Arrival of Shãh Tahmâsp’s letter, and the march of Humâyun towards Meshed. A. H. 950-1.—A. D. 1543-4.
I THINK it requisite to repeat, that after the King had entered the province of Khorasan, and had arrived at the city of Herat, which is the capital of that country, he was waited upon by Muhammed Khan, the preceptor (Atalyk) of the young Prince Sultan Muhammed (eighth son of Tahmásp), who had previously given orders that every person of the city from seven years of age to seventy should advance to meet his Majesty; in consequence of which, the Prince, the preceptor, and an immense crowd of people, had the honour of paying their respects to the King, for whom an encampment was formed in the Murâd Bagh (Garden of Desire).
After we had remained about a month in this delightful situation, another letter arrived from the Persian monarch, inviting the King to proceed to Meshehed-Sheryf,* where he would have the honour of meeting him.
At this time Bubek Beg, one of the nobles of Aby Khan who had taken refuge with his Majesty, represented, that as it was his anxious wish to make the pilgrimage of Mecca, he requested permission, to attend the royal stirrup to Arabia; but that if his Majesty should alter his intention, he might be permitted to accompany him as far as Meshehed, being assured that while under his Majesty’s protection the Persian monarch would not be displeased; and that from Meshehed he would proceed on the pilgrimage by himself. To this proposal the King very good-naturedly gave his consent.*
In short, after various marches we arrived safely at the Holy Meshehed;* the governor of the city, named Shah Kûly Sultan, having come out to meet the King, had the honour of paying his respects, and performed all the rites of hospitality.
We remained forty days in that city; when one night it entered the mind of his Majesty, that he would go privately and make his prostrations at the tomb of the Imâm Aly, son of Musa, on whom be the peace of God! He therefore selected five persons to attend him on this solemn occasion: there names were, Doust Baba, the Kourbegy (Chamberlain), Mehter Vasil, the Tushekbeg (Keeper of the Wardrobe), Yakûb Beg, the Suferchy (Butler), Kuchekbeg, and the humble servant Jouher, the Aftabchy. When we reached the tomb, the porter attempted to open the gate, but the chain was closed: the door-keeper then represented that it was impossible to open the chain: the King in consequence retreated a few steps, but afterwards returned, and said: “O Imam, every person who has ever offered up his vow at your shrine has obtained the object of his wishes; your slave has also come with similar hopes to your tomb, in expectation of succeeding in his request.” Having said this, he laid his hand on the door, when instantly the chain was unlocked; it might even be said it was cut in two: on which his Majesty entered the holy tomb, walked round it, and then offered up his prayers, after which he sat down at an appointed place, and began to read the Koràn.
The superintendant of the tomb then said to the King, “if you like you may snuff the lamp;” his Majesty replied, “if not too great a liberty, I will do so; the officer said, “you have leave.”* The King therefore took up the scissors, and cut off the snuff of the lamp; after which having said his prayers, he came out, but commanded that one of the royal bows should be suspended on the gate as an offering.
Soon after this event another letter arrived from the sovereign of Persia, inviting the King to proceed to Cazvin; in consequence of which we marched from Meshehed, and after two journeys reached Nishapoor; from thence, after six days, we arrived at Subzwar. It so happened that Amyr Skemsaddyn Aly, the governor of Subzwar, was a relation of Myr Berkê, between whom and the King there existed a great intimacy; on which account we remained in that city for forty days; thence, in three days, we reached Damghan, and thence, in two more days, proceeded to Bustam; thence to Semnan, thence to the fort of Ayhzvar, thence to the fountain of Alhak, thence to the fort of Mesmyeh, where we encamped under a large walnut-tree. While his Majesty was admiring the prospect from this situation, he saw a messenger advancing quickly towards him. When the man came up and made his salutation, the King said, “whence come you?” he replied, “from the fortress of Bezan Suger;” the King said, “have you any thing for me?” the man replied, “yes, I have;” the King said, “bring it:” on which he gave into his Majesty’s hand a letter from Myrzâ Solimán, Chief of Badukhshan. The King having read the letter, said, “these people are very extraordinary foster brothers, witness the impropriety of their conduct to my late father (Baber), and are now guilty of want of loyalty towards me, for the foster brother (Kuke) of Myrza Soliman, named Allah Kûly Inderaby, has seized by order of Kamrân the Myrza Soliman with all his family, and carried them to Kabûl.” His Majesty then wrote an answer to the letter, the contents of which were, “Accept my blessing, and be hopeful. Please God, in a short time our affairs will improve.” Having sealed the letter, he gave it to the messenger, and added, “give my compliments to Myrza Soliman, and say I am sensible that he suffers all this inconvenience on my account; but let him be hopeful that every thing will yet turn out according to our wishes.”*
After the second prayers we again marched; and as it happened that the King always travelled with a bottle of lemon juice, when we (the servants) were about to mount our horses, the Mehter (Groom) Dula said, “give me the bottle, and when you are mounted I will return it to you.” The humble servant Jouher, Aftabchy, would not agree; on which the Groom said, “it does not signify; after I have got on my horse I will take up the bottle.” Having mounted, he attempted to do so, when it dropt from his hand and was broken. When we arrived at a certain place it was about the time of evening prayer, and as soon as his Majesty had performed his ablutions, he called for the lemon juice, in order to make some Sherbet; it was therefore requisite to explain that the bottle had been broken. The King was very angry, and ordered that the Groom and I should travel in future on foot. After we had marched about two coss, his Majesty kindly said, “the fault was not Jouher’s, therefore let him mount; but the Groom shall walk all the way.”
We soon after came to the fountain of Savuk Belãk, and from thence to the fort of Ders. At this place another letter arrived from the sovereign of Persia, stating that he was at Cazvin, and that the King should now send forward Byram Beg as his ambassador. In consequence of this message, Byram Beg was despatched, attended by ten horsemen to the imperial presence. In a few days after his arrival at court, Shãh Tahmâsp ordered him to cut off his hair, and wear a Persian cap; Byram Beg represented that he was the servant of another person, and could only obey his orders. The monarch was very angry, and said “you may do as you please;” but in order to frighten him into compliance commanded some prisoners to be brought up and executed in his presence. Shãh Tahmãsp then marched to the fountain of Jeky Jeky, and wrote to the King Humâyûn to remain where he was till he should send for him; but sent Bubek Beg to be Mehmander to his Majesty.
Some time afterwards another order arrived from the Shãh Tahmãsp that the King should advance to Cazvin, and having rested there for three days, might then come and pay his respects to the monarch.
In consequence of this invitation his Majesty left Ders; and when he reached Cazvin,* the governor of that city came out to meet the King, and lodged him with his suite in one of the palaces of the Persian monarch. On the first day a great entertainment was given to his Majesty in the house of the governor; the second day, the Cazy had the pleasure of exhibiting his hospitality; and on the third day, the principal inhabitants had the honour of supplying the feast.
The day following his Majesty left Cazvin in the afternoon, and travelled all night; towards morning, the King being tired, ordered his attendants to look out for a place where there was water, that he might halt; whilst we were employed in searching for water, intelligence was brought that Byram Beg (the King’s ambassador) was approaching. Shortly after the aforesaid personage arrived, and had the honour of paying his respects; and represented, “that the stage or place of halting was very near at hand;” but the King said, “he would not then proceed any further.”
In short the day having now broke, the King, having performed his ablutions, and said his morning prayers, fell asleep. Shortly after the Persian (bildars) pioneers, who were employed in smoothing the road, began to sing in their usual manner: their noise awoke his Majesty; and supposing that they were his own people, he ordered that they should be silenced, as he had been travelling all night, and therefore wished to sleep; the humble servant Jouher represented “that they were the pioneers of the Persian monarch, who were repairing the road to the next stage, and could not be interrupted.”
The King then ordered me to call Byram Beg; when the aforesaid person came, he represented that the officers deputed by the Persian monarch were now aproaching to meet his Majesty, and it was requisite to prepare for their reception: in consequence the King, having bathed and dressed, and the tents being pitched, sat in the Divan Khanê.
In a short time the deputies of the Princes came; after those a deputation of the Syeds,* and were particularly noticed: after this the King mounted his horse, and advanced. He was soon after met by the retinues of the Princes and Nobility. But when Sám Myrzâ (the son of Shâh Tahmâsp) arrived within the distance of the flight of an arrow from his Majesty, he alighted from his horse; on which the King also alighted, and they embraced each other with the greatest respect and friendship; after which ceremony the Prince returned to where he had alighted, and again mounted his horse. Immediately after this Bahram Mirza (third brother of Sháh Tahmâsp) came and having brought with him a dress of honour and a Gezaleh (unbroke) horse, the master of the ceremonies having arranged the ranks, and spread a carpet, his Majesty was then clothed in the dress, except the cap,* which he would not put on; and, having mounted the unbroke horse, proceeded. It so happened that this wild horse, which the Turcomans (Persians) had brought to try his Majesty’s skill in horsemanship, was perfectly tractable, which astonished them all exceedingly, and was considered an auspicious omen. After this the Kûrjy Bashy, and a number of inferior people mounted on Carmanian horses, came and made their salute; the object of their being introduced was, to prove that all the Persians, whether of high or low rank, were all on a footing with our King.