Firishta's History (Gulshan-i Ibrāhīmī) 75.5.6

75.5.6

He would sometimes ascend the pulpit in the grand mosque on Fridays and holidays, and read the Khootba, in which he mentioned himself by the following titles: — "The monarch just, merciful, "patient, and liberal to the servants of God, chief in worldly and religious affairs, son of the most distinguished among princes, Ahmud Shah Wully Bahmuny." One day, an Arabian merchant, who had sold horses for the King's use, the payment for which was delayed by the officers of the household, being present when he read the above titles, roused by the ill usage he had experienced, and indignant at the cruel massacre of the innocent syuds, which had just taken place, exclaimed with a loud voice, "Thou art neither the just, the "merciful, the patient, nor the liberal king, but the cruel and the false, who hast massacred the Prophet's descendants, yet darest to assume such vaunting titles in the pulpit of the true believers." The King, struck with remorse, commanded the merchant to be paid on the spot, saying that those would not escape the wrath of God who had thus injured his reputation. He then retired to his palace, and never entered the mosque again, till he was brought there a corpse to be interred. The King, finding himself dying, appointed his son, Hoomayoon his successor contrary to the wishes of all his court, who dreaded his cruel and sanguinary temper; and several of the nobles made their escape to Guzerat before the King's death, to avoid the tyranny of his successor.