On Saturday, the middle of this month, Amír Maudúd and 'Alí the Commander of the forces, came to Ghaznín from Balkh, where the minister remained according to order, for he had many important matters there to occupy his attention.
On Wednesday, the 23rd of Rajab, 'Abdu-r Razzák was invested with a robe of honour on his appointment to the government of Pershaur* and received his orders, and ten military* slaves of the household were appointed as his chamberlains. The office of preceptor and a khil'at was bestowed on Suhal 'Abdu-l Malik, a man admirably adapted for the situation; he was born in the household of Ahmad Míkáíl, and was a long time in the service also of Bú Suhal Hamadúní. The governor departed for Pershaur, on Tuesday the 9th of this month, in great state, and took with him two hundred slaves.
The Amír celebrated the festival of the new year, on Wednesday,
the 8th of Jumáda-l ákhir (430 H., March 1039 A.D.) On Friday,
the 10th of this month, news arrived that Dáúd had reached Tálikán
with a powerful and well equipped army. On Thursday the 16th
of this month, further news was received, that he had reached
Fáriyáb, and from that had been summoned in haste to Sabúrkán,*
and that plunder and massacre had attended him wherever he
went. On Saturday, the 18th of this month, ten Turkomán
horsemen came during the night near the garden of the Sultán
for the purpose of plunder, and killed four Hindu foot soldiers,
and retreated to the neighbourhood of Kundúz, where the
elephants were stabled, and after looking about them intently,
they found a boy asleep on the neck of an elephant. The Turko-
On Monday, the 20th of this month, Áltí Salmán, the chamberlain of Dáúd, arrived with two thousand horsemen at the gates of Balkh, encamping at the place, which is called “the Infidels' embankment,” and plundered two villages, at which the Amír was greatly annoyed.
Just now, in the year 451 H. (1059 A.D.) I am residing in my own house by command of my exalted master, the most puissant Sultán Abú-l Muzaffar Ibráhím, (may God lengthen his life and protect his friends!) waiting for the period when I may again be called before the throne. It is said that a service subject to the fluctuations of rising and falling will probably be permanent, but that which smoothly jogs on is liable on a sudden to incur the whims or rancour of one's master. God preserve us from fickleness and vicissitude!
The Amír (God's satisfaction rest on him!) held an audience, and when the minister and nobles had taken their places, Khwája Mas'ud was introduced, and after paying his respects, stood before the Amír, who said,—“I have appointed you tutor to my son Maudúd. Be on the alert and obey the orders which the Khwája gives you.” Mas'úd replied,—“Your slave obeys.” He then kissed the ground and departed, after being received with distinguished honour. He lost not a moment in going to Amír Maudúd, to whom he was introduced by the same parties who presented him at Court. Amír Maudúd treated him with great kindness, and then Mas'úd went to the house of the minister, who received his son-in-law very graciously.
On Sunday, the tenth of Muharram [432 H. Sept. 1040 A.D.], Amír Maudúd, the minister, the chamberlains Badar and Irtigín, received each a very valuable khil'at, such as were never remembered to have been given before at any time. They came forward, and retired after paying their respects, Amír Maudúd received two elephants, male and female, a drum and tymbal, and other things suited to his rank, and very much more, and the others in like manner, and thus their business was brought to a close.
On Tuesday, the 12th of the month, the Amír went to the Fírozí Garden, and sat in the green pavilion, on the Golden Plain. That edifice was not then as it is now. A sumptuous feast was ordered to be prepared, and messes of pottage were placed round. The Amír Maudúd and the minister came and sat down, and the army passed in review before them. First passed the star of Amír Maudúd, the canopy, flaunting standards, and two hundred slaves of the household, with jackets of mail and spears, and many led horses and camels, and infantry with their banners displayed, and a hundred and seventy slaves fully armed and equipped, with all their stars borne before them. After them came Irtigín the chamberlain, and his slaves, amounting to eighty. After them followed the military slaves of the household, amounting to fifty, preceded by twenty officers beautifully accoutred, with many led horses and camels. After them came some other officers gaily decorated, until all had passed.
It was now near mid-day prayer, when the Amír ordered his son, the minister, the chief chamberlain Irtigín, and the officers to sit down to the feast. He himself sat down, and ate bread, and then they all took their leave, and departed. “It was the last time they looked on that king (God's mercy on him!)”
After their departure, the Amír said to 'Abdu-r Razzák:— “What say you, shall we drink a little wine?” He replied:— “When can we better drink than on such a day as this, when my lord is happy, and my lord's son has attained his wish, and departed with the minister and officers: especially after eating such a dinner as this?” The Amír said,—“Let us commence without ceremony, for we have come into the country, and we will drink in the Fírozí Garden.” Accordingly much wine was brought immediately from the Pavilion into the garden, and fifty goblets and flagons were placed in the middle of a small tent. The goblets were sent round and the Amír said:—“Let us keep fair measure, and fill the cups evenly, in order that there may be no unfairness.” Each goblet contained half a man. They began to get jolly, and the minstrels sang. Bú-l Hasan drank five goblets, his head was affected at the sixth, he lost his senses at the seventh, and began to vomit at the eighth, when the servants carried him off. Bú-l 'Alá, the physician, dropped his head at the fifth cup, and he also was carried off. Khalíl Dáúd drank ten; Siyábírúz nine; and both were borne away to the Hill of Dailamán. Bú Na'ím drank twelve, and ran off. Dáúd Maimandí fell down drunk, and the singers and buffoons all rolled off tipsy, when the Sultán and Khwája 'Abdu-r Razzák alone remained. When the Khwája had drunk eighteen cups, he made his obeisance and prepared to go, saying to the Amír,—“If you give your slave any more, he will lose his respect for your majesty, as well as his own wits.” The Amír laughed and gave him leave to go; when he got up and departed in a most respectful manner. After this, the Amír kept on drinking and enjoying himself. He drank twenty-seven full goblets of half a man each. He then arose, called for a basin of water and his praying carpet, washed his face, and read the mid-day prayers as well as the afternoon ones, and so acquitted himself, that you would have said he had not drunk a single cup. He then got on an elephant and returned to the palace. I witnessed the whole of this scene with mine own eyes—I, Abú-l Fazl.