§ 61. Angry Governor punishes his slanderer.

From the letter of Muhammad Azam, news-writer of the province of Gujrat,—who was one of the Emperor's own retainers (walashahi), His Majesty learnt that Muhammad Amin Khan, the governor of the province, had held Court while intoxicated with wine. The Emperor wrote [on the sheet]:—“God is holy! This is a great slander.” The [Court] agent of Muhammad Amin Khan wrote of this matter to his master. The governor in open darbar ordered the moustaches and beard of the news-writer to be pulled out and flung into the air. This, too, reached the Emperor's knowledge. His Majesty wrote:—“His Holiness Ali has said, ‘Anger is a sort of madness, and there is no law in madness.’ The Khan has a very violent temper. But in this matter what is known is that the news-writer had calumniated him. What power had he that the smell of wine should reach from the Khan's mouth to his [nostrils]? But, after all, his punishment belonged to me, and it was improper for the governor to inflict it himself. The sentence on the lying news-writer is dismissal from his post, and that on the governor will be withholding from him the robe of honour at the annual [coronation] festival.”

Text.—Ir. MS. 6b—7a.

Notes.—Muhammad Amin Khan Hafiz, son of Mir Jumla, was governor of Gujrat from 11th June, 1672, to his death, 16th June, 1682. A very proud and self-willed nobleman and a bigoted Shia. (Life in Masir-ul-umara, iii. 613).