Riyaz al-salatin 105.2.5

105.2.5

hurrah on thy beard and moustache !" In regard to Sauda-i-Khas the Emperor wrote the following across the news-letter, and putting his own signature returned it : " What propriety is there in calling public oppression Sauda-i-Khas, and what connection has Sauda-i-Khas with Sauda-i-'Am? Those who purchase — sell ; We neither purchase nor sell." And by way of censure, to serve as a deterrent, the Emperor reduced the Prince's mansab by 500. The meanings of Sauda-i-Khas and Sauda-i-'Am are as follows: "All the goods which arrived on board the mercantile ships at the port of Chatgaon (Chittagong), &c, were bought up on behalf of the Prince, and were styled Sauda-i-Khas; afterwards those very goods were re-sold to the merchants of this country, when they were called Sauda-i-'Am. When the news-letter containing the Emperor's signature came to be perused by the Prince, the latter abandoned the aforesaid trade. The Emperor Aurangzeb appointed Mirza Hadi to the office of Diwan of the Province of Bengal, after bestowing on him the title of Kar Talab Khan. The Mirza was a sagacious man, and an officer of honesty and integrity. He had already held the office of Diwan of the Subah of Orissa. In several Mahals pertaining to Orissa he had effected retrenchments in expenditure, and had thus become prominent amongst the Imperial officials. He was held matchless in probity and rectitude of purpose.