This suspicious temper seemed to be the basis of the Emperor’s mind, and it alienated every heart. He had inherited a number of Generals and Ministers that had been formed by his father, the illustrious Shah-djehan, that second Lord of the Conjunction. They were all men of merit and abilities, such as had repeatedly given proofs of an undaunted bravery and an inviolable fidelity; such in one word as have their names living to this day in the recording pages of history. Even these were ill used by that suspicious, ungrateful man; nor is there any single one amongst them, that has been happy under his govern­ment; so far from it, that they were perpetually exposed to that suspicious temper of his, which took umbrage at every thing, and discontented all the world. Hence the reason why he never succeeded fully in any one of his undertakings, and why by the connivance and secret disinclination of his Generals, he often suffered the most disgracious checks, and the most shameful mis­carriages; and all that by his own fault, for whatever he saw was of his own seeking. Some neglects and ruinous mistakes of his are recorded at length in Hashem-aaly-qhan-qháfi’s history; but we have many instances of his unforgiving vindictive temper.

Generosity, magnificence, and compassion to strangers are qualities so conspicuous in the characters of the Emperors of the Sefi-race*, (whose tombs may be ever resplendent with the rays of Divine mercy!) that they are become a matter of enco­mium and admiration to all the world; insomuch that none of their successors, no more than any of their predecessors, can come up to them in those heavenly qualifications, which they have con­stantly exercised towards several Kings and Princes of diverse nations. History is, to their eternal honor, full of such instances of their benignity; nor is a man in Hindostan uninformed of the extreme goodness and compassion shewn by them to some refugee Princes of the family of Babr, and especially to Homäy8n. Shah-soleïman himself (father to Shah-soltan-hos­séin*, although a Prince negligent, incapable, fanguinary, and immersed in all the abominations of daily crapule and endless debauch, nevertheless approved himself a great Monarch, when he received the Prince Ecber, son to Aoreng-zib, with a cordial­ity, and a generosity which nothing could equal but the father’s baseness of mind, and his hardness of heart to his own son, or the perfidy of the heretical Prince of Mascat to his Royal guest. All these events are mentioned at length by Hashem-aaly-qhan-qháfi, who seems anxious to hang every one of them as so many pendants to the ears of attentive posterity. Whilst Aoreng-zib treated his own offspring in such a manner, it is curious to see what usage he offered to some Gentoo Princes, who had rendered him some services, but to whose race, as well to all Gentoos whatever, he had |a natural antipathy. Radja Djesvent-rathor, who had always been an ambitious restless Prince, and was more hated by him than any other Gentoo, became a great object of favor for him at once. Hearing that he was come out of Gudjrat to Dara-shecoh’s assistance, and that he had engaged him to try his fate in another battle in Adjmir, he prevailed upon him, by Radja Djehy-sing’s interposi­tion, to quit the Prince’s party; and for this worthy proceeding of his, he was rewarded with the military grade of seven thousand horse, and the rich Government of Gudjrat, with permission of never coming to Court. This Radja, on the cessation of the troubles in Decan, was appointed to the command of an expedi­tion in Cab8l, where the officers under him being all Radjp8ts, equally bold and imprudent, two of them that happened to be his own sons, quitted the army without leave from Emir-qhan, the Governor of the Province, and on their return home presented themselves to the ferry on the Atec*, where being refused admittance, as they had no pass, they, like thoughtless young men, picked up a quarrel with the guards, and passed by force. But as Shah-djehan-abad lay full in their way to their homes, no sooner had they set a foot in its territory, than they were stopped by an Imperial command, whilst the Cutval with a body of troops received an order to surround them, and to prevent their flight. After some days, the Commanders and officers that were with those Princes, petitioned for leave to go on with their journey and to return home; and this favor they easily obtained from the Emperor, who thought their departure so much the better for his design, as they would leave behind, as he thought, the children and consorts of the two Radjas, surrounded by his own troops. The officers having obtained leave, dressed the consorts of the two Gentoo Princes in men’s clothes, and his two sons like two slave-boys; and taking them in their retinue as so many menial servants, they left in their stead, some slave-boys dressed like Princes, and some waiting-maids, with the apparel and jewels of real Ranies or Princesses; at the same time a strong guard of trusty Radjp8ts being ordered to watch round the tents where the pretended Princes and Princesses were kept, they set out with the real ones, after having recommended to the Radjp8t guard to defend them manfully, should they be demanded, and to protract the engagement so as to afford to themselves that were setting out, at least a delay of five or six hours; after which time they might surrender their charge, as by that time the real Princes and Princesses would be already far off. This being agreed to, they departed; and as soon as they were thought at a distance, orders came for bringing the Princesses to the Seraglio, and for reducing the young Princes to slavery. But by this time the secret had taken vent, and troops had been sent after the runaways, although in vain. Meanwhile the Radjp8t guard, after protracting the time under several pretences, at last refused to resign their charge, and in fact did not resign it, but after fighting valiantly, until they were all slain or wounded. In this manner their charge was taken possession of, the women were put in the service of some of the ladies of the Imperial Sanctuary, and the boys received against their will the seal of Musulmanism*; and for a length of time a rumour prevailed that these were the real Princes and Princesses, and that the others were the counterfeit ones, set up on purpose to save Radja Djesvent-sing’s honor.

Be it as it will, Aoreng-zib, who could not bear to have been outwitted, but who pretended to act only by a principle of religion, undertook an expedition against Dj8dëi-p8r, the Capital and original country of the Radjahs of the Rathor family, and of the ancestors of Djesvent’s. The neighbouring Radja of Dj8dëi-p8r thinking his honor concerned in protecting the consorts and children of Radja Djesvent’s, raised troops, and put himself upon his defence. The Emperor hearing of this, sent him word that he had better discharge the arrears due upon his poll-tax and dismiss from his territories the consorts and children of Radja Djesvent’s; the Radja at first seemed inclined to comply, and he sent ambassadors to camp, who took care to soothe the Emperor, and to make him so easy, that in a few days he returned to his Capital, leaving Qhan-djhan with a body of troops and orders to receive the promised money, and to bring the country of Dj8dëi-p8r under controul. But as soon as he was gone, the Radja continued as refractory as ever. The Emperor extremely incensed, quitted the Capital a second time, and marched again into Adjmir against the Gentoo Prince. He also sent letters to Sultan Muäzzem, his eldest son, who governed the Decan, requiring him to come to Court in post; and another such command was dispatched to Azem-shah, who commanded in Bengal. Meanwhile the Imperial Prince Ecber, who was at Court, and in the very prime of his youth, received orders to march against the Radja; and the Prince’s tutor, Shah-c8ly-qhan, having requested to lead the vanguard, was decorated with an augmentation of his military grade, and the surname of Betor-qhan; at the same time a number of veterans, commanded by officers of character, were ordered to attend him, and at last he was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the expedition. The new General attacked the Rajp8ts, beat them everywhere, pursued them a long time, and reduced the nation to extremities; and it was at this very time that Sultan Muäzzem arrived at camp. He was ordered to march against a party of Radjp8ts that had fortified themselves at the Reservoir of Rana-sakur, distant about eight cosses from the Imperial camp. The other Imperial Prince, Azem-shah, arriving meanwhile, he was ordered to march against another party of Radjp8ts. The Rana, finding himself hard pressed, made up matters by an agreement, and at the same time he insinuated his notions so well in the young Prince’s mind, that he engaged him to revolt against his own father, against whom he undertook to support him immediately with an army of thirty thousand Radjp8t horse.

Prince Ecber, who had his own father’s example before his eyes, thought it was very easy to revolt, and as easy to maintain a revolt, against him. But Sultan Muäzzem, who was attached to the young Prince, his brother, and had heard something of his design, wrote him a short letter of advice and reprimand; and he at the same time dispatched a supplique to the Emperor, to request his paying some attention to the intrigues of the Radjp8ts, who might avail themselves of the young Prince’s youth and inexperience to engage him into some improper steps. Prince Ecber, younger son to Aoreng-zib, revolts against his father. The Emperor who had a perfect reliance on Prince Ecber’s character, answered Sultan Muäzzem in these severe terms: “I hope that God Almighty shall forgive you this enormous calumny, and afford you time to repent of it, so as that you may one day firmly walk upon the Bridge of Serat*, in token of His having granted you a pardon for this disposition of yours to listen to rumours disadvantageous to others.” This was the letter he wrote to his eldest son; but a little after he became necessarily convinced of his mistake, when he heard that the Prince Ecber had assumed the Crown, struck money in his name, created his tutor, Bethor-qhan, a Commander of seven thousand horse, and promotted every one of the Commonders and Lords that were with him to grades and employments in the Empire. Then he felt his own danger, the more so, as now he had about himself not one man of character but Assed-qhan and Behre-mend-qhan, with about eight hundred horse, and some clerks of the treasury; he therefore sent an order to Sultan Muäzzem to come immediately with his troops. The Prince, on this order, left his consort and family in his camp, recommending them to God Almighty; and setting out for Court with his two sons and a body of ten thousand horse, he arrived near the Imperial camp, where the Emperor, who remembered how he had used his own father, conceived suspicions against his eldest son, and directly sent him an order to leave his troops behind, and to come to the presence alone with his two sons. He at the same time ordered all his artillery to be pointed against his troops. The Prince complied with the order punctually; and the Emperor, being now so strongly reinforced, turned his views towards Prince Ecber’s people, and by dint of threats and promises, he engaged numbers of them to return to their allegiance. Fortune favoured him so far, that his summons had almost a Is abandoned by his troops. general effect; fear seized both Prince Ecber and his councillors, and they all thought of escaping by flight. But meanwhile an order having been dispatched to the neighbouring Governors and Fodjdars to bring him prisoner, he suffered incredible hard­ships in flying day and night; and after a variety of adventures, he arrived at last at the Court of Simba-dji, son and successor Seeks an asylum with the Marhatta Emperor, Simba-dji. to Seva-dji, the Marhatta Prince. Simba-dji received him kindly, and assigned him a large pension; but as his behaviour in other respects was not answerable to his guest’s Imperial rank, the latter passed his time disagreeably, and pined away in discontent.