To all appearance it is in this affair that some Bibies,* amongst the women of the English, fell in the hands of Mirza-emir-beg. This was a gentleman attached to Mir-djaafer-qhan, one of the Generals of the army. The Mirza, with all the absti­nence and reserve that became a man of education and honour, kept them decently and untouched, but in secret; and at night, he informed his master of the whole matter, who gave him a Bhovaliah*, or swift boat, in which he put the Bibies, and let his boat drive, as if by accident, with the stream. Being soon got past the army guards, he rowed with vigour, and in a little time he arrived at twelve cosses below, where Mr. Drake’s ship lay at anchor. There he delivered the Bibies; and these ladies having rendered an honourable testimony to Emir-beg’s modest behaviour, made such an impression on their husbands, that the latter, although nearly destitute themselves, collected some jewels, to make him a handsome present, in acknowledg­ment of his generous conduct; but it was refused by the Mirza, who said to one of them: “Gentlemen, what I have done, was not for the sake of a present; for as you are a chief man in your nation, and a man of distinction and sentiments, so I am a gentleman in my own nation, and a man of honour and human­ity. I have done nothing but what was required by a sense of honour; and what might entitle me to your remembrance.” After saying this, he got into his boat, and rowing all night, he rejoined his master before day-break. And really what he had done is no more than what ought to have been expected from a man of honour; for such ought to be the actions of gentlemen. As to those men who style themselves Mussulmen, and have laid their hands upon the properties and honour of other people, their actions are no better than so many suggestions of the Demon of Concupiscence, and so many illusions of the Devil, their prototype* and master; and they are such indubitably, although their rulers should pretend to derive their pedigree from the successors and heirs of the Prince of Prophets, and should fancy that they are actually armed and fighting in the cause of God. Vain are those pretensions of theirs! For their acions prove indubitably that they are attached solely to this world; there being an evident difference betwixt the works of the just, and those of such worldly-minded men as we whose only scope and aim is this world, and only this world. The difference is indeed indisputable and amazing.

Verses:

“Do not measure the works of the Virtuous after your ownself;

Nor so far mistake, as to find no difference betwixt shir and shir*.”

Doubtless were the Prophet himself or the Prophet’s heir, to come into the world again, whatever they should command would be obligatory on a Mussulman, and would require his submission and obedience; but in the Pontiff’s absence, or that of his Prophet’s, self-defence only becomes our right; by which it is meant, that if any one should attack our life, honour or property, and injury is not otherwise to be prevented, we have then a right, nay we are obliged to repel it by whatever means are in our power. This unquestionably is lawful to us; but not, that out of ambition and covetousness, we should, on those accounts, expose to imminent danger both ourselves and the People of God. Accursed and destroyed be the house of those faithless Muftees*, who by their shameful answers and disgraceful sentences, have plunged a world of Unfortunates into a sea of evils! But destroyed it has already been. God, our Lord, preserve us, as well as all the other Faithful, from the wicked­ness of such men, as put us in fear of demons, and of man*.

But to return to our history, Seradj-ed-döulah, after having passed some time at Calcutta, in beholding the destruction of houses, and the desolation of numbers of its innocent inhabitants, as well as in completing some other affairs, which he fancied to be very advantageous and proper, at last set out for his capi­tal, where he arrived in full health. He had left for the guard of his new conquest a body of eight or nine thousand foot, and five thousand horse, the whole, as well as that town, under the command of Manic-chund, hitherto Divan to the Radja Barde­van. This Governor was a man, presumptuous, arrogant, desti­tute of capacity, and wholly without courage, as it did appear evidently enough at Bardevan, when he fled with all his might, on seeing Aaly-verdy-qhan surrounded on a sudden by the Marhattas. It was after such an experiment that Manic-chund was entrusted with so extensive a command; and it was after making so insulting a choice, that he went on disobliging and shocking his principal Commanders, such as Mir-djaafer-qhan, and Rehem-qhan, and especially Omer-qhan, an old officer, whose two sons, Selabet-qhan, and Dilir-qhan, were soldiers of merit, and as well as of old standing. He ill used Radja Do8llobram also, as well as many others, all Commanders of character, all deserving the utmost regard, and all thoroughly estranged from him by his harsh language, and his shocking behaviour; nor were the prin­cipal citizens of M8rsh8d-abad better used, Djagat-seat espe­cially. General discontent against Seradj-ed-döulah. All these were tired of living under such an administra­tion, and wished no better than to be rid of such a government, by Seradj-ed-döulah’s death; so that whenever they chanced to perceive any appearance of discontent anywhere, or any hatred against the present Government, they would send secret mes­sages to the party, with exhortations to contrive some mode of deliverance; under promise of their being heartily and effectually supported. Mir-djaafer-qhan, as the most considerable and the most injured of the malcontents, was the foremost amongst them. Djagat-seat had underhand promised to support him vigorously; and they formed together a confederacy, which has been hinted at in the narrative about Sháocat-djung, and which shall be explained in the subsequent pages; for now it becomes proper to resume that young Prince’s history, in order to see how he went to wreck. Such a digression necessarily must have its place here, to answer the expectations of those, who having already got some idea of the profligacy and ignorance of that young man’s character, are desirous to know how he continued to mismanage, and how he ended at last.

We have already mentioned how Sáyd-ahmed-qhan died, and how he was succeeded by his son, Sháocat-djung, and how not thinking proper to remain in that young Prince’s service, I, the Poor Man, had quitted P8raniah, with intention to repair to Azim-abad, where our family is settled; but that hearing at Carangolah that my two younger brothers, and my maternal uncle, Séyd-abdol-vehhab-qhan, had been banished from that city, by a late order of Seradj-ed-döulah’s, I had become fearful of that Prince’s resentment, on my own account. So that finding it difficult to get out of his dominions, it being a voyage that would have required fifteen days, and in the height of the rains; and full as disagreeable to pass that season in such a lonely place as Carangolah, I had thought it better to return to P8ra­niah. Account of Sháocat-djung resumed. But no sooner was I landed in my home, than my very imprudent friends became urging for my taking service with that senseless youth, Sháocat-djung, whose character I knew, or had guessed so well. I would answer, “that my attaching myself to that young Prince was not likely to last long; that I foresaw that his affairs would not end well; that now that I was sitting in a corner of my own house, I was safe from these two thoughtless young men, (Sháocat-djung, and Seradj-ed-döulah); but that once engaged in the former’s service, I would be exposed to the shafts of the perverse character of both: and for these reasons I requested their tormenting me no more on that subject.” All this did not avail. They would endlessly observe that even death in good company was not without its pleasure; and they all seemed discontented and estranged from me. At last finding that I remained immovable, they one day contrived to come in a body to the Poor Man’s house, with the Prince at their head; and this young man made use of so many intreaties to draw me out of my retirement, that I soon saw that unless I submitted instantly, I might see realised in few days all those evils and misfortunes, which I had only conceived as probable. I conceived that I might experience directly what I feared might happen only in the sequel; and that the Prince, incensed at my refusal, would render my stay at P8raniah very uneasy, by setting up some subject of quarrel upon some past subject. Being then at a loss how to manage, I opened my arms to all contingencies, agreed to attach myself to him, and commenced frequenting his Court. For a few days, the young man being much at a loss what to do with his own self, seemed studious of following my advice (doubtless out of natural levity of temper), and he made it a point to manage all his affairs mostly by my counsels, or at my desire. So that like the Vezir* in the game of Chess, I was close to a wooden King, that could neither think, nor act, by himself. I was obliged to read him lessons about signing papers, giving audience, and supporting a character in public; and he was so intent on profiting by my lessons, that when I chanced to arrive too late at Court, he would stay all proceedings, and remain silent, until I was come. Such a conduct put me to a deal of trouble and embarrassment. He could neither read fluently, nor write legibly; so that I was obliged to be both his school-master, and his Minister. I was obliged to direct his pen, teach him that Aba was written with two As and a B, and to tell him how to join A to the next letter, and a syllable to a syllable, and how to keep his words asunder. I thought he was improving his hand and mind; when one day, as there were many papers to be signed, he on a sudden shewed marks of impatience; and throwing his pen away, he rose, in a visible passion, from his Mesned, and went and sat at a distance from it. As there subsisted no reason of discontent between us, I did not ask what might be the cause of this sudden flash, but continued sitting a full hour; after which I rose, and taking a respectful leave, I was followed by all the persons present, and I went to Ro8h-eddin-husséin-qhan’s house. This nobleman had espoused his sister, being a son of Séif-qhan the forgiven, and had an extreme regard for me. After taking my seat, I could not help mentioning with wonder that suddenness of behaviour in the young Prince, for which I could not account in any manner in my power. I had hardly done speaking, when a servant of Sháocat-djung’s brought me a note, signed by his master. It was in these terms: My Lord is my friend, and not my school-master; why does he give himself so much trouble about my reading and writing? I answered, “that in this I had only acted as I had been desired to act; but now that I was better informed of his pleasure, I would no more give His Highness any trouble on that head;” and for some days, I let him do as he pleased, without offering a single word; until one day he came himself close to me, and with many importunities desired me again to oversee his reading and his signature. I desired to be excused, and added, “that young Princes were of a fiery temper, and I, the Poor Man, fearful of offending, as I could not always guess what might be His Highness’s pleasure; and that I hoped he would hold me excused.” But he would not hear of my excuses; and he continued his importunities so assiduously, that fain I was to alter my conduct; but yet I only answered every question he put, or only taught whenever he desired it; and matters went on in that manner for some time, when one day there came a letter from Mir-djaafer-qhan, that exhorted him to stand up, and to wrest the whole of Aaly-verdy-qhan’s estate from Seradj-ed-döulah’s hands. He mentioned several Commanders and Grandees, “who, as well as Mir-djaafer-qhan himself, looked upon Sáyd-ahmed-qhan’s son, as their only resource against the growing and daily cruelties of Seradj-ed-döulah’s; and he pledged himself that he would be strongly and unanimously supported, as the enterprise was easy, and it only wanted some one to sit on the throne; in which case all the others would undertake to place him thereon, under certain conditions and stipulations, which he mentioned at length.”*