Siyar al-mutaʾakhkhirin 16.1.3

16.1.3

As the Lord Seyd knew nothing at all of the contents, he expressed some surprise at these words, and could not help answering, that he was not privy to the contents of the petition. Upon this the Viceroy put in his hands both the petition and its inclosure, that is, the letter directed to himself. On perusal of both, the poor man was struck dumb with the contents, which proved to be no less than a proposal from that denatured son, to seize the government of the country; make his own father a prisoner, and send him down to MOrshOOd-abad; for all which performances he requested only a small military force from the Viceroy. It was on discussing this unnatural affair that Seradj-ed-doula gave specimens of his turn of mind, and proofs of his boundless influence over the Viceroy's mind. It was on the following occasion: Amongst those that accompanied the Lord Seyd, was a simple, very plain man, called Aga-Azimai, who had once served Seif-qhan, hereditary Governor of POraniah, as his Paymaster-General, in which office he had contracted an intimacy with some officers, and amongst others with Serdar-qhan, that Afghan Commander, who was in the same service, and had lately cut so capital a figure at the sack of Azim-abad.