Firishta's History (Gulshan-i Ibrāhīmī) 33.1.5

33.1.5

The death of these chiefs removed all apprehension from his mind, and he afterwards became so renowned for his justice and the wisdom of his administration, that his alliance was courted by the kings of Persia and Tartary. He took particular care that none but men of merit and family should be admitted to any public office, and for this purpose he endeavoured to make himself acquainted with the talents and connections of every person about his court. While, on the one hand, he was liberal in rewarding merit, on the other, he was no less rigid in punishing vice; for whoever misbehaved in his station was certain of being immediately disgraced. He made it a rule never to place any Hindoo in a situation of trust or power, lest that race should employ its delegated authority to the destruction of the Mahomedans. During a reign of 22 years he scrupulously excluded men of low origin from his court; and being one day told that one Fukhroo, an old servant of the state, who had acquired a vast fortune by usury and by monopolies in the bazaar, would present him with some laks of rupees if he would honour him with one word from the throne, he rejected the proposal with disdain, and said, — "What must his subjects think of a king who should condescend to hold discourse with such a creature?"