In this reign there were audits of the accounts of the fiefs. When the feudatory came up from his fief to Court, he was brought before the exchequer, where an audit of his accounts was held, and the results were reported to the throne. The balance was struck, and the chieftain was questioned, after which he was sent back at once to his fief. The managers (muharrir) of the kár-khánas also had to attend in the exchequer at the end of every year, and present abstracts of their accounts, show­ing the balance of cash and the stores of goods. * * *

Sultán Fíroz issued several varieties of coins. There was the gold tanka and the silver tanka. There were also distinct coins of the respective value of forty-eight, twenty-five, twenty-four, twelve, ten, eight, six, and one jítal, known as the chihal o hashtgáni,* bíst o panjgání, bist o chahárgání, dwázdahgání, dahgání, hashtgání, shashgání and yak jital. When the Sultán had issued these many varieties of coins, it occurred to his benignant mind that a very poor person might buy an article in the market, and a half or a quarter jítal might be due to him in change, but if the shopkeeper had no dángs (quarters) no change could be be given, and the purchaser would incur a loss. If the purchaser demanded his due, how could he get it if there was no coin in which to pay it. Contentions might thus arise between buyer and seller. The Sultán accordingly gave directions for the issu­ing of a half jítal, called ádhá,* and a quarter jítal, called bíkh, so that the requirements of the indigent might be supplied.

When the Sultán ordered the coinage of the shashgání (or six-jítal-piece), Kajar Sháh was Director of the Mint, and he exerted himself to execute the orders of the Sultán. The new coin was accordingly struck during the reign of the Sultán, under the management of Kajar Sháh. When it came into circulation two sharp individuals made a representation to the Sultán that there was a deficiency of one grain of silver in the shashgání, and prayed for an investigation to test the truth of their statement. If it proved true the officials must take the consequences. The Sultán directed his ministers to make private enquiry into the truth of the statement. Khán-i Jahán Makbúl was then alive; it was the year 772 H. (1370 A.D.), and he turned his attention and political experience to the matter. He observed that the coinage of kings was like an unmarried daughter, whom no one would seek after, however beautiful and charming she might be, if any aspersion had, either rightly or wrongly, been cast upon her character. So also with royal coins, if any one honestly or falsely, from interested motives, alleged a deterioration of the coinage, the insinuation would spread, the coinage would obtain a bad name, and no one would take it. On hearing this his Majesty said, what course can we take to ascertain the rights of this matter. The minister replied that it would be very im­politic to publish the secret rules (of the manufacture of the coin); but to pass the matter over would be an error, and to hold an (open) investigation would be a great mistake. The Sultán insisted that the truth must be ascertained so that his doubts might be dispelled. The minister then recommended that the two informers should be placed in confinement, and that a careful examination should be made (in private). Accordingly the informers were confined in the prison of the Exchequer (díwán-i wizárat), and the next day was appointed for the busi­ness of testing.

Khán-i Jahán retired, and his Majesty went into his private apartments. The minister then sent secretly for Kajar Sháh, and when he arrived* Khán-i Jahán addressed him saying that his officials had been very covetous, and had greatly diminished the value of the coins. It was well known in the world that government clerks and servants (kár-kun) were given to pecula­tion. * There was no intention of charging him (Kajar Sháh) with participation in this delinquency, but he had better go and make enquiry among his subordinates. If the charge of de­terioration proved to be true, he (Khán-i Jahán) would devise some adroit move* by which the shashgání coin should appear to the world as of full intrinsic value. Kajar Sháh returned to his office and made the necessary investigation, when it was acknow­ledged that the shashgání was one grain of silver deficient. He ac­cordingly made a full and true report to the Sultán. The minister thereupon recommended that some goldsmiths should be called in privately to test the truth of the matter, and Kajar Sháh was directed to provide them. When Kajar Sháh received this in­struction he proceeded to the goldsmiths and communicated to them what he had heard from the minister; telling them that they must contrive to show that matters were all right and proper. The goldsmiths replied that when they should be called to make the assay in the presence of the Sultán they would have to go naked, excepting only the barest clothing required by decency; but that if a few grains of silver could be smuggled into the palace they would throw it into the crucible. Kajar Sháh then proceeded to the charcoal dealers, and after making known his wishes they agreed to scoop out a piece of charcoal, to introduce a few grains of silver, and to seal up the aperture with wax. Next day the Sultán took his seat in a private apartment with his minister. Kajar Sháh and his accusers were then called in. The gold­smiths also were brought in wearing the most scant clothing, and the charcoal dealers brought the charcoal and placed it before the goldsmiths. Several shashgání pieces were placed in a crucible, which the goldsmiths put upon the fire. The Sultán entered into conversation with his minister, and while he was so engaged, the workmen adroitly threw into the melting pot the piece of charcoal which contained the silver. After a while the crucible was taken off the fire and allowed to cool. It was then taken before the Sultán and (the contents were) weighed, when the weight corres­ponded to the estimate, and the shashgání proving to be of full standard value, the informers were declared to be false accusers. The Sultán presented Kajar Sháh with a robe, and bestowed on him other marks of favour. Khán-i Jahán then said that as the coin had come triumphant out of the test, Kajar Sháh should be mounted on an elephant and paraded round the city, so that all men might understand that the shashgání was of full value, and not to be charged with impurity. Kajar Sháh was accordingly carried through the city in triumph, and the two informers, being shown to be false, were banished. After awhile the minister caused Kajar Sháh to be dismissed upon some other charge. If there were no such wise ministers the affairs of States would fall into confusion, and the animadversions of the high and low would be cast upon the most excellent institutions.

Sultán Fíroz founded an establishment (díwán-i khairát) for the promotion of marriages. Many needy Musulmáns were dis­tressed at having marriageable daughters, for whom they could provide no marriage portion. * * * Notice was given that any man having a marriageable daughter might apply at the díwán-i khairát and state his case and his poverty to the officers of that establishment, * * * who, after due enquiry, might fix an allow­ance of fifty tankas for the first class of recipients, thirty for the second, and twenty-five for the third. * * * People, small and great, flocked to the city from all parts of the country, and re­ceived grants for purchasing housekeeping requisites for their daughters. * * *

The Shifá-khána, or Hospital, also called, Sihhat-khána. * * * The Sultán, in his great kindness and humanity, established a hospital for the relief of the sick and afflicted, whether natives (áshná) or strangers. Able physicians and doctors were appointed to superintend it, and provision was made for the supply of medi­cines. The poor afflicted went to the hospital and stated their cases. The doctors duly considered and applied their skill to the restoration of health. Medicines, food, and drinks were supplied at the expense of the treasury. * * *