Siyar al-mutaʾakhkhirin 32.5.4

32.5.4

The Vezir, roused from his lethargy by so bold a step, sent for Radja Harnund, a Roudja by clan, and having furnished him from his own stores with a sum of money, a train of artillery, and a quantity of rockets, he gave him the Government of Moorad-abad, and the neighbouring countries, with orders to raise as many troops as he might think necessary, for subduing Rohillah, and with him all the refractory Zemindars of those parts. The Radja, having raised an army, marched with his troops and artillery to Moorad-abad; and, proud of his power and forces, he commenced issuing orders, and exacting submission. Rohillah, like a shrewd Politician, kept an attentive eye upon him, and meanwhile he was sending respectful messages, by which he excused the imprudence of his conduct, and requested for the future some abatement in the high rents which had been heretofore expected from him. The Radja, elated with his dignity and the Vezir's support, would not hear of any abatement; he required an unconditional submission, and was intent only on picking up some quarrel with him, and tearing him by the roots. The man, seeing himself thus pressed hard, turned his eyes towards his Afghans, and having assembled the principal men amongst them, he made an exposition of the state of things, and asked them, what was their opinion, and what they intended to do.