מכתב: T-S 8J17.23

תיאור

Report to a Jewish official, perhaps the Nagid. The sender had been ordered to intervene with Abū l-Makārim, who had been delinquent paying the 20 dirhams he owed each month to his wife. The sender met with Abū l-Makārim, who defended himself by saying that he owes 100 dirhams in Fustat for the price of wheat and will be arrested if he enters ('as his wife knows'). Abū l-Makārim also owes some money (durayhimāt) to people in the army camp (al-ʿaskar). The request is for the addressee to intervene with Abū l-Makārim's wife and ask her to be patient for another 2 months, 'for perhaps I will earn something to propitiate her and to pay off the debts that I owe'—interestingly this sentence is in Abū l-Makārim's own voice. On verso there is a pen trial (tajriba). (Information in part from CUDL.) EMS. ASE.