The Institutes of Akbar 14.2

14.2

To apply this rule, it is necessary to have gold of various degrees of fineness. This is obtained as follows. They melt together one máshah of pure silver with the same quantity of the best copper; and let it get solid. This mixture they again melt with 6 máshahs of pure gold of 10½ degrees of fineness. Of this composition one máshah is taken, and divided into sixteen parts of half a surkh each. If now 7½ surkhs of pure gold (of 10½ degrees) are mixed with one of the sixteen parts of the composition, the touch of the new mixture will only be 10¼ bán. Similarly, 7 surkhs pure gold and 2 parts of the composition melted together, will give gold of 10 bán; 6½ s. pure gold and 3 parts composition, 9¾ bán; 6 s. gold and 4 parts composition, 9½ bán; 5½ s. gold and 5 parts composition, 9¼ bán; 5 s. gold and 6 parts composition, 9 bán; 4½ s. gold and 7 parts composition, 8¾ bán; 4 s. gold and 8 parts composition, 8½ bán; 3½ s. gold and 9 parts composition, 8¼ bán; 3 s. gold and 10 parts composition, 8 bán; 2½ s. gold and 11 parts composition, 7¾ bán; 2 s. gold and 12 parts composition, 7½ bán; 1½ s. gold and 13 parts composition, 7¼ bán; 1 s. gold and 14 parts composition, 7 bán; and lastly, ½ s. gold and 15 parts composition, 6¾ bán. Or generally, every additional half surkh (or one part) of the composition diminishes the fineness of the gold by a quarter bán, the touch of the composition itself being 6½ bán.