| Sultán Bahlol Sháh | pp. 3-13 |
| Sultán Sikandar | pp. 13-81 |
| Sultán Ibráhím | pp. 81-84 |
| Bábar Bádsháh | pp. 84-86 |
| Humáyún Bádsháh | pp. 87-91 |
| Akbar Bádsháh | pp. 91-92 |
| Sher Sháh | pp. 93-111 |
| Islám Sháh | pp. 111-143 |
| Sultán Mahmúd ('Adalí) and Súr dynasty | pp. 143-146 |
| Ghiyásu-d dín Khiljí (of Málwá) | pp. 146-155 |
| Nasíru-d dín Khiljí | pp. 156-165 |
| Sultán Muzaffar Sháh (of Gujarát) | pp. 166-167 |
| Miscellaneous Anecdotes | pp. 168-210 |
Size—Small Folio, containing 210 pages of 17 lines each.
But it is not to be supposed that the treatment of the history is so methodical as the above table would leave one to suppose. On the contrary, the work is very ill-arranged, long digressions are frequently introduced, and reference is again made to reigns which have been previously disposed of, and to matters which he confesses he had forgotten. Thus, in the middle of the reign of Islám Sháh, we have an account of some of the nobles of Ibráhím Sháh, and then of Sultán Sikandar, so as to leave the impression, that here at least there must be some error of the copyist or the binder; for such a strange transposition could scarcely have taken place either by design, or the most treacherous lapse of memory. Anecdotes are also interspersed of the celebrated chiefs and saints of the time, and silly stories of miracles, apparitions, demons, enchantment, and jugglery deform the work—exhibiting the extraordinary credulity of the author, as well as of the age in which he lived. It contains, however, much that is interesting, and we are occasionally favoured with a few illustrations of the manners of the times. It affords, therefore, a rather copious field for extract, especially as it is exceedingly rare. Many of the stories attributed to the author's heroes are popularly related of other sovereigns.
Besides the one in my own possession, I know of only one copy of this work in India, and that is an excellent copy in the naskh character in the Motí Mahal library at Lucknow.* It is strange that the Wáki'át-i Mushtákí should be so uncommon, for it was much quoted by contemporaries,* and contains abundance of trivial stories well suited to the tastes and intellects of the present generation.
In giving an account of the nobles of Sultán Sikandar's time, I shall not speak of those whom I have not seen, but only of those with whom I was personally acquainted. I commence with those who were in his service while at Ágra.
Masnád 'Álí Husain Khán, who was called Khán Jahán Lodí, had made it a rule that whatever fixed salary* he gave to his soldiers, he never deducted anything from it; but when, after the lapse of ninety years, the sovereignty departed from the Afgháns, their allowances were stopped.
It was also his rule, that every one of his attendants should be present whenever he was in his camp; but when he was in his palace, if any person went to him there, he would ask him why he came. If the man replied, he came to salute him, he would say, “You have come of your own accord, there is no necessity for your attendance, except when I am in the camp. Now, though I am at home, you still come to me. It appears that you have no love for your own family. What must they think of you?” After saying this, he would immediately dismiss him, not even allowing him to sit down.
If any person died, his allowances were transferred to his son. If he had no son, they were given to his sister's or brother's son, or son-in-law, or any of his relations who survived him. If there was no such relation, his wife was ordered to bring her brother or nephew, and the allowance was given to him. If she also had none, she was advised to adopt a son from her other relations; and if she had no relation, then any well-born child. If she had any fit slave, she was allowed to adopt him, but she was enjoined to send him to school, and teach him the arts of archery and riding. In short, in no manner was any fixed allowance ever stopped. If any learned or religious man had an interview with him, he was favoured with the grant of a village, a piece of land, or some pension. He always took care of his neighbours, and repaired the mosques which had fallen into disrepair.