From the report of the province of Ahmadabad, of which Muhammad Azam Shah was the governor, the Emperor learnt—“Janaji Dalia, a commander of the enemy [i.e., Marathas], had plundered some merchants on the highway of Surat, at a place 80 miles from Ahmadabad. This matter had become known to Shah Alijah [i.e., Azam] from a news-letter; but he had said, ‘It has occurred within the faujdari of Amanat Khan, the collector of Surat; I have no concern with it’.”
On the sheet of the report the Emperor wrote,— “Decrease five thousand from the substantive rank of the prince, and take from his agents money corresponding to the [loss] reported by the merchants. If it had been an officer other than a prince, this order would have been issued after an inquiry. For a prince the punishment is the absence of investigation. Bravo for your princeship, that you consider yourself lower than Amanat Khan! As in my lifetime you are claiming to inherit the empire, why then do you not make Amanat Khan a sharer of your heritage during my life? (Verse)
A malady that does not go away for medicine, has no cure.
A man who has no wisdom, does not need any thing.”
Text.–Ir. MS. 22b, MS. N. 26b–27a.
Note.–Dalia is probably Dalway, a Maratha family name.