or close in sleep thine eyes?
If aye thy tears in torrents flow, then learn ✿ Eternal thou shalt dwell
in Paradise.[342]
When he heard these verses he opened his eyes and said, “Welcome, O son
of Mansur! Verily, the jest is become earnest.” Quoth I, “O my lord, is
there aught thou wouldst have me do for thee?” Answered he, “Yes, I
would fain write her a letter and send it to her by thee. If thou bring
me back her answer, thou shalt have of me a thousand dinars; and if not,
two hundred for thy pains.” So I said, “Do what seemeth good to
thee;”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her
permitted say.
Now when it was the Three Hundred and Thirty-second Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Ibn Mansur
continued:—So I said, “Do what seemeth good to thee;” whereupon he
called to one of his slave-girls, “Bring me ink case and paper;” and
wrote these couplets:—
I pray in Allah’s name, O Princess mine, be light ✿ On me, for Love hath
robbed me of my reason’s sight!
‘Slaved me this longing and enthralled me love of you; ✿ And clad in
sickness garb, a poor and abject wight.
I wont ere this to think small things of Love and hold, ✿ O Princess
mine, twas silly thing and over-slight.
But when it showed me swelling surges of its sea, ✿ To Allah’s hest I
bowed and pitied lovers’ plight.
An will you, pity show and deign a meeting grant; ✿ An will you, kill me
still forget not good requite.[343]
Then he sealed the letter and gave it to me. So I took it and, repairing
to Budur’s house, raised the door-curtain little by little, as before,
and looking in behold, I saw ten damsels, high-bosomed virgins, like
moons, and the Lady Budur as she were the full moon among the stars,
sitting in their midst, or the sun, when it is clear of clouds and mist;
nor was there on her any trace of pain or care. And as I looked and
marvelled at her case, she turned her glance upon me and, seeing me
standing at the door, said to me, “Well come, and welcome and all hail
to thee, O Ibn Mansur! Come in.” So I entered and saluting her gave her
the letter; and she read it and when she understood it, she said
laughingly to me, “O Ibn Mansur,” the poet lied not when he sang:—
Indeed I’ll bear my love for thee with firmest soul, ✿ Until from thee
to me shall come a messenger.
“Look’ye, O Ibn Mansur, I will write thee an answer, that he may give
thee what he promised thee.” And I answered, “Allah requite thee with
good!” So she called out to a handmaid, “Bring inkcase and paper,” and
wrote these couplets:—
How comes it I fulfilled my vow the while that vow broke you? ✿ And,
seen me lean to equity, iniquity wrought you?
‘Twas you initiated wrongous dealing and despite: ✿ You were the
treachetour and treason came from only you!
I never ceased to cherish mid the sons of men my troth; ✿ And keep your
honour brightest bright and swear by name of you,
Until I saw with eyes of me what evil you had done; ✿ Until I heard with
ears of me what foul report spread you.
Shall I bring low my proper worth while raising yours so high? ✿ By
Allah, had you honoured me eke I had honoured you!
But now uprooting severance I will fain console my heart, ✿ And wring my
fingers clean of you for evermore to part!
Quoth I, “By Allah, O my lady, between him and death there is but the
reading of this letter!” So I tore it in pieces and said to her, “Write
him other than these lines.” “I hear and obey,” answered she and wrote
the following couplets—
Indeed I am consolèd now and sleep without a tear, ✿ And all that
happened slandering tongues have whispered in mine ear:
My heart obeyed my hest and soon forgot thy memory, ✿ And learnt mine
eyelids ‘twas the best to live in severance sheer:
He lied who said that severance is a bitterer thing than gall: ✿ It
never disappointed me; like wine I find it cheer:
I learnt to hate all news of thee, e’en mention of thy name, ✿ And turn
away and look thereon with loathing pure and mere:
Lookye! I cast thee out of heart and far from vitals mine; ✿ Then let
the slanderer wot this truth and see I am sincere.
Quoth I, “By Allah, O my lady, when he shall read these verses, his soul
will depart his body!” Quoth she, “O Ibn Mansur, is passion indeed come
to such a pass with him that thou sayest this saying?” Quoth I, “Had I
said more than this verily it were but the truth: but mercy is of the
nature of the noble.” Now when she heard this her eyes brimmed over with
tears and she wrote him a note, I swear by Allah, O Commander of the
Faithful, there is none in thy Chancery could write the like of it; and
therein were these couplets:—