dwellings.  Whosoever despiseth this command is guilty before God and despiseth the pledge of His Apostle.  All monks and bishops, and the dependents of these, I declare exempt from tribute, except such as they shall of their free will bring.  Nor shall Christian merchants, doing business by sea, or diving for pearls, or working in the mines for gold, or silver, or jewels, even the wealthy and the mighty, pay more than twelve drachmas of yearly tribute.  This, for such Christian merchants as shall live in Arabia; but for travellers and strangers in the land, they are exempt.  Likewise such as have lands and gardens bearing fruit, and fields for corn, shall pay no more than it is in their power to bring.

“And the people to whom I have pledged my word shall not be required to fight for themselves.  But the Moslems shall protect them, asking them neither for arms, nor rations, nor horses for the war, except such as each shall choose to bring.  But if any shall bring money, or help the Moslems in war, it must be acknowledged them with thanks.

“And this is my command.  No Moslem shall molest a follower of Christ; and if he dispute with him it shall be with good manners.  And if a Christian do any man wrong it shall be a duty with Moslems to stay the avenger and make peace between them, paying the ransom if the wrong demand a ransom.  And it is my wish that Christians should not be disregarded by my followers, for I have pledged my word unto them before God that they shall be as Moslems in my sight, sharing and partaking of all things with the rest.  And in their marriages they shall not be troubled No Moslem shall say to a Christian, ‘Give me thy daughter,’ nor take her unless he be willing.  And if a Christian woman become a slave to a Moslem he shall be bound by this covenant to leave her her religion, nor shall he compel her to disobey her religious chiefs.  This is the command of God, and whosoever shall deny it and disobey God shall hold him for a liar.

“Moreover it shall be a duty with my followers to repair the churches of the Christians, rendering them the service not as a debt, but for God’s sake and for the keeping of the covenant, made to them by the Apostle of God.

     “No Christian shall be compelled to go forth in time of war as an
     envoy or spy against his people.

     “These are the privileges which Mohammed, the Apostle of God, hath
     granted to the followers of Christ.  In return he requested them to
     deal with him and with the Moslems as follows:—­

     “1.  None of them in time of war shall give assistance, either
     openly or in secret, to the enemies of Islam.

     “2.  They shall not give asylum in their churches or in their houses
     to the enemies of Islam.

     “3.  They shall not help them with arms, or rations, or horses, or
     men.

     “4.  They shall not keep counsel with the declared enemies of Islam,
     nor receive them in their houses, nor deposit money with them.