From the auspicious time when the sublime standards were upraised in Agra for the purpose of chasing fortune, until the glorious arrival at Delhi, Bairām Khān, in spite of all his wisdom and discern­ment, was unaware that the throw of the dice had been the reverse of his wish and that the scheme of the world had taken another form, and was unconcernedly beating the drum of power. In the complete intoxication of his pride, if any report of this came to his ears, he did not believe it, and if an honest friend cast a ray of the truth into his mind, it had no effect, as the wind of arrogance was in his brain, until the time when the comforting mandates reached the officers, and the report of the alienation of the sacred mind was bruited abroad, far and near. He became certain that the H.M. the Shāninshāh's hunt­ing was this time of another sort, and he perceived that he had been dismissed, and that H.M. was going to undertake the direction of the Sultanate. He dropped the thread of counsel and became confused. He inquired after M. Abū-l-Qāsim.* Nothing but sorrow and regret came into his hands. Of necessity he put his hand to deceit and sent Tarsūn Muḥammad Khān, Ḥājī Muḥammad Khān Sīstānī and Khwāja Amīnu-d-dīn Maḥmūd, who on account of his good service had received from the Shāhinshāh's court the title of Khwāja Jahān, to the threshold of fortune, and submitted a message of submission and sup­plication for various offences and of excuses in order that he might succeed by smoothness of tongue. He did not know that the Ruler of divulgation was concerned with this display of the Lord of the Age in order that he might emerge from the screen and show his beauty in the guise of administering the terrene and terrestrials, so that the expectants of heaven's court might witness the reve­lation of power and might arrange for increased adoration, and that terrestrials might hope for spiritual and temporal bliss. When such is the case what effect can fraud and deceit have or what fruit can they yield except material and spiritual loss?

In short, when the envoys arrived at court they heard the words of wisdom and became ashamed and downcast. Accordingly they saw that their own welfare was outside of the reply, (i.e., had nothing to do with the reply), and moreover they were not allowed to leave the court. When Bairām learnt the state of affairs from their letters, and from the dispersal of his dependants he became astonished, and the thread of counsel was snapped in his hand. At one time he thought that the general stampede had not yet occurred, and that he would quickly convey himself there, and put matters right. Again, when he reflected, the consideration of the words, sincerity and devotion, which he had often taken on his lips, came to stop him, and the idea of going under the guise of loyalty did not fit; and more­over he had no stomach for such a proceeding (?). At last he decided to throw the scarf of loyalty on his shoulder, and to go weeping and wailing, and burning and melting, to the entrance-porch* of the Court of honour.

When prudent intelligencers reported the true state of the case to the royal hearing, a number gave it as their opinion that whatever form Bairām Khān's coming might take, there was danger and deceit involved in it. H.M. should go to Lahore before he arrived, and should not grant him an interview. They were not prepared for open war, and what would be the use of an interview at this stage? If Bairām Khān should come to Lahore, H.M. should go to Kabul. Another number were prepared for war, and did not think the depar­ture of H.M. the Shāhinshāh would be proper. After much discus­sion, that tiger of the forest of dominion and fortune, and that lord of the material and spiritual universe put down the foot of determina­tion and decided on war. He sent Tarsūn Muḥammad Khān and Mīr Ḥabīb-Ullah to forbid Bairām Khān to come, and not to permit him to approach under the guise of friendship, for H.M. would not see him under such circumstances. When Bairām Khān found this road, on which he had advanced, closed, he fell into a long meditation. For to go in fighting order was to act contrary to his repeated avowals. Though Walī Beg and Shaikh Gadāī, who were the ringleaders of disloyalty, exerted themselves in this direction, and held to the view that he should march quickly, and carry out his object before there should be a general rush, yet from the regard which he had for righteousness he could not decide upon levying war. In reality too he was restrained by the “Stand back” (dūr bāsh) emanating from the daily-increasing fortune of H.M. the Shāhinshāh. His arrogant mind too did not admit the idea that the administration of India could go on without him. Consequently it seemed better that he should act hos­tility under the guise of friendship, so that the writing of eternal infamy should not be inscribed in his record. He did not see the world-adorning, intrinsic beauty of H.M., nor was he aware of the guardian courtiers who were adorning the territories of India. For these reasons he did not throw off the veil from his actions. He saw from men's faces that they were going, and so proceeded to give them leave to depart. He had thoughts of a fine snare. Some­times it occurred to him that as he had sent Bahādūr Khān to conquer Mālwah, and he had not yet arrived there, he would go with his followers and join Bahādūr Khān, conquer that country and there take his repose and get leisure for his designs. Sometimes he thought that he would leave Agra and join 'Alī Qulī Khān by way of Sambal and come into the country of the Afghans, and collect a force there. Sometimes he spoke of asceticism, and would say that a wish for abandonment and seclusion had seized him by the collar, in order that he might spend the remainder of his life in holy places. Now that H.M. was applying himself to the management of affairs, what better opportunity could he have for carrying into effect his long-cherished wish or for asking leave from the court? In this way perhaps all his desires would be fulfilled. At last having determined upon this plan he turned back Bahādūr Khān, who had gone towards Malwah, and gave him leave to kiss the threshold of the sublime Court. In giving men leave he took this into consideration, that if they were disposed to be loyal and of one opinion with himself, it was well that such men should be in the royal forces. And if they wanted to separate from him, his giving them leave, apart from the fact that to have such men with him would not help his affairs, would be a means of his acquiring a good name, and of convincing all that he had the intention of retirement. At last, after much talk and little intent, for he spoke of pilgrimage (ḥaj) but inwardly he thought of crooked­ness (kaj), he began by sending Iskandar* Afghan's son to Ghāzī Khān Tanūr, in order that he might go and stir up strife in the imperial territories. He also sent secret letters to various quarters, and has­tened towards Alwar in order that he might take his family and proceed to the Panjab. If things did not turn out according to his plan, he would of necessity make preparations for a rule suitable to the time of contest.

When this evil design became known to H.M., inasmuch as the disposition of this great one of the horizons is one of much kindness and gentleness, he did not approve of the disgrace of Bairām Khān and sent him a firmān full of kindness and graciousness. In that wisdom-increasing exhortation, an exact copy of which has been seen by me, there were the following among other expressions.

“You having taken counsel with a faction, which has been the source of this trouble, and being without consideration of final conse­quences, have at their instigation and misdirection come forth and been the cause of putting the provinces into disorder. You have given Iskan­dar's son and Ghāzī K.leave to depart so that they may make disturbances in the country. And you have sent a letter to Mahdī Qāsim Khān along with his diwān Mubārak, telling him that you are coming to Lahore, and bidding him guard the fort and not make it over to anyone else. You have also sent a message to Tātār Khān Panj Bhīya, and you have sent instructions in all directions for making commotions. You have also proceeded to Alwar with the design of going from there to Lahore. Though we are certain that, inasmuch as you are perfectly loyal, you never of your own accord assented to any of these acts nor were the author of them, and that a faction has been the cause of these errors and has brought matters so far, yet you yourself said that ‘it was impossible that after forty years’ service with all that loyalty and devotion, and after receiving such honours and favours, you should in this last stage of life convert a name, which by the favours of this glorious family had been famous throughout the earth for loyalty and fidelity, into that of a rebel, and not be ashamed before one's God. As you are still dear to us, in spite of these troubles and improper and unseemly actions, and we wish your welfare, it appears to us right that, seeing that our meeting is in the knot of delay, and if we bestow on you a province in these territories, whither you may go designing* people will again say things to me which will cause us increased grief, you should adhere to the resolution of going to the sacred* places, which you have intimated to us by a petition, and for which you have asked leave to depart. And send persons to convey the presents for these places which you have left in Sihrind and Lahore. After that, when you shall have, by the divine guidance and assistance, attained this blessing and have turned your face towards the pilgrimage of service, we shall under these circumstances grant you a favourable interview such as your heart may desire. And we shall be mindful of your former services and show you more and more favour. And as it is by the infamy of that gang that things have come to such a length, and that your good name has been made a bad one among the people, and as we do not wish that you should have a bad name, beware lest after you have set your foot on the road you turn aside from the right path at the words of designing men! And as by our prestige you have attained the height of earthly desires may you also by our directions become a partaker in final bliss.”