The Book of Akbar 70.5

70.5

If the occupants of hill forts, trusting in the security of their fastnesses, should engage in freebooting, the generals, the faujdárs, the feudatories, and the revenue collectors were directed to unite and effect a remedy. They were first to admonish the offenders, and if that proved unavailing, they were to take measures for inflicting chastisement upon them. Their country was to be laid waste, and the land was to be granted to jágírdárs, from whom the revenue officers were to make no demands. If the Imperial troops received any injury, a fine was to be imposed upon the offenders. Whatever was levied from the raiyats was to be paid over to the treasurers, and they were to give receipts to the raiyats. The collectors were to remit the payments four times a month, and at the end of this time no balance was to be left unrealized from the raiyats. The raiyats were to be so treated that they should be willing to make their payments to the treasury voluntarily. Satisfactory security was to be taken from the disaffected and contumacious; and if the bail was not given, watchmen were to be placed over the crops, and the revenue was to be realized. A descriptive account was to be drawn up of the assessment of each individual, according to his cultivation and labour, and the dates were not to be either postponed or anticipated.