On this strange journey forests were traversed and various wild beasts, both land and aquatic, showed themselves. Active young men hunted them. Various kinds of animals came under H.M.'s eye. He bade the soldiers shoot them. As the imperial* camp was passing along, river-animals, such as crocodiles, came out of the water and showed themselves on the banks, but when the dust of the army rose up on the distance they returned to the water. There were some animals such that arrows and bullets had no effect on them. In fine, the royal cortège was in the neighbourhood of that town when news came that Bahādur Khān had taken advantage of the opportunity to come to Jaunpūr and rescue his mother. He had also imprisoned Ashraf Khān and meditated an attack on the sublime camp. Accordingly the royal cortège turned back from the bank of the Sarwār and proceeded to the camp.
The particulars of this affair are as follows. When the reverberation of the expedition against 'Alī Qulī Khān reached Sikandar Khān and Bahādur Khān, and when they heard of 'Alī Qulī's mother's having been seized by Ashraf Khān in Jaunpūr, and were aware that he had not a large force with him, and that it would be a very easy matter to seize the fort of Jaunpūr, they marched rapidly thither. As Ashrāf Khān had not taken steps to strengthen the fort, they burnt the door and entered it. A party also put up ladders on the wall and came in. When Ashraf Khān heard of this, they had already entered. Bahādur Khān imprisoned him, and released his mother and took her off with him. Though Jaunpūr had been for a while in his and his brother's fief, and they had many connections with the citizens, he plundered and ill-used the city. After robbing many of the merchants he hastened off to Benares. There too he plundered and then went to Madan Benares, which was known as Zamānya. There news came that the royal standards had returned from following 'Alī Qulī. Sikandar and Bahādur went to the ferry of Narhan, which was their usual crossing, and passed over the Ganges.
When 'Alī Qulī went off at the pressure of the sublime army, and the turmoil caused by Sikandar and Bahādur was brought to the royal hearing, as has been reported, H.M. turned his rein on the bank of the Sarwār and proceeded towards his camp, lest, perchance, the agitated dust of the rebels should reach the hem thereof. But the wretches had fled on hearing of his approach, and tranquillity was restored to the people of the camp. From there he proceeded towards Jaunpūr. On the day when he reached the town of Niāmābād * the ceremony of weighing H.M. took place, and there was a great feast. Mankind received delight from the Shāhinshāh's bounty and offered up prayers for his long life and reign. Thereafter he marched on and arrived at Jaunpūr. When this rich city was adorned by the advent of the Shāhinshāh, and there appeared a great remissness on the part of the imperial servants in uprooting the rebels, H.M. determined on fixing his residence there until the seditious should be destroyed, root and branch, and tranquillity restored. In accordance with the order the nobles and pillars of the empire laid the foundations of grand buildings, and it fell from the royal lips that until the dust of the existence of the oppressors was removed from the skirt of this province, this city would be the seat of empire. An order was issued to all the officers who had gone on leave and were spending their time comfortably on their estates, directing them to enrol themselves in the royal forces in the appointed* rendezvous. The army was ordered to pursue the rebels once more, and an order was given not to desist until 'Alī Qulī was captured.
When the facts were known to 'Alī Qulī he sent to court M. Mīrak Reẓavī, who was one of his special companions, and represented his grief and pain. He made excuses for all his faults and by a thousand subterfuges and smooth speeches he induced Mun'im Khān Khān-Khānān to be once more his intercessor. The Khān-Khānān, who knew H.M.'s disposition, had not the courage for this office, and accordingly a number of honoured persons whom H.M. reverenced on account of his abundant sense of Divine worship, such as Mīr Murtaẓa Sharīfī, Mullā 'Abdullah Sulānpūrī, and Shaikh 'Abdu-n-nabī Ṣadr, were brought forward by him. They relying upon the Shāhīnshāh's graciousness opened the mouth of intercession at the foot of the throne, and recited anecdotes about forgiveness. That mine of mercy, though he knew that their (the rebels') hearts were not sincere, and that the real object of the rebels was to gain time, yet granted their request out of favour to those ignorant men (the intercessors), and once more pardoned the rebels' offences, on condition that they repented of their evil deeds, and should in future never conceive the idea of opposing the holy will, but should always remain constant in the path of loyalty and devotion. When they showed signs of this, their estates were to be restored to them as formerly. The Khān-Khānan and the other grandees returned thanks, and an order was given that Mir Murtaẓa, Maulānā 'Abdullah, and M'uīn Khān Farankhūdī should go to 'Alī Qulī Khān and confirm him in his repentance, and also give him the good news of pardon. H.M. thereupon renounced his intention of staying in Jaunpūr, and decided upon returning. On the day of Dīn 24 Isfandārmaz, Divine month, corresponding to Monday 11 Shábān, 3rd March 1566, the march from Jaunpūr to Agra began. In one week the camp reached Mānikpūr and encamped on the bank of the Ganges. The officers in accordance with H.M.'s orders made a bridge over so great a river in one day, such as that the camp could cross by. At the time when H.M. was returning to the capital, Junaid Kararānī, brother's son of Sulaimān and son of 'Imād, obtained the bliss of kissing the threshold, and was encompassed by princely favours.