Scholarship on Letter: T-S Ar.30.145

(To) M. Mufaddal Ibn Abi Sa'd ("Excellent, son of Fortunate"). God is sufficient for me.

These items have been sent by your servant to my lord—may God make permanent his honored position.

With the sheikh Yahya b. Abi Ί-Qasim al-SakhawIs in the "mount" of Ibn al-Naffakh ("Hornist," "Blower of the Horn"): 3 bales with lac, each weighing 400 pounds

2 bales, "mixed," one half pepper and the other ginger, each weighing 1 bahar

1 bale cleaned clove, weighing 40 gross mann

1 bale clove stalks, weighing 50 mann

Everything is marked: Mufaddal Ibn Abi Sa'd.

For the elder Abu Nasr, the twin brother of my lord, as an equivalent of what was due him, with Futuh a bale of pepper weighing 140 pounds. Marked. . . .

With the same a bale containing three bags of cleaned clove, marked: Mufaddal Ibn Abi Sa'd.

A bag for our lord Menahem weighing 2½ mann. His name is written on it.

A bag for the Jew from Majorca who is with you in Qus, weighing 1 mann. Mayurql is written on it.

A bag for the elder Makarim ("Nobility") b. Mufaddal b. Nanu from the elder Ibn Walid, weighing 2 and 5 mann. (Written on it in another hand:) "Sayrafl."

A bag containing a precious turban made of lalas (fine red silk), a bukhnuq (shawl), and a white burda (robe) without a border for our lord Menahem. Marked (in Arabic characters:) Mufaddal Ibn Abi Sa'd.

A bag with (Chinese) rhubarb, canvassed. Abu Ί-Hasan b. 'Atiyya ("Handsome, son of Gift") sent this to Tahirie b. Ibrahim ("Pure, son of Abraham"). I instructed him to deliver everything to my lord.

With Mahasin ("Favors"), son of the man with the parted beard: a flask with musk, weighing 12½ mithqals. Marked: Mufaddal Ibn Abi Sa'd. Also with him a bag of odoriferous wood, weighing 1 mann; in the middle of this is a piece of cloth containing a unit of ambergris.

A bag with three lalas turbans, a lalas 'ardi (broad shawl), and a fine cotton robe, all marked: Abu Ί-Qasim, the son of the Physician. If Abu Ί-Qasim is in town, he should accept delivery. Otherwise, my lord should receive it.

With him also: a bale with lalas textiles packed in leather, marked: Abu Sa'd b. Mufaddal Ibn Abii (!) Sa'd, namely:

3 Volga robes

11 small lalas turbans

2 large turbans

5 broad shawls with black borders

Total 21 pieces

Cleaned lalas: 4 untailored pieces

3 large turbans

3 small turbans

3 broad shawls

Total of cleaned lalas: 13 pieces

(In the margin:) 2 harnesses of wood for the elder Abu 'I-Surur b. Masll'ah.

Grand total: 39 pieces

I instructed him to deliver everything to my lord.

With 'Ata' Allah b. 'Abd al-Khaliq a bale with cleaned clove, weighing 52½ mann. Marked: Abu Sa'd b. Mufaddal Ibn Abu Sa'd.

With Ahmad b. Hasnun a bale with cleaned clove, weighing 40 gross mann, and a bale with clove stalks, weighing 50 mann. Marked: Mufaddal Ibn Abl Sa'd.

In the "nailformed" (boat) of Ibn Hiba what had been sent via 'Aydhab, when the ship sank and the cargo was partially saved:

2 remainders from the pepper and ginger, weighing 814 pounds

a remainder of lac, weighing 450 pounds

a bale of lac, weighing 130 pounds. Marked: Abu Sa'd b. Munajja.

For my lord, out of the total load carried by Afdal and Abu Ί-Surflr: a remainder of pepper weighing 357 pounds, marked Mufaddal Ibn AbI Sa'd. All this is sent to you with Rashid, the servant of Ibn Hiba and Qasim Ibn al-Qathif.

Also with Qasim Ibn al-Qathlf a bale packed in leather and canvas, marked Abfl Sa'd b. Munajja, containing ten lalas robes, untailored and of utmost fineness.

And peace.