280 THE HISTORY OF THE ORDER OF [book i.

purity, and strictly conformed himself to its in-junctions. Once he was cited, and instantly wentto the tribunal or cadi, and said, “ I come todefend my cause, do towards me as towards anyone else.” And when, after a patient trial, thesentence was given in his favour, he added, turningto the cadi and court: “I knew that my accuserwas wrong; but I am glad to prove it was not mydesire to injure him. At present, that it is clearjustice is on my side, I wish to make him a freegift of that land, therefore I call you to witnessthat I give it up to him.” 1 The reverse of all theMoslem sovereigns of his day, he forbade the useof torture, under any pretext. Progress, that noone would have expected at that time in such aquarter . 2 He was, indeed the first Mahometanthat ever erected a court of appeal, and he presidedthere himself, twice a-week, in presence of hiscadis; on which his greatest effencli, who had beenguilty of much extortion, called his lawyers, andbade them instantly satisfy every one of hiscreditors, for that anything was preferable to ap-pearing at the bar before Noureddin and thejudges. At which he shed tears of joy, and ex-claimed, “ Praise be to God that our subjects do

1 Arab. Chron.,157.

2 Id., 158.