In the year A.H. 547 (A.D. 1152-3) a battle was fought between that king of blessed memory Sanjar b. Maliksháh and my lord the king 'Alá'u'd-Dín wa'd-Dunyá; and the army of Ghúr was defeated, and my lord the King of the East was taken prisoner, and my lord's son the Just King Shamsu'd-Dawla wa'd-Dín Maḥmúd b. Mas'úd was taken captive at the hands of the Commander-in-chief (Amír-i-sipahsálár ). The ransom was fixed at fifty thousand dínárs of pure gold,*

and a messenger from him was to go to the Court at Bámiyán to ask for this sum; and when it should be sent the Prince was to be released, while the King himself was granted his liberty by the Lord of the World (Sanjar), who, moreover, at the time of his departure from Herát, granted him a robe of honour; and it was under these circumstances that I arrived to wait upon him.*

One day, being extremely sad at heart, he signed to me, and enquired when this deliverance would finally be ac­complished, and when this consignment would arrive. So I took an observation that day with a view to making this prognostication, and worked out the ascendant, exerting myself to the utmost, and [ascertained that] there was an indication of a satisfactory solution to the question on the third day. So next day I came and said: “To-morrow at the time of the first prayer the messenger will arrive.” All that night the Prince was thinking about this matter. Next day I hastened to wait on him. “To-day,” said he, “is the time fixed.” “Yes,” I replied; and continued with him till the first prayer. When the call to prayer was sounded, he remarked reproachfully: “The first prayer has arrived, but still no news!” Even while he was thus speaking, a courier arrived bringing the good tidings that the consignment had come, consisting of fifty thousand dínárs, sheep, and other things, and that 'Izzu'd-Dín Maḥmúd,*

the steward of Prince Ḥusámu'd-Dawla wa'd-Dín, was in charge of the convoy. My lord Shamsu'd-Dawla wa'd-Dín was invested with the King's dress of honour, and very shortly regained his beloved home, and from that time his affairs have prospered more and more every day (may they continue so to do!). And thence it was that he used to treat me with the utmost kindness and say: “Nidhámí, do you remember making such a prognosti­cation in Herát, and how it came true? I wanted to fill thy mouth with gold, but there I had no gold, though here I have.” Then he called for gold, and filled my mouth therewith till it would contain no more, whereupon he said, “Hold out thy sleeve.” So I held it out, and he filled it also with gold. May God (blessed and exalted is He) maintain this dynasty in daily-increasing prosperity, and long spare these two Princes to my august Master, by His favour, bounty, and grace! Amen, O Lord of the Worlds!