ance in this matter, we will appoint to you half of the
city of Rome the Great, that thou mayst build therein mosques for the
Moslems, and the tribute thereof shall be forwarded to you.” And after
writing this writ, by rede of his Grandees and Lords of the land, he
folded the scroll and calling his Wazir, whom he had appointed in the
stead of the monocular Minister, bade him seal it with the seal of the
kingdom, and the Officers of state also set hands and seals thereto;
after which the King bade the Wazir bear the letter to Baghdad,[17] the
Palace of Peace, and hand it into the Caliph’s own hand, saying, “An
thou bring her back, thou shalt have of me the fiefs of two Emirs and I
will bestow on thee a robe of honour with twofold fringes of gold.” The
Wazir set out with the letter and fared on over hill and dale, till he
came to the city of Baghdad, where he abode three days, till he was
rested from the way, when he sought the Palace of the Commander of the
Faithful and when guided thereto he entered it and craved audience. The
Caliph bade admit him; so he went in and kissing ground before him,
handed to him the letter of the King of France, together with rich gifts
and rare presents beseeming the Commander of the Faithful. When the
Caliph read the writ and apprehended its significance, he commanded his
Wazir to write, without stay or delay, despatches to all the lands of
the Moslems, setting out the name and favour of Princess Miriam and of
Nur al-Din, stating how they had eloped and bidding all who found them
lay hands on them and send them to the Commander of the Faithful, and
warning them on no wise in that matter to use delay or indifference. So
the Wazir wrote the letters and sealing them, despatched them by
couriers to the different Governors, who hastened to obey the Caliph’s
commandment and addressed themselves to make search in all the lands for
persons of such name and favour. On this wise it fared with the
Governors and their subjects; but as regards Nur al-Din and Miriam the
Girdle-girl, the