Keeping records is an excellent thing for a government; it is even necessary for every rank of society. Though a trace of this office may have existed in ancient times, its higher objects were but recognized in the present reign. His Majesty has appointed fourteen zealous, experienced, and impartial clerks, two of whom do daily duty in rotation, so that the turn of each comes after a fortnight.* Some other suitable men are selected as supernumeraries, each of whom is appointed for one day; and if any of the fourteen be detained by an important business, this additional person acts for him. Hence they are called kotal (supernumeraries).
Their duty is to write down the orders and the doings of His Majesty and whatever the heads of the departments report; what His Majesty eats and drinks; when he sleeps, and when he rises; the etiquette in the State hall; the time His Majesty spends in the Harem; when he goes to the general and private assemblies; the nature of hunting-parties; the slaying of animals;* when he marches, and when he halts; the acts of His Majesty as the spiritual guide of the nation; vows made to him; his remarks (vide Fifth Book); what books he has read out to him; what alms he bestows; what presents he makes; the daily and monthly exercises* which he imposes on himself; appointments to mançabs; contingents of troops; salaries; jágírs; Irmás money (vide above, p. 250, note 5); sayúrgháls (rentfree land); the increase or decrease of taxes; contracts; sales; money transfers; peshkash (tribute receipts); despatch; the issue of orders; the papers which are signed by His Majesty; the arrival of reports; the minutes thereon; the arrivals of courtiers; their departures; the fixing* of periods; the inspection of the guards; battles, victories, and peace; obituaries of well-known persons; animal-fights and the bettings on them; the dying of horses; capital punishments; pardons granted by His Majesty; the proceedings of the general assemblies; marriages, births; chaugán games (vide A´ín 29); chaupar, nard, chess, card games, &c.; extraordinary phenomena; the harvests of the year; the reports on events.
After the diary has been corrected by one of His Majesty's servants, it is laid before the emperor, and approved by him. The clerk then makes a copy of each report, signs it, and hands it over to those who require it as a voucher, when it is also signed by the Parwánchí, by the Mír 'Arz, and by that person who laid it before His Majesty. The report in this state is called yáddásht, or memorandum.
Besides, there are several copyists who write a good hand and a lucid style. They receive the yáddasht when completed, keep it with themselves, and make a proper abridgment of it. After signing it, they return this instead of the yáddásht, when the abridgment is signed and sealed by the Wáqi'ahnawís, and the Risálahdár,* the Mír 'Arz, and the Dárogah. The abridgment, thus completed, is called Ta'líqah, and the writer is called Ta'líqahnawís.
The Ta'líqah is then signed, as stated above, and sealed by the ministers of State.
His Majesty's object is, that every duty be properly performed; that there be no undue increase, or decrease in any department; that dishonest people be removed, and trustworthy people be held in esteem; and that active servants may work without fear, and negligent and forgetful men be held in check.