The Memoirs of Bābur 913.2.6

913.2.6

When we sent persons and letters to Shāh Beg and Muqīm, saying, "Here we are at your word; a stranger-foe like the Aūzbeg has taken Khurāsān; come! let us settle, in concert and amity, what will be for the general good," they returned a rude and ill-mannered answer, going back from the dutiful letters they had written and from the invitations they had given. One of their incivilities was that Shāh Beg stamped his letter to me in the middle of its reverse, where begs seal if writing to begs, where indeed a great beg seals if writing to one of the lower circle.[1281] But for such ill-manners and his rude answers, his affair would never have gone so far as it did, for, as they say,— A strife-stirring word will accomplish the downfall of an ancient line. By these their headstrong acts they gave to the winds house, family, and the hoards of 30 to 40 years. One day while we were near Shahr-i-ṣafā[1282] a false alarm being given in the very heart of the camp, the whole army was made to arm and mount. At the time I was occupied with a bath [Sidenote: Fol. 208b.] and purification; the begs were much flurried; I mounted when I was ready; as the alarm was false, it died away after a time.