The Book of Akbar 172.1.7

172.1.7

Sher Khan, out of craft, sometimes sent influential persons to the sublime porte to knock at the door of peace, and sometimes cherished wicked thoughts of war. At length he deceitfully and fraudulently left a body of infantry and inefficient men, together with his artillery, in face while he himself marched two stages to the rear and then encamped. The royal army, which had all along been victorious, did not understand the craft of that trickster, so they followed and encamped. When an event is going to happen in accordance with destiny, carelessness on the part of the sagacious comes in to help. In this way great remissness ensued in keeping watch. At length Muhammad Zaman Mirza showed utter negligence on a night when it was his watch. That fox (Sher Khan) who was waiting for an opportunity, made a night march and in the morning presented himself at the rear of the camp. His army was divided into three bands (tūp), one led by himself, one by Jalal Khan, and one by Khawass Khan. The royal troops had not time to buckle their saddles or to close their cuirasses. His Majesty Jahanbani when he became apprized of the army's negligence, was confounded by this specimen of fate's workshop, and the thread of resource dropped from his hand. As he was mounting, Baba Jalair and Quc Beg arrived, and he bade them go quickly and bring away the noble lady Haji Begam. Those two faithful and zealous servants drank the wholesome sherbet of martyrdom at the door of honour's enclosure.