In the beginning of Sha'bán* the Emperor left Dihlí for Ajmír. While staying at Nárnoul Ḥasan Qulí Khán, Khán Jahán, waited upon him. Also Khán-i A'zam arrived by forced marches from Aḥmadábád. At the beginning of the blessed month of Ramazán he arrived within 7 cosses of Ajmír, and dismounting in his accustomed manner made a pilgrimage to the shrine, and presented a pair of kettle­drums of Dáúd's, which he had vowed to the music gallery of his reverence the Khwájah Mu'ín (God sanctify his glorious tomb!). And daily according to his custom held in that sacred shrine by night intercourse with holy, learned, and sincere men, and seances for dancing and çúfíism took place. And the musicians and singers, each one of whom was a paragon without rival, striking their nails into the veins of the heart used to rend the soul with their mourn­ful cries. And dirhams and dínars were showered down like rain­drops.

At this time the Emperor appointed Ṭayib Khán, son of Muḥam-mad (P. 186) Ṭáhir Khán Núri-farághat the commandant of Dihlí, with a body of tried warriors to go against Chandar Sen, son of Máldeo, who was oppressing the faithful in the neighbourhood of Joudpúr and Síwánah. On the arrival of this army he withdrew into the jungles, which were full of mango-trees, and fled.

In the middle of the blessed month of Ramazán the Emperor, dismissed Kháni A'zam to Gujrát, and arrived by continued forced marches at Fatḥpúr at the end of this month.

In this year he sent Sháh Qulí Khán Muḥarram, and Jalál Khán Qúrchí, and several others of the Amírs to reduce the fortress of Síwánah,* which was held by the grandsons of Máldeo. Jalál Khán, who was one of the privy counsellors, was the most complete master of mirth and wit, and it was not easy for any one else to acquire such a hold on the Emperor's disposition by force of companionship, as this man did. He fought manfully, and attained the grade of martyrdom. And in his case the saying came true: “He enjoyed this world, and won the next.” When Shahbáz Khán Kambú came there, he in a very short time got possession of the fortress.

In this year the Emperor sent Mír Gesú Bakáwal [Begí] to examine into the affairs of Sulṭan Maḥmúd of Bakkar, and to guard the fortress of Bakkar.

In this year there was in Gujrát both a general pestilence and also a dearness of grain, to such an extent that one man of jawárí sold for 120 tankas, and numberless people died.

And in this year Khwájah Amína, the absolute Wazír, surnamed Khwájah-e Jahán, answered the summons of God at Láhór at the time of the return of the army from Patna. And Çabúḥí a poet in the height of his pomp and greatness composed this rubá'í:—

	“Thy door is Alexander's wall to people of merit, Why do they say ‘O Gog!’ when thy army it is.
(P. 187)	In thy generation all the signs of the Day of Judgment are manifest, Thou art Antichrist, and Khwájah Amína is thy ass”.*

Although he was a very by-word for stinginess to such an extent that he used to eat up the remains of his evening meal, still in the line of getting things done for those who made petitions to the Em­peror, whether they were strangers or friends, his equal was not to be found in the world. Whenever he wished to accomplish an affair for any one of the courtiers, he used to settle it for a bribe of gold, at the same time he caused to be given to himself by the Emperor a páshá-tail, a kettle-drum, and the titles of Khán and Sulṭán, and whatever jágír he asked for he got it as a gift. And whatever man of learning or excellence came from Transoxania, or Khorasán, or 'Iráq, or Hindústán, he caused him to be endowed with a heavy sum of gold from the imperial treasury. Through his exertions also the Amírs were able to afford a great expenditure, and even to the other courtiers he allowed pecuniary assistance to each in proportion to his state. For instance, for Ḥáfiz Tashkandí, who was one of the disciples of Rashíd Mulá 'Içám-ud-dín Ibráhím Asfaráyaní (?) (who was without equal in the line of Arabic erudition, and who wrote a commentary on the Surah-e-Muḥammad* (peace be upon him!) from which his Çúfí ecstasy may clearly be recognized) he obtained from the Emperor and the Amírs about 30,000 or 40,000 rupees. Even­tually he went to Mun'im Khán, Khán Khánán, with perfect appoint­ments, and thence he started well supplied with gold to go to the sacred Makka in the year nine hundred and seventy-seven. When he returned home he died.

Among the witty sayings is the following. Ḥájí Ibráhím of Sarhind, who was proud and rude, and quarrelsome and conten­tious in argument, at one of the Emperor's select assemblies at the time of the presentation of the Tafsíri Ḥáfiz by Mírzá Mufliz, who was a master of religious philosophy,* asked “How is Múśa* de­clined?” and (P. 188) “what is the root of the word?” It so hap­pened that the Mírzá could not manage to answer as he ought to have done, and so to the people, brute-beasts as they are, the supe­riority of Ḥájí Ibráhím became an acknowledged fact. And this is but one of the many injustices of the time:—

“On account of their love of quarelling some people
Have lost themselves in the street of hopelessness.
Every science, they have learnt in the college,
Will ruin and not profit them in the grave.”

And when the Emperor asked the Qází's son Shukr, whom he had made Qází of Mat'hura, “Why do not you join in the discussion?” he answered: “If Ḥájí Ibráhím were to ask how to decline 'Iśá,* what answer should I give?” His Majesty very much applauded this speech. This sort of thing has gone on for ten years, from that time to this, and all that assembly of arguers and disputants, whether honest enquirers or sham, consisting of more than* a hundred people, not one of them now sees* [the light of the sun], but all their faces are under the veil of “Every soul tasteth death”:* —

“The grass is grown on the site of their dwelling,
It is as though they were gone to a rendezvous.
Of the tribe of dreg-drinkers none but us remain,
Bring the wine, for we are the only survivers—that's some­thing!”

And now, when in conformity with [the Arabic saying] “A favour, when thou hast lost it, thou recognizest,” I call to mind these my companions, a blood-stream of sorrow flows from my woe-begone eyes, and one laments and wails and says: “In this abode of sor­row would that they had remained a few days longer, for in any case they were an advantage! But now all personal intercourse with them is precluded”:—

“To be in a prison in the company of friends
Is better than to be in a garden with strangers.”

But as for me this crushed gnat, this copied picture, what cure have I, save the wound of disappointment and secret wail, may God forgive the past, and have mercy on the future:—

(P. 189)

“Lo! some we loved, the loveliest and best That Time and Fate of all their Vintage prest, Have drunk their Cup a Round or two before, And one by one crept silently to Rest”.*

In this year an order was promulgated for improving the culti­vation of the country, and for bettering the condition of the raiyats. All the pargannas of the country, whether dry or irrigated, whether in towns or hills, in deserts and jungles, by rivers, reservoirs, or wells, were all to be measured, and every such piece of land as, upon culti­vation would produce one kror of tankas, was to be divided off, and placed under the charge of an officer to be called Krorí, who was to be selected for his trustworthiness, whether known or un­known to the revenue clerks and treasurers, so that in the course of three years all the uncultivated land might be brought into culti­vation, and the public treasury might be replenished. Security was taken from each one of these officers. The measurement was begun in the neighbourhood of Fatḥpúr. One kror was named Ádámpúr, another Shespúr, and so on, according to the names of the various prophets. Officers were appointed, but eventually they did not carry out the regulations as they ought to have done. A great portion of the country was laid waste through the rapacity of the Krorís, the wives and children of the raiyats were sold and scattered abroad and everything was thrown into confusion. But the krorís were brought to account by Rájah Todar Mal, and many good men died from the severe beatings which were administered, and from the tortures of the rack and pincers. So many died from protracted confinement in the prisons of the revenue authorities, that there was no need of the executioner or swordsman, and no one cared to find them graves or grave-clothes. Their condition was like that of the devout Hindús in the country of Kámrúp, who having dedicated themselves to their idol, (P. 190) live for one year in the height of luxury, enjoying everything that comes to their hands; but at the end of the period, one by one they go and assemble at the idol temple, and cast themselves under the wheels of its car, or offer up their heads to the idol. The whole country, with the exception of those held immediately from the Crown (Kháliçah-lands), were held by the Amírs as jágír: and as they were wicked and rebellious, and spent large sums on their stores and workshops, and amassed wealth, they had no leasure to look after the troops, or to take an interest in the people. In cases of emergency they came themselves with some of their slaves and Moghul attendants to the scene of the war; but of really useful soldiers there were none. Shahbáz Khán,* the Mír Bakhshí, introduced the custom and rule of dágh u maḥall, which had been the rule of Sulṭán 'Alá-ud-din Khiljí, and afterwards the law under Shér Sháh. It was settled that every Amír should commence as commander of twenty (Bístí), and be ready with his followers to mount guard, carry messages, &c., as had been ordered; and when according to the rule he had brought the horses of his twenty troopers to be branded, he was then to be made a commander of 100 (Çadí), or of more. They were likewise to keep elephants, horses, and camels in proportion to their command (mançab), according to the same rule. When they had brought to the muster their new con­tingent complete, they were to be promoted according to their merits and circumstances to the post of commander of 1000 (Hazárí), or 2000 (Dúhazárí), or even of 5000 (Panjhazárí), which is highest command; but if they did not do well at the musters they were to be degraded. But notwithstanding this new regulation the condition of the soldiers grew worse, because the Amírs did as they pleased. For they put most of their own servants and mounted attendants into soldiers' clothes, brought them to the musters, and performed everything according to their duties. But when they got their jágírs they gave leave to their mounted attendants, and when a new emer­gency arose, they mustered as many ‘borrowed’ soldiers as were requir­ed, and sent them away again, when they had served their purpose. (P. 191) Hence while the income and expediture of the mançabdár remained in statu quo, ‘dust fell into the platter of the helpless soldier,’ so much so, that he was no longer fit for anything. But from all sides there came a lot of low tradespeople, weavers and cotton-cleaners, carpenters, and green-grocers, both Hindú and Musalmán, and brought borrowed horses, got them branded, and were appointed to a command, or were made Krorís, or Aḥadís, or Dákhilís* to some one; and when a few days afterwards no trace was to be found of the imaginary horse and the visionary saddle, they had to perform their duties on foot. Many times it happened at the musters, before the Emperor himself in his special audience hall that they were weigh­ed in their clothes with their hands and feet tied, when they were found to weigh from 2 1/2 to 3 man more or less; and after inquiry it was found that they were all hired, and that their very clothes and saddles were borrowed articles. His Majesty then used to say, “With my eyes thus open I must give these men pay, that they may have something to live on.” After some time had passed away His Majesty divided the Aḥadís into duaspah,* yakaspah, and nímaspah, in which latter case two troopers kept one horse together, and shared the stipulated salary, which amounted to six rupees:—