Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 5.djvu/4

der: Of ſeven Brothers there’s of us, I am he who ſpeak the leaſt, and have moſt Wit for my ſhare; and to perſwade you of it, Gentlemen, I need only to tell my own Story and theirs, Honour me, I beſeech you, with your Attention.

IN the Reign of the Califf Monſtancer Billah^[1], continues he, a Prince ſo famous for his vaſt Liberality towards the Poor, ten Highway-men infeſted the Roads about Bagdad, and for a long Time committed unheard of Robberies and Cruelties. The Califf having Notice of this, ſent for the Judge of the Policy, ſome Days before the Feaſt of Bairam, and ordered him on pain of Death to bring all the Ten to him.

Scheherazade ſtopt here becauſe Day appeared, and next Night reſum’d her Diſcourſe as follows.

THE Judge of the Policy, continu’d the Barber, uſed ſo much Diligence, and ſent ſo many People in purſuit of the ten Robbers, that they were taken on the Day of Bairam. I was walking then on the Banks of the Tygris, and ſaw ten Men richly apparelled go into a Boat: I might have known they were Robbers, had I obſerv’d the Guards that were with them; but I look’d only to them, and thinking they were People that had a Mind to ſpend the Feſtival Day in Jollity, I enter’d the Boat with them, without ſaying one Word, in hopes they would allow me to be one of the Company. We went down the Tygris, and landed before the Califf’s Palace: Thad Time then to conſider with my ſelf, and to find my Miſtake; when we came out of the Boat, we were ſurounded by a new Troop of the Judges of the Policy’s Guard, who ty’d us all, and carry’d us all before the Califf, I ſuffer’d my ſelf

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