The brief account of this great phenomenon* is as follows: On the day of Ārād 25 Ābān (5 November 1577), Divine month, at the time when the sun was auspiciously placed in Scorpio, this celestial sign appeared in Sagitarius, in the west,* but inclined to the north. It had a long tail, and in some countries it was visible for five months. Astrologers and those acquainted with the secrets of the upper world represented that in some of the inhabited parts of India grain would be dear, and they mentioned the particular places where this would occur. They also said that the ruler of Persia would die, and that there would be the dust of confusion in Irāq and Khurāsān. As they said, so did it come to pass without defect or diminution. About the same time a caravan arrived from l'ersia and some able and truthful men reported to the august court the passing away of Shāh ahmāsp, the putting to death of Sultan Ḥaidar, and the arrival at power of Shāh Ism'aīl. The brief account of this is that the Shāh—the cupola of paradise—died in Qazwīn on 5 Khirdād.* Sulan Ḥaidar, his third son, considered the sovereignty as his right, and by the efforts of some of the grandees fancied himself to be secure. He was put to death by the exertions of his unkindly (nāmihrbān) sister Parī Khānim,* and Ism'aīl* M., the second son, who had been imprisoned for 22 years in the fortress of Qahqa,* was placed upon the throne. He, from wickedness, sent many of his brothers and cousins to the abode of annihilation. In one day he killed Sulan Ibrāhīm,* together with eleven* of his own brothers. When the events of Persia were related to H.M. he remarked that the people of that country were beholding the retribution for their ingratitude, and that this gloomy and blood-shedding young man would fill up the measure of his days without moistening his lip (lab tar nagushta) with the wine of the world, for the spirit of the age could not endure infatuation. What appeared on the tablet of the tongue abounding in pearls came to pass. There was another proving of H.M.'s knowledge of mysteries, and the celestial phenomenon revealed its qualities both as regards the past and the future. First Shāh ahmāsp went to the holy world before the appearance of the marvel (the comet), and after it had appeared, Shāh Ism'aīl went to annihilation. He died after having spent one year and five months in bloodshed, dishonour and lust (badmihrī). Many are agreed that he was poisoned by Parī Khānim.* During the lifetime of Shāh ahmāsp she was the centre of affairs, and she expected to have still more authority during the rule of this ill-fated and noxious one (Ism'aīl). He from presumptuousness and conceit dismissed her (lit. drew the writing of dismissal on the page of her position), though he had come to the rank of Shāh by her efforts. That foolish one* (Parī Khānim) plotted with the mother of Ḥusain Beg Ḥalwācī Oghli from whose hands he (Ism'aīl) took his mixtures ²²⁵ and electuaries. On the night of Bahman 2 Āẕar, Divine month (November 1577), of the following year (985) some horses had come as a present from the ruler of Gurjistan. He went to the polo ground to see them. As the comet cast its baleful shade, and as the astrolo­gers of Persia agreed with the sages of India, they read to him the celestial message, and begged him to put off his visit. They were not successful. From the ground he went to the quarters of Ḥusain Beg which were close by. Sharīf Qazwīnī brought to him from the house the accustomed intoxicant and remarked that the seal on the box (ḥuqqa) had been removed. As the inevitable time had arrived he lost the thread of intelligence and made answer that if he had got it from the hands of Ḥusain Beg's mother there was no fear. He took some of it, and gave some to Ḥusain Beg. It has been heard from the secret knowers of Persia that when a portion of the night had passed away, Parī Khānim, whose house was in the neighbourhood of that confectioner's son's house, sent Shāh Wardī* with some men dressed up as women. They squeezed the throat and other vital parts of that infatuated madman and so killed him. As the heat of madness and his apprehen­sions kept him in solitude, his real well-wishers—who are the guardians of realm and religion—had not access to him. Indeed the servants generally could not set foot there. By the evil effects of such conduct—which is the worst of behaviours in the generality of those living in a state of association, then what must it be in the case of rulers,—these things happened to this confused and pre­sumptuous one. The door of that house of terror was closed and nothing transpired from it. At last, night turned to day, and day had almost turned to night. No one had the courage to make a search. By the exertion of great courage M. Sulaimān the Vizier and M. Muḥammad Ḥakīm and some others of the nobility came there. They read the inscription of hopelessness on the portico and broke open the door and found him lying dead. The little finger of the right hand was broken, and the skin of the forehead and nose scratched (here follow some lines of rhetoric) …

The condition of this inwardly-disturbed one is impressed upon ²²⁶ all. He began by vexing his father, and benefactor, and sovereign. The latter from affection and foresight and in hopes of curing him put him into prison. When by heaven's decree he became the ruler of Persia, he extinguished the lights of wisdom and settled down in the indulgence of lusts. He choked the fountain of wake­fulness and engaged in killing friends and cherishing foes. He did not appreciate the dignity of sovereignty, and was active in ruining the foundations of dominion. Apparently it is the wondrous design of the stewards of fate that the bliss, benevolence, and justice of the ruler of India may be proclaimed to the world, and that all the subjects of that abode of pleasantness may recognize the Imām of the time, and reposefully spend their days in the auspicious dwelling of thanksgiving.