Takmilah i Akbar-namah 3: Prince Salim.

3

It has already been related, that His Highness the Prince Sultan Salim had set out against the Raja of Ajmir, attended by a train of followers countless as the stars. But as Akbar had now heard of the disturbances in Bengal, he had countermanded the Prince, and directed him to unite his forces with those of Raja Man Singh, to reduce these Eastern rebels, and that the Prince deferred his departure, and merely hunted towards Allahabad.
When the Emperor was at Akbarabad (Agra), the Prince wrote to request the honour of an audience, and proceeded as far as Etawa for the purpose; but here doubts were suggested to him by some ill-inclined persons, and he feared to advance any further. His Majesty was no sooner made aware of this circumstance, than he wrote to the Prince, that “if he were earnest in his wish to pay his respects, he ought to display his confidence by doing so alone, and dismiss his attendants to their jagirs; if, on the contrary, suspicion withheld him, he had better retire to Allahabad, there to re-assure his heart, and repair to Court when he was able to do so with full trust and confidence.” The Prince, alarmed at this kind yet disdainful communication, instantly despatched Mir Sadr-i Jahan, who was the chief justiciary of the Imperial dominions, and His Majesty’s agent with the Prince, to his august father, charged with the most submissive apology, and referring to the Mir’s own observation in testimony of his sense of duty and allegiance. He then set out towards Allahabad, and meanwhile an Imperial farman was issued, investing him with the government of Bengal and Orissa, and directing him to despatch his officers to take possession of those two provinces. Raja Man Singh was, at the same time, ordered to transfer the provinces, and to return to Court.