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whom he had overwhelmed with bounties, but who was in the pay of El Amin, brought him during his last journey a bad (i.e. a hard-trotting camel), to the intent that his ailment might be aggravated thereby. When (in 805) his old and faithful servant and foster-father Yehya died in his prison, there was found in his pocket a paper on which he had written these words, “The accuser is gone before and the accused will soon follow: the Cadi will be that equitable judge who is never unjust and who hath no need of evidence.” This paper was sent to Er Reshid, who wept the rest of the day, and his face for some days after bore striking marks of sorrow. In November, 808, the noble Fezl was also, at the age of forty-six, released by death from his sufferings and the Khalif, on hearing of his decease, said, “My term is near unto his.” His presentiments did not deceive him, for he survived the foster-brother and friend, to whom he was so deeply indebted and whom he had so cruelly wronged, but four months. His last act was to sentence to death, on some fancied slight, his physician Jebril ibn Bekhtiyeshou,[1] but, having respited him till the
- ↑ Another account of this matter is to the effect that, when he found himself dying, he upbraided his physician for failing to cure him, to which the latter replied that, if he had taken his advice and abstained from immoderate indulgence in women, he would not have come to such extremity, but that he was now beyond the reach of art, at which Er Reshid was so exasperated that he clapped him in prison and bade put him to death. The Khalif’s chamberlain, who was his friend, took upon himself to respite Jebril, and meanwhile Haroun died Jebril (who was El Amin’s creature) was suspected of poisoning him.
