THIS is a general history, composed by Shaikh Núru-l Hakk, al-Mashrikí, al-Dehliví, al-Bokhárí, the son of 'Abdu-l Hakk, noticed in the preceding article. The addition of al-Mashrikí would imply that his family had changed their abode from Dehlí to some district of Jaunpúr.

Núru-l Hakk's work is an enlarged edition of his father's history, and was composed, as the author informs us, in order that, by improving the style, and supplying omissions, he might render it worthy the acceptance of his patron, Shaik Farídu-d dín Bokhárí, with whom he was connected by marriage, and who suggested the undertaking. It is for this reason that a large space is devoted to an account of Shaikh Farídu-d dín's expeditions during the time of Akbar, and an interesting detail is given of his proceedings in Kashmír, the Khyber hills, Jammú, Jasrauta, Rámgarh, and other places in the Siwálik hills.* The same officer was subsequently appointed to the pur­suit of Khusrú in the early part of Jahángír's reign, in which expedition he acquired credit for considerable gallantry, and under the title of Murtazá Khán, managed for some time the affairs of the empire.

The work commences with the reign of Kutbu-d dín, and ends with the close of Akbar's reign. [Much of the early part is copied verbatim or in abstract from the Tabakát-i Násirí, the Táríkh of Zíá Barní, the Táríkh-i Mubárak Sháhí, and other works, as will be seen from the Extracts which follow.] The reign of Akbar is copiously abstracted from the Akbar-náma. This is by far the most valuable part of the work, for besides what he copies from Abú-l Fazl, the author writes much from his own knowledge of contemporary events. A hope is held out that the author may be able to continue the work, and detail some of the events of Jahángír's reign, of whom he was a con­temporary. The author's father, 'Abdu-l Hakk, highly lauds the work in his Literary History, p. 43.

The Dakhin history is much more meagre than the rest. The history of the Bahmaní, Nizám-sháhí, 'Ádil-sháhí, Kutb-sháhí dynasties is promised, but is not given. Berár, Bidr, Khándesh, are also omitted from this work, as they are from the Tabakát-i Akbarí, which fact would of itself raise a suspicion that Núru-l Hakk copied more than he acknowledged.