The Book of Akbar 374.1

374.1

this well-wisher, he decided that the occasion for doing good service had arrived. There was much talk and discussion among the pillars of the empire—and both small and great were gathered there—and this faqir claimed the right of move (dāv talabīd), and proposed that the affair of Bairām Khān should by God’s favour and the unending auspices of the king come to him, and added, that if wherever he met him, or came in sight of him he should slacken in his advance, he would be less than girls or catamites. The pillars of empire said “the putting down of Bairām Khān is a great undertaking. So long as H.M. does not go in person it will not be possible to capture him.” When the pillars of empire were of this opinion, your servant did not say much, but represented to his Lord that Muhammad Qāsim Khān and Mahdī Qāsim Khān had got leave and gone towards Multān and Lahore. It might be that this servant could also go in the employment of a scout of his Lord (mukhbir) and report day by day everything that occurred. This well-wishing servant’s application was favourably received, and an order was given that he should go, accompanied by the great officers, and suppress Bairām Khān. An order was also given that a thousand men should be enrolled as auxiliaries. He took leave and halted four or five days in the neighbourhood of Rohtak and in pargana Mahīm, but there was no sign of the auxiliaries. On a representation being made to his Lord fifteen men, out of all the thousand, were sent.