PETITION OF THE LEAST OF LOYAL SERVANTS, SHAMSU-D-DIN MUḤAMMAD
ATGA.

“After prayers and expressions of devotion he represents that when this well-wisher arrived at Delhi, and when your Majesty bestowed royal favours on him and gave him the flag, the kettle-drum and the tuman-togh of Bairām Khān and made him governor of the Panjāb, it appeared right that this well-wisher should per­form service corresponding to such favours and preferment, so that none of the loyal might say anything against his promotion. When the news came that the disloyal and seditious had by letters and messages brought Bairām Khān into the neighbourhood of Fīrūz­pūr, an order was issued that the pillars of the empire should assemble and should represent what should be done for the welfare of the state. In that meeting the letter of Bairām Khan to Darvesh Muḥammād Khān was produced. It was there written, ‘I am the slave and bondsman of His Majesty, but I wish to take vengeance on H.M.'s vakils.’ Each well-wisher stated at that meeting what he thought should be done to baffle Bairām Khān. As two days ago the paraphernalia of the said Khān's dignity had been bestowed on this well-wisher, he decided that the occasion for doing good service had arrived. There was much talk and discussion among the pil­lars of the empire—and both small and great were gathered there— and this faqir claimed the right of move (dāv talbīd),* and proposed that the affair of Bairām Khān should by God's favour and the unending auspices of the king come to him, and added, that if wherever he met him, or came in sight of him he should slacken in his advance, he would be less than girls or catamites. The pillars of empire said “the putting down of Bairām Khān is a great undertaking. So long as H.M. does not go in person it will not be possible to capture him.” When the pillars of empire were of this opinion, your servant did not say much, but represented to his Lord that Muḥammad Qāsim Khān and Mahdī Qāsim Khān had got leave and gone towards Multan and Lahore. It might be that this servant could also go in the employment of a scout of his Lord (mukhādīm) and report day by day everything that occurred. This well-wishing servant's application was favourably received, and an order was given that he should go, accompanied by the great officers, and suppress Bairām Khān. An order was also given that a thousand men should be enrolled* as auxiliaries. He took leave and halted four or five days in the neighbourhood of Rohtak and in pargana Māhim,* but there was no sign of the auxiliaries. On a representation being made to his Lord fif­teen men, out of all the thousand, were sent. As there were many veterans* present, the anxieties which are part of war­fare came home to them. As also it was the rainy season, and there was mud and water, there was some delay in marching. Men made use of the “Mother”* as a go-between, and told a hundred thousand tales, such as that the Atga marched every day two kos and did not advance because he was afraid, and that matters would not progress in his hands. He should be deprived of his fief and allowances. The “Mother” acted upon what men said, and without giving weight to (my) twenty years' service and affection represented (to Akbar) whatever they said. Your Majesty knows that this was so. My son 'Azīz Muḥammad could not stand men's words and allusions, and wrote: “Father, men's words have killed us. Whatever is your fate will happen. By all means act quickly and dispose of the affair of Bairām Khān.”

This well wisher knew what was designed.* In reliance upon the Divine favour and the king's fortune he advanced to suppress Bairām Khān. Now the affair of Bairām Khān has been disposed of by your Majesty's fortune; a number of his attendants and leaders (sulānān) have been killed, and all his relations have been arrested and brought to court. God deliver us! if things had turned out otherwise, one knows what would have happened. Probably the truth of the case has been represented to you by Bairām Khān.

After the victory, all the well-wishers who were not present at the battle, and whose services are known to your Majesty, received tenfold presents and favours. As yet no one had asked after the well-wishers who were in the engagement, when Jān Muḥammad Sulān Bahasūdī, who was two days in Jālandhar fort, was recom­mended and received the title of Khān. Besides him, everyone has received presents and pensions tenfold more than their services. When after all these this well-wisher and his son Yūsuf Muḥammad, who wielded his sword in that great battle, had their turn, the favour shown to them was the order of the first day that the name “Atga” should appear on the firmān, (i.e., bulletin of victory)! Protector of the world! this well-wisher regards the Bega (Māham Anaga) as a mother, and says no evil of her. May God make lawful what I am about to say! This well-wisher took his life in his hand for the behoof of your Majesty, and taking with him his twelve-year* old son encountered Bairām Khān and his ten to twenty relatives, servants and sulāns. None of the great officers came from their parganas to help me, and the men who were with me acted in a way which Bairām Khān has probably represented. In such a manner did they behave to this old servant. All the body-guards (qūrcīān) of Bairām Khān, who were in your Majesty's service as spies,* have by your Majesty's favour received titles, and grants of two or three krors. Yūsuf Muḥammad Khān encountered with the sword Bairām Khān, and his Khāns* and Sulāns, and your Majesty gave him the title of Khān. The authorities gave him an order for one kror, but it has no assignment (tan).* They gave one kror as a reward to this servant who has been exalted by the title of Khān Ā'aim. Out of the whole of it the authorities assigned (only) forty lakhs on Fīrūzpūr. Protector of the world! all the retainers of this well-wisher have for a lifetime been serving with their brothers and sons in expectation (of reward). And now by your Majesty's good fortune each has been exalted by the title of Khān and Sulan. As the flag, kettle-drum and tuman-togh of Bairām Khān have been presented to this humble one, and as after the victory over Bairām Khān his dāqū and khil'at-i-fattāḥī (robe of victory?) and the insignia of his dignity have been granted, and his rank bestowed upon him, he is hopeful that his office also will be assigned to this humble one.”