Letter: T-S Ar.53.67

. . . he should neither sell nor buy, and your servant imposes this on you since you are in a position like that of the tribe of Issachar.

Goods are selling well here: Indigo, 22 (dinars). Olibanum, around 7. Cinnamon, 12. Brazilwood, 60. But the quickest sales are those of pepper. The sale price is standardized at 46 per load leaving the city. Here in Alexandria one has to pay 1 dirhem for each dinar's worth brought into the city, and for local sales beyond one-fourth (of the quantity imported), 5 dinars per load plus 1½ dinars for the dragoman and the agent.

I have made an agreement with Khudayr to carry this basket and to bring it to you for 6 (dirhems)—he says for 8—and I have notified you to keep the sum either with yourself or deposit it with our lord, the head (of the community).16 In the hand of your servant there are still . . .

If the saffron cannot be sold in its entirety, I suggest you place the rest with Abu 'Alī b. Dawud, if this is all right with you, or anyone else in whom you have confidence. Any sale should be certified by a notary, except if my lord is present during the counting and weighing of the money paid and if it remains in your possession.

This consignment is the property of R. Isaac b. Ibrahim al-Tu'ati, but no one knows this except myself. I mention this to you, so that in case anything happens, our lord may give witness against me in favor of its real proprietor. By God, my only intention was to fulfill my duty. These are little matters, to reveal which would be embarrassing to me. For the proprietor of this saffron happened to be in Genoa when I was in Marseilles, and when he heard of me, he traveled there and delivered my goods to me. May God grant him a good reward. No heedlessness is permissible with regard to his rights.

May our lord not neglect the dirhems sent with Khudayr. Send a messenger to the Maghrebis as soon as the letters for them arrive. Charge my account for his payment and I shall charge theirs. If they have already left for Alexandria, open the letters and read them. You will find in them the weights of the (various consignments of) silver indicated. Then may our lord—may God give him success—go up to Cairo to the sons24 of his h(onor), and h(oliness), (our) m(aster and) t(eacher) Menahem and supervise the change, since the Maghrebis will not be present themselves, take the equivalent (in gold) immediately, send it with Khudayr and tell him that this sum is the price of the qasab. Any service or request our lord may have, please honor your servant with it. And do not forget to include me in your prayers.

I also sent you with Khudayr a paper bag with two plain white turbans (to be sold at a) minimum price of 150 (dirhems). May our lord kindly place them with 'Imran al-Marrakushi (Amram of Marrakesh, Morocco), if he is in town, otherwise, with al-'Aflf al-Hariri, who may give them to anyone for sale, but should not neglect the matter. They should obtain a price higher than here in Alexandria, namely 75 apiece, but in any case not less.

I wrote to the elder al-'Aflf concerning the shawl of Ibrahim but he is a poor letter writer. I have also mentioned to our lord that it is worth 3 (dinars). The mantles are with Khudayr or with 'Iwad b. Jawhar al-Mubashshiri. He will arrive with the transport on Tuesday, for he will leave Alexandria on the last day of the Holidays.

Your servant congratulates our lord on this feast. May God grant our lord many pleasant years and may he live to behold the beauty of the lord and to visit every morning in his Temple.