CHAPTER XLIII.
COPY OF THE LETTER*
OF THE ILLUSTRIOUS SHĀH.
Verse.

A greeting like the favours of the glorious God,
A greeting like the qualities of the prophet Muḥammad,
A greeting radiant with the light of truth,
A greeting fragrant with the otto of constancy,
A greeting like rain dropping on the rose
And trickling from thence to the leaves of the hyacinth,
Grief-dispelling like the rose of the garden,
Joy-increasing like the faces of friends;—
Its fragrance equable like the gardens of paradise
Resting the soul and soothing the heart.

This gift of a greeting which out of perfect sincerity renews the bond of hereditary love and affection, and this present of congratulations and benedictions, which in their utter truth and trans­parency have made our mutual ties and our affinities of love and fondness to be renowned throughout the world, are dedicated and presented from the country of love and singleness, along with caravans of rejoicings and longings, to the exalted one, who is the asylum of sovereignty and glory, repository of vicegerency and of the adminis­tration of justice, flower of the garden of sulanhood and success, luminous lamp of the sublime dynasty of Timur Khān, pearl of fortune's and dominion's casket, royal pearl of greatness's and glory's mansion, fresh fruit of glory and dignity's garden, goodly tree of the garden of the desires of just princes, adorner of the throne of sulanship and kingship, exhibitor of the endless mysteries of God, a Khāqān the grantor and attainer of desires, glorious monarch of an illustrious house.

Quatrain.

Star of a happy Sign, light of a fortunate Ascendant,
Enthroned grantor and attainer of desires,
Spite of the long reigns of princes, none hath reached
What he hath attained to in early youth.

The aided with glorious aids from God,—glory of sulanhood, magnificence, honour, justice, vicegerency, love, sway and exalta­tion—Abū-l-fatḥ Jalālu-d-dīn Muḥammad Akbar Pādshāh, placed by God on the hereditary throne of sovereignty with all honour and dignity, unsurpassed adherent of God's Word and extirpator of polytheists. Verily the relations of concord and amity which existed between ourselves and His Majesty the pardoned king—May the Almighty place him in the highest Paradise! are fixed and certified, and the marks thereof are visible to mankind. At this time, the notes of victory and fortune, and the news of the success and glory of that grantor and grantee of desires which have been brought to our hearing by messengers from that country are the cause of varied upliftings of our hearts. As a consequence of thorough sympathy and companionship our desire increases that that asylum of sovereignty and glory may acquire the constituents of success and joy; and our firm hope is that his radiances may extend higher and higher each day, and cast light upon all mankind. Nor shall it be concealed from the mirror of his enlightened heart, that from the date when a covenant of love and friendship and of concord and brotherhood was made between ourselves and the deceased monarch, our loving heart was continually directed towards the exaltation of the glory of that great prince, and that we employed our utmost energies in advancing his position and diguity in every respect. Accordingly this has been manifest to mankind. To speak without arrogance, as the feeling of brotherhood and princely honour demand, we have respected in our heart the brotherly relations which existed between us and the deceased asylum of brotherhood, and have discharged the duties thereof according to our abilities and leisure in conformity with the principle that deeds are impledged to opportunities. But in accordance with the decree of the all-powerful King—may His power be glorified—and the designs of mortals cannot be arranged or carried out without His Will, nor is the arrangement of the world's workshop possible or conceivable without His orders—the aforesaid pardoned monarch conveyed the garnishing of eternity from the strait of the perishable world to the ample mansions of immortality, and so wishes and longings have remained under the veil of concealment. Subsequently, when by the favour of God— may His glorious name be praised,—the lamp of the eyes of the parti­zans of the lofty lineage, or rather of the commonalty, and the spirits* of the lovers and friends of that grand family have been brightened by the emerging light of that quintessence of sulanhood and sovereignty, and the throne of the sulanate and of success has been ennobled by the aureole (farz) of that honoured son (Akbar), we testify by the honour of God—and He is a sufficient Witness—that from that day in accordance with our ardent, hereditary love we have always felt drawn towards that light of the eyes of the Caliphate and have held firmly to those ancient bonds of brotherhood. And it has always been the fixed thought of our hearts that we should send one of our officers to that fortunate region in order that he might convey our regrets for the king clothed with forgiveness and our congratulations and our blessings to the auspicious and felicitous one for his sway and sovereignty. By chance, various hindrances have occurred, one after the other, which have caused delay in the execution of this project. When the hindrances had been removed, the keenness of the desire showed itself and we had been for some days engaged in sending an officer when the dignified and auspicious Shāh* Ghāzī Sulān, the envoy of the asylum of justice and control, workshop of rule, glory of great officers, and grand governors, splendour of justice, dominion and fortune, the faithful Bairām Khān, arrived at the world-protecting court. He communicated the Khān's representations of sincerity and respect, and renewed on behalf of the light of the eyes of the Caliphate and sitter on the kingly throne the pillars of hereditary affection and conveyed his sentiments of sincerity and friendship. During the time that he stayed with us he was honoured by being present at several assemblages and was the recipient of various favours. So much so was this that we out of respect to your dignity raised him to the lofty rank of an Amir and Sulan, and then suffered him to depart after bestowing on him royal favours and presents. We now send as our ambassador Saiyid Beg, the successor of Saiyids and rulers, son of M'aṣūm Beg Ṣafavī, the repository of saiyidship and fortune, laboratory of orders, prop of dominion, &c., &c., Mīr Dīwān, and who on account of his lineage* is distinguished among our great officers and intimates, in order that he may convey our condolences for the late king, and our congratulations on the acces­sion of the asylum of sovereignty, and may consolidate the founda­tions of hereditary love and friendship so that henceforth the revolutionary hand of time may not reach the edge thereof, nor fear of rift or rupture enter the heart's core of any creature. We expect that so long as the reservoir of saiyidship abides then you will look graciously upon him and show him a little favour. Do not detain him long, but permit him to depart and to return to this country. And ever moisten the gardens of old love and affection with the cloud-droppings of fragrant words, and hereafter do not neglect to send messages and letters and to announce events, conditions, &c., as the relationship of love demands.

Verse.*

O God, grant that this nursling of fortune's garden,
This shining light of an auspicious Sign,
May enjoy life and vigour
And be firmly seated on felicity's throne;
May his heart's desires be fulfilled for cycles,
May his station be on the summit of success,
May the desires of throne and fortune coincide,
May he prosper in his fortune and his throne.