CHAP. V.]

ST. JOHN OH JERUSALEM.

279

beloved wife will I incur the risk of falling intohell’s fire. The money does not belong to me, butto all Mahometans. As for me, I am extremelypoor, and will not, to please her, become an un-faithful treasurer. However,” added he, softening,“ I possess three little shops, which I let out to rentat Edessa, and she may take them if she likes.” 1A learned and pious person having observed in aletter to him that field sports were over futile for sowise a true believer, Noureddin, highly hurt at thereproach, wrote back with his own hand: “ In thepresence of God, it is not to amuse myself, but tokeep in training myself and my horse; for, oftenclose to the enemy, we must be ready day and night,winter and summer; and it is a holy war, a warfor Islam and the Lord’s self. Repose is frequentlyquite necessary to the soldiery, and then, likewise,they must be kept in exercise. 1 ought to give theexample, and be always prepared to mount onhorseback, continually on our guard. Our horsesmust be rendered docile to the rider’s voice; andfor this reason accustomed to it, and know him wellpersonally; and before the Almighty, that is my onlymotive for sometimes playing at mall.” 2

He had much studied jurisprudence, and loved its

1 Arab. Chron., 154.

2 Id., 155.