The Lohánís were much angered at this, and hostile feelings sprang up between them and Sher Khán; but they did not openly manifest them. Now Makhdúm 'Álam had not assisted Kutb Khán, and as this misfortune had befallen the latter, the King of Bengal sent an army against Makhdúm 'Álam. I, who am the author of the Tuhfa Akbar Sháhí, reckon among my ances­tors 'Abbás Khán. Very many sons of 'Abbás Khán were in Sher Khán's service; (of these) he gave to Míán Hasnú the title of Daryá Khán. Among the Khán's nobles, none were equal to him, and he had married Sher Khán's own sister. This Daryá Khán died in the beginning of Sher Sháh's reign. My object in this detail is as follows: Since a connexion exists between Sher Sháh and myself, I am thus better acquainted with his history, which I have learnt from my ancestors. To be brief, Sher Khán was prevented by the hostility of the Lohánís from assisting in person Makhdúm 'Álam, but he sent Míán Hasnú Khán to his assistance. Makhdúm 'Álam made over all his property and worldly possessions to Sher Khán, saying, “If I am victorious, I will reclaim my property; if not, better you should have it than any other.” Makhdúm 'Álam was killed in battle, but Míán Hasnú Khán returned alive, and Makhdúm 'Álam's property fell to Sher Kkán.

The enmity between Sher Khán and the Lohánís increased daily, until the latter at last plotted to kill Sher Khán, and they thus took counsel among themselves, saying, “Sher Khán waits every day upon Jalál Khán with a very small retinue; let us pretend that Jalál Khán is ill. Sher Khán will go inside the palace to inquire after him. When he is returning, and has passed through one gate, and before he reaches the other, let us kill him, while thus inclosed between the two gates of Jalál Khán's palace.”

Some of the Lohánís, who were friends and connexions of Sher Khán, having heard of these machinations, told Sher Khán, who, before receiving the news, had, by his own penetra­tion, discovered from the actions and motions of the Lohánís that they meditated some injury to himself. As he was a wise man he said nothing of the matter, but privately took precaution for his own safety; and all the land and pro­perty he had recently acquired he expended in enlisting fresh retainers, to whom he gave jágírs and maintenance to their heart's content; but to the Lohánís he gave nothing. When he perceived that he had got so large a number of new soldiers collected together that the Lohánís could not injure him or prevail against him in battle, he proclaimed the enmity of the Lohánís, and said to Jalál Khán, “You well know that the King of Bengal has the design to send an army and seize to-morrow, if not to-day, the kingdom of Bihár. The Lohánís for three or four descents have enjoyed jágírs, and live at their ease; nay, they even now covet all the newly acquired land. But I, who am your well-wisher, think it fit to entertain fresh men with the money and districts newly acquired; so that your power may be strengthened, and that when the enemy (i.e., the King of Bengal) sees our large force, he may abandon his designs on the kingdom. On this account the Lohánís are dissatisfied with me, and complain of me, and are plotting to do me injury, and out of envy and hatred make all kinds of false complaints and accusations to you against me. If you believe me loyal, uphold that which I have in all loyalty done, and dissuade the Lohánís from their hostility to me, nor listen to what they say. You know that the Lohánís are a much stronger and more powerful tribe than the Súrs; and the custom of the Afgháns is, that if any man has four kinsmen more than another, he thinks little of killing or dishonouring his neighbour. These are troublous times; are you not anxious, and on your guard? For myself, I know the Lohánís are plotting my death. From to-day I shall come to you with every precaution. Excuse me from coming inside of the palace, or, if it be indispensable that I should go within, permit me to enter it with a strong guard.”

Jalál Khán and the Lohánís perceived that Sher Khán had found them out in their designs, and that their plots had failed; so Jalál Khán said to Sher Khán, “What power have the Lohánís that they should regard you with an evil eye? All the Afghán race know that the Lohánís are a foul-mouthed people, and are without caution or prudence, and that their tongues are not under their control. They speak whatever comes to their lips, but they do not act upon it. Come to me, accompanied by your followers, in any manner that may reassure you, and permit no fear or anxiety to find a place in your mind. I will agree to whatever you do.”

Thus assuring Sher Khán in every way, Jalál Khán dismissed him. But after that, the Lohánís and Sher Khán distrusted each other, and there sprang up two parties; those of the Lohánís who had given intelligence to Sher Khán sided with him, and thus the Lohánís themselves became disunited. As enmity had arisen among them, a considerable number of the Lohánís bound themselves by vows and oaths to Sher Khán, who said to them, “I cannot choose but serve Jalál Khán loyally; his father and his mother both showed me kindness; when he was very young, I was appointed to educate him, and I did not fail to use my best endeavours in his education, as he well knows.” ^{* * *} The Lohánís who had joined themselves to Sher Sháh re­plied: “The counsel which your heart has approved is very good; for between them and ourselves there has arisen deadly enmity: it is not fitting we should be in the same place.” ^{* * *} Sher Khán said to the friendly Lohánís, “The scheme which I have devised for my own protection and the good of Jalál Khán is as follows: I shall say to Jalál Khán thus: ‘You have two matters in hand, one to oppose your enemy, the King of Bengal; the other, the preservation of the internal peace of the country, and the collection of revenue from the cultivators.’” ^{* * *} The Lohánís answered: “You have now a large force with you; there is no necessity for retaining men who are seditious and ill-disposed. Say simply to Jalál Khán that he ought to send them away, and should give their jágírs to other soldiers.” Sher Khán replied: “My object is my own safety; out of regard for one's own life, it is not good to confirm the hostility of one's enemies.” ^{* * *} All present assented, and afterwards Sher Khán wrote to Jalál Khán in the following terms: “When Sultán Muhammad exalted me to Your Majesty's deputyship, this was displeasing to the envious Lohánís. After Sultán Muhammad's death, your mother employed me in the administration of the kingdom. The envy of the Lohánís increased, and they constantly complained of me, both openly and secretly; but as my skirts were free from the contamination of dishonesty, how much soever they searched my conduct, they could find in my acts no opening through which they might effect my removal from the office of deputy. ^{* *} The Mughals who conquered the country from Sultán Ibráhím did not do so by the sword, but through the quarrels which the Afgháns had among themselves. It has become known to me from a great many sources that the Lohánís wish to assassinate me, and day and night employ themselves in contriving how to get me out of the way, and presume on the greater number of their tribe. And you also have two objects: one to oppose your enemy, the ruler of Bengal; the other, to preserve the kingdom against internal enemies, and to collect the revenues. Since your army is split into two parties, opposed to each other, it is impossible to keep them both in one place; therefore, which­ever of the two it pleases you keep with yourself, send the other to their jágírs. I have spoken because it was incumbent on me. A man's life is dear to him, he will not part with it for nothing.”