Siyar al-mutaʾakhkhirin 17.3.9

17.3.9

All such persons were sure to be relieved, and relieved with an exactitude, and a modesty that seemed striving to oblige handsomely. He was averse to flattery, and disinclined from those rules of state, and those airs of reservedness imposed on persons of his high rank. He loved to live with his servants, as their friend and companion, and with his acquaintances, as their brother and equal. All his friends and acquaintances were admitted to the liberty of smoking their Hoccas or Pipes in his presence, and to drink coffee, whilst he was conversing familiarly with them; and he made it a point to oblige them, without making a parade of it; and also to grant a favour in secret, for which he had excused himself in public, and had asked their pardon. One day Naky-c8ly-qhan, son to Hadji-abdollah the historian, a man of letters who had been Divan of Burhanpur in Aoreng-zib's time, having interceded for a Seyd, who was now in prison at Djehanghir-nugur for a balance of six thousand rupees due to Government, and which he could not pay, he represented "that it would be a pity that "so worthy a Seyd should be in penances, whilst so many "thousand rupees, to the double and even the quadruple of that "sum, were monthly spent in alms and in charities; and he added "that it was to be hoped that the above sum would be forgiven "the man, and also that he would be sent for to the presence, "and provided for." This short request had its full effect on that beneficent nobleman.