This firmness of the Vezir’s, and the exertions it produced now and then, could not fail to displease the Emperor, in so much, that the union and cordiality between him and his minister had already been endangered more than once. But as he remembered that he owed his very life and crown to that minister’s abilities, and he was overawed by his undaunted firmness, he thought it expedient to bear with him; the more so as the Eastern Provinces of the Empire were now engrossing his atten­tion.

Bengal, the most Eastern province of the Empire, and the only one which is entirely under the management of the Qhalissah or Exchequer-office, produces the greatest revenue to the Emperor; and on that account, the Divanship or Superintendence of the Revenue of that province is reputed the most important of the Empire. This office was actually enjoyed by Djaafer-khan, who had been appointed in the reign of Aoreng-zib; but it was under the administration of the elder Prince of the blood called Azim-ush-shan, who was Governor of the province, Commander-in-chief of the forces, and fully invested with the power of making war or peace with any refractory Prince of those Eastern extremities of the Empire. The Prince enjoyed, besides, an absolute command over the limitrophe or neighbouring provinces of Oressa, Bahar, and Ilah-abad, as we have already said. To lighten the burthen of so cumbersome an administration, and also to reward two nobleman-brothers that had rendered him services of importance, he bestowed the government of Bahar or Azimabad on Hossëin-ali-khan, and that of Ilah-abad on his elder, Abdollah-khan; at the same time he entrusted Djaafer-khan with the military government of Bengal and Oressa, where he was already Divan or superintendent of the finances. Now it must be observed that on the demise of Aoreng-zib, the Prince was obliged to march to the assistance of his father, Bahadyr-shah, and had left his son, Feroh-syur, with some of the Ladies of his seraglio at Acber-nagar, vulgarly called Radjmahal, a place of note upon the Ganga where Sultan Shudjah, brother to Aoreng-zib, had built a noble palace. He left likewise, under the care of some persons of distinction personally attached to him, his treasures and some of his effects, which he did not think proper to send for, no more than the young Prince his son, even during the whole reign of his father, Bahadyr-shah, under which he bore so great a sway. Matters remained in that state, until fortune having put an end to Azim-ush-shan’s influence and life in the manner we have mentioned, and that ill-fated prince having by so strange an accident hastened into eternity, Muëzzeddin, now Djehandar-shah, ascended the throne; and one of his first cares was to dispatch an order to Djaafer-khan, Viceroy of Bengal, for sending the prince Feroh-syur, prisoner to court. This order embarrassed the Khan, who thought himself under very great obligations to the Prince’s father; and he sent him a trusty person, who advised him to provide for his safety by flying the country in time; or perhaps, the Prince himself having got some advice of the orders received by the Khan, thought it unsafe for him to remain longer in the country. Be it as it may, this much is certain, that the prince who reckoned on the gratitude of Hossëin-aaly-khan, a noble­man of illustrious race, who joined to much military merit a character renowned for goodness of heart and munificence, set out of Radjmahal with his family, seraglio, and effects, and arrived at Azimabad in great dejection of mind, and very uncertain of his fate. Instead of entering the city, he took up his abode in a caravansera, near a spot close to the water side, called Djaafer-khan’s garden, and which touches the castern extremities of the walls; from thence he sent an humble message to Hossëin-aaly-khan, the Governor, in which he expressed himself like a man in the utmost distress, friendless and hopeless. The Governor, who did not think himself strong enough to espouse Feroh-syur’s cause, in opposition to the whole empire, which, as A Competitor to the throne arises in Ben­gal; it was Prince Feroh-syur. well as Zulficar-khan, the Vezir, had submitted to Djehander-shah, declined, at the very first, to have any concern with him. He even answered. “That the orders he had received from Court, enjoined him a very different conduct; that out of respect for the memory of the Prince’s father, he could not bear the thought of seizing his person, as he was commanded to do; but that, by all means, it was advisable for him to retire out of the province, that his flight should afford him (the Governor) some excuse with which he might cover himself against the injuries of a jealous Court, and the suspicions of an Emperor little accustomed to scruples.”

All this is related in a different manner in a memoir that appeared after Feroh-syur had mounted the throne, and of which we shall make use in the sequel. According, then, to this author, Ahmed-beg, alias Ghazi-eddin-khan the Cossa, or Goat’s Beard, a man who cut a great figure in that province, having taken a great part in this whole affair, had prevailed upon the Governor, to pay, at least, one visit to the fugitive prince. The Prince received him in so singular a manner, as had never been practised by any Prince to a subject, or by any Lord to a servant. He was all humility and submission; he stood up for him and made him sit in his presence. After such a preamble, he represented how friendless, hopeless, and distressed was his condition, and how fearful he was lest he should meet at Court with a fate similar to that of his brother, Sultan Kerimm-ed-din. He added, that unless he found some protection and assistance, he had nothing to hope for his safety, or for his life. He had hardly done speaking, when the Ladies of his family, whom he had stationed on purpose behind a veil or curtain, fell a weeping and sobbing, and the Prince’s youngest daughter, Maleka-zemani,* came out of the veiled-room, and seating herself on the Governor’s lap, she repeated to admiration the part she had been taught. In a soothing tone of voice, and a moving cast of features, she entreated him to take pity on a forlorn family, and to grant his assistance and safeguard to her father. At the same time she paid him some compliments, and added these very words, that have been conserved by the author of the memoir: “It is true you are of the race of God’s Messenger,* and you descend in a direct line from his Saint; moreover, you enjoy all the advantages which power and a high character can confer; but yet it cannot be denied, that it is to Azim-ush-shan’s favour and countenance that you stand indebted for your present well-being. If, then, you make use of all these powers to come to my father’s assistance, and to render him all those services which may be expected from your illustrious birth, and your high character for valor and prowess, you shall have deserved all that my grand-father has done for you; else, if you choose to act otherwise, then, whatever is to be our des­tiny, shall certainly come to pass; but do you take care of what the world shall say of you.” The Princess had hardly done speaking, when both the women that had come out, and those that had still remained behind the curtain, joined their entreaties to her’s; and from sobs and tears they proceeded to screams and lamentations. At this very moment, Ferock-syur, who, on the Governor’s making his bow, had got him dressed in one of his own suits of clothes,* and had made him sit down, now rose from his seat, and advanced to fasten his own sabre on the Governor’s side. The latter overcome by such an unexpected scene, forgot his former repugnance and apprehen­sions, and descending now to the humble tone of a subject, he said, that “what his humble servant had done hitherto, was nothing more than what became him as a servant, however unworthy it might prove of his Master and Lord’s acceptance. I have nothing but my head,” added he, “and this I dedicate to your service. And now that I have put on this sabre, I have said farewell to my head and life, having devoted the one and the other, as well as my fortune, to your service. Com­mand me, then, that I may do as I am bid. Now is the time to raise troops, and to prepare everything for pushing on the war. Ascend the throne at once, and, without allowing the enemy time to look about him himself, let us follow as des­tiny shall lead.

“Let us see what the mover of the events of this world,

Shall have intended to bring forth for us.”

Ferock-syur’s concerted management having had a full effect, Hossëin-aali-khan published, that every one should pay his homage to the Prince, and make a render of his person and fortune. Such a proclamation having produced a great con­course of people of all sorts, afforded to astrologers, fortune-tellers, and to men of learning, a full opportunity to approach the Prince; and as the latter, exceedingly credulous and ignorant himself, was perpetually consulting their science about what might be the fate of his expedition, he put it in their power to feed him with favourable predictions, and with hopes suitable to the occasion; in which some were in earnest, and some meant no more than to provide for themselves, as in fact several of then proved to have done, as soon as Ferock-syur had ascended the throne, and had it in his power to bestow pensions and emolu­ments upon them.