LETTER V.
 
AURUNGZEBE TO SHAW JEHAUN.

AFTER offering the usual duty and affection, I represent to the sublime audience, that the sacred pages written in your gracious hand on the 18th of the present month, made their honouring descent, and also what you wrote thro’ the eunuch Wooffa out of extreme anger, became known.

Fully sensible of my faults, I know not what remedy to invent, that will preserve me from being accused of such matters,* if your majesty, notwithstand­ing my repeated and humble request that you would forbear issuing strife-exciting letters, will not cast the eye of assent on my petition. You have publickly exclaimed, “He must not expect from me what he should only demand from his own children. Let him forbear to desire what is impossible.” Of this, the writing brought me by Hoory Khanim* is a proof. In this case, if, acting with proper caution, I disperse not the causes of disorder, and remove not from the enlightened presence the treach­erous eunuchs by whose interventions improper papers are spread abroad, what must I do? Alas! but that your majesty, pitying these people, would forbear employing them in a business which can have no end but trouble and danger, that you would regard good policy; so that at the instigation of necessity such pro­ceedings might not become unavoidable to me, or punishment fall upon them. At all events, you must overlook the fault of Wooffa, and recall him to your presence, that he may attend you like the rest of the eunuchs. I have written concerning Mohirrum, that he be not prevented from entering your apart­ments; but if he too, under colour of fidelity, should act treacherously, he shall speedily be silenced.

Respecting the charge of your kitchen, I have already written that another be placed in it, in room of Mamoor, who has sacrificed his life. Your ward­robe will be replenished as heretofore.

May God, disposing your majesty to look favourably on me, who have been guilty of no crime, but obedience to the mandates of Providence, give me grace to avoid the judgments of the world to come!*