Pramāṇa · Search · About · API

Siyar al-mutaʾakhkhirin 8: CONTENTS :

A Translation of the Seir Mutaqherin (Haji Mustafa) 8

Language
English

Contents

CONTENTS :

8.1.1

Promotions at Court — Death of the Vezir — The Emperor refuses the reversion of the deceased's immense estate — A Persian adventurer sets up a whimsical new sect — The Carnatec ravaged by waters — Troubles in Gûdjrat, in Adjmir, in Cabûl and in various parts of the Empire — Curious expedient of the Emperor's to render his person more accessible — He takes a consort — Nizam-el-mulk, made Vezir, endeavours to introduce, but in vain, a reform at Court — The Emperor, to rid himself of Nizam-el-mulk's gravity, gives him the Government of Gûdjrat — A girl, called Coûki, become a female Minister, rallies at the Emperor — Effeminacy and disorders at Court — Supineness of the Emperor — A war underhand between the Emperor on one side, and Nizam-el-mulk, his deputy, on the other — The latter defeats Mubariz-qhan, and sends Nuzurs of congratulation to Court, as if the Imperial arms had been victorious — The late Vezir Abdollah-qhan poisoned — Ser-bûlend-qhan, appointed General from court, beats Nizam-el-mulk's troops, and wrests the Gûdjrat out of his hands — The Marhattas severely handled by Nedjmeddin-ally-qhan, Lieutenant to Ser-bûlend-qhan — Immense acquisitions of some favourites resumed — The victorious Ser-bûlend-qhan neglected and superceded — He beats his rival, the Gentoo Prince, and then goes to visit him alone — The Marhattas, excited by Nizam-el-mulk, make conquests in Hindostan — Malva vigorously defended by its Governor — The Marhattas conquer both Gûdjrat and Malva — Gahn-qhan heroically rescues his father, Mahmed-qhan-bangash, from eminent danger — Sedition at Delhi on account of a Hadji murdered by Gentoos — the Marhattas continue their ravages — An infectious stench pervades all Hindostan — A severe frost at Delhi, where the river freezes — Ridiculous expedition against the Marhattas — Terrible rain of thirty hours in Delhi and its neighbourhood — Flagitious enormity of Adjadjû, Zemindar of Corra, who is punished — Introduction to the revolutions of Bengal — Origin and rise of Allyverdi-qhan's family — Reduced to the utmost misery, he hardly finds money to repair to Shudja-qhan's Court in Oressa, where he is employed, and where he approved himself a good officer, a good soldier, and a good financier — Djafer-qhan, Governor of Bengal, thinks of procuring his patent to his own grandson, Ser-Efraz-qhan — But is supplanted by his son-in-law, Shudjah-qhan — Ser-Efraz-qhan submits to his father — Excellent character of Shudjah-qhan — He promotes Alli-verdi's relations to offices in state — Alli-verdi-qhan, appointed Viceroy of Azimabad, adopts his own nephew and grandson, Mirza-mehmed alias Seradj-ed-döula — His excellent conduct in his Government — An expedition against the Marhattas by both the Vezir and Qhandoüran, who prove defective both in courage and in talents — Saadet-qhan, alone, successful against the Marhattas — His ardour damped by the jealousy of the two Imperial Generals — The Marhattas avail themselves of this suspense to turn the rear of the Imperialists, and to plunder the suburbs of the capital — The Emperor with his whole Council consents to pay a tribute to the Marhattas — Seif-qhan, an old partisan of the two brothers, turned out of his Djaghir and slain — Ruin of the town of Djan-sita — Affecting description of it — Tremendous signs in the air by which Heaven signifies its wrath.

8.1.2

A LITTLE after this ceremony Abdol-semed-qhan, Viceroy of Lahor, who had set out early with his son, Zeckariah-qhan, his General and Deputy, Aghyr-qhan, and some other noble personages, but could not arrive in time, was admitted to the honour of paying his obeisance, and distinguished by a dress of honour, a circlet of jewels, a poniard, and several other noble presents. Zeckariah-qhan had his grade raised by a thousand horse, and now his command became of full five thousand. Radja Dejhi-sing, and Radja Gurd-hur, not being arrived in time, were on the commencement of Sefer, admitted to the happiness of kissing the ground of the Imperial presence, and they were tranquillized with a remission of their transgressions and past errors. An order was issued a little after to put in force the capitation-tax upon the Gentoos, but it was remitted on an elegant apology which Djehi-sing made for them. Nizam-el-mulk's petition, congratulating the Emperor on his victory, and wishing him a length of days and prosperous reign, was honoured with a glance of the Imperial eye; as did another supplique from Moorshood-cooly-qhan, Viceroy of Bengal, which was fraught with congratulations on the victory, and a prayer for length of days and dominion ; it announced likewise the arrival of the revenue from that province, with another large sum by way of Nuzur. Honours and dignities were bestowed that day on a number of nobles.

8.1.3

Haider-coly-qhan was decorated with the title of Muez-ed-doulah over and above that of Nassyr-djung, which he had already ; as was Zafer-qhan with that of Roshan-ed-doulah. The superintendence of the bodyguards was conferred on Saadet-qhan ; and Zeckariah-qhan received the Government of Cashmir in lieu of Ynaiet-ollah-qhan, dismissed. But on a Tuesday, being the twenty-second of the first Reby, the Emperor being gone out with a hunting party, an harcara messenger informed him that his Vezir, Mahmed-aamin-qhan, had been seized with so sudden and so excruciating a pain in his bowels, as would deprive him of the honour of holding the Imperial stirrup. The next day his distemper increasing in violence, a total alteration was perceived in that Minister's person ; and his cholic augmenting from moment to moment, rose to such a height that the remedies of physicians and skilful men produced no effect. A terrible vomiting took place, and he threw towards nothingness the garment of his existence ; insomuch that on the twenty-ninth of that same month he departed towards the regions of eternity, after a short lived ministry of three months and twenty-two days. His estate, mightily swollen by his confiscation of Hossein-aaly-qhan's fortune, and the seizure of his baggage, and by several savings and benefits, was so amazingly great as to be reckoned only by corors, and yet it was left entirely to his heirs ;

8.1.4

but by his death the people of God were released from the oppression they were likely to suffer. They say that intending to enlarge his palace, and to enclose more ground within its yard, he with a single command of his had dispossessed seven hundred housekeepers of his neighbourhood, who all quitted their homes and delivered their keys to his officers. Nevertheless, after his death, all these were returned to their owners by Camer-eddin-qhan, his son, who on his being acknowledged his heir, renounced the invidious acquisition, and exchanged it for the applause of mankind and the blessing of God. It is on such an occasion that one may observe of Mahmed-shah, who was generally taxed with tenacity and parsimony, that he does not appear to have really had such a character, since on Mahmed-aamin-qhan's demise, the Imperial treasury was pretty much drained; for the mighty sums drawn from all parts of the Empire by the two brother Seids, having been very much thinned by their immense levies and preparatives, the Emperor had been very little benefited by what remained in their coffers, the whole having been made away by the pillagers of the army and by his own generals. So that the ornaments of gold and silver which decorated the public and private halls of audience, and which in those days of calamity had been torn away and turned into stamped coin, remained unreplaced to that day; and the halls themselves with the other apartments, wanted a thorough repair immediately.

8.1.5

Nevertheless when the list of the deceased Minister's property came to be presented to the Emperor, (and it amounted to several corors, reckoning only the gold, silver, gems and precious stuffs) he paid no attention to it, and ordered the whole to be left to the natural heirs; and yet it was an established custom with all the Emperors of the Babrian family, nay, with all those of the Timurian race, to take possession of the estates and wealth of their deceased Ministers and servants, to the exclusion of the natural heirs, to whom they were pleased to vouchsafe as a favour such a share as they thought they deserved, or it was their pleasure to allow. But, indeed, it was such a custom, and such a law, as no man, no religion, no justice could approve or admit. That a man after having served them his whole life at the expense of his sweat and blood, nay, after having lost his life at their feet and in their cause; after having spent the best of his days, and even the whole of them, in toiling and undergoing every hardship to execute their commands; that such a man should, after his death, have all his labourious savings carried away and confiscated, and should leave his children, consorts, heirs, dependants and friends, engrossed by the thoughts of an approaching distress, and much more solicitous how to subsist the next day, than how to lament his death, is so atrocious an injustice as will revolt the most ignorant mind.

8.1.6

It was observed of Aazem-shah, that with so many precedents before his eyes, he was the first of that race, who totally abandoned that custom, and even expressed a detestation of it. One of his richest Ministers being deceased, a list or estimate was, according to the established custom, presented to him of his estate, which in jewels and money alone amounted to an immense sum. The Emperor seemed shocked at the sight of the paper, turned his head from it with strong marks of emotion, expressed his detestation of both the custom, and the reader, and forbade any one under pain of his indignation from presenting to him such papers and such reports for the future. After having been so much taken up with wars and bloodshed, our attention is diverted at once by some events less shocking, but of as interesting a nature.

8.2.1

One Mir-mahmed-hossein, a native of the holy city of Meshhed in Iran, who, for ought I know to the contrary, may have possibly been, as he pretended, a descendant of one of those Seids called there Ruzuvies, (on whom be peace!) hearing of the extreme generosity and unbounded munificence which Umdet-el-mulk-emir-qhan, Governor of Cabul, used to exercise towards his countrymen, the Iranians, (generosity spoken of to this day with admiration and wonder) quitted his native city, in hopes of preferment, and a more liberal way of life, and came to Cabul. As he was learned in the Arabic, and in philosophy, as well as some other branches of knowledge, his merit came soon to be spoken of; insomuch that the son of Emir-qhan's moonshy or secretary, having wished to benefit by his instructions, very naturally gave him some celebrity, and thus the instructor's name came often to be mentioned with encomiums in Emir-qhan's presence, who thereby became desirous of seeing such a man, and mentioned his name to Sahab-dji, his consort, daughter of the late Aly-merdan-qhan. The reason of which mention was this:—Sahab-dji had no children of her own; and to console herself of such a privation, she had adopted the daughter of a Seid who had long been in her husband's service, which girl she educated with a deal of care and solicitude.

8.2.2

Her views were to marry her to some virtuous gentleman of her own country of Iran, whenever any such should happen to come from thence, and it was agreed between herself and her husband, that whenever either of the two should discover any such man, notice of the discovery should be imparted to the other. Sahab-dji desired her husband to examine himself the matter; and that nobleman having sent several times for the man, and weighed his worth in the scales of keen penetration, he conceived such an affection for his person, that he mentioned his name with encomiums to his consort. Sahab-dji pleased with this report, ordered preparatives to be made immediately for the wedding, and in a few days she bestowed her daughter on that shrewd man, who by this event was introduced into Emir-qhan's family, made acquaintances with the principal men of his court, and got together some money, and even obtained an office. For in a few years after, the superintendence of the perfumery office for the Imperial household was sent him from court on Emir-qhan's recommendation; and he on his side made friends of several of Emir-qhan's children born from ladies different to Sahab-dji. His ambition being equal to his artificial turn of mind, he came at last to be considered as an extraordinary personage, on whose sanctity and miracles many persons settled their belief. Hady-aaly-qhan, eldest son of Emir-qhan, with some others, was of the number, and he even seemed the most attached to him.

8.2.3

Emir-qhan dying about this time, was received in the arms of divine mercy, and his consorts and family repaired to court; but Mir-mahmed-hossein, attached by his office to the city of Cabul, remained there, and after a certain time he prepared a quantity of essence of roses of Pishaver, as well as much rose-water and other perfumes for the Emperor's use, and that of the principal Lords and Grandees of the court. With such a provision he set out for the capital, in hopes of making himself known to the Emperor, and pushing his fortune at court. Having confirmed himself in his resolution, he set out from Cabul, and arrived at Lahor, where he learned that the Emperor Aoreng-zib was no more. His hopes of preferment on that side being blasted by that unexpected intelligence, he sold his perfumery in that very city at a high price, and having thereby acquired so large a sum of money as sixty or seventy thousand rupees, he thought it sufficient for the remainder of his life; and putting on a fakir's garb, and a grave sanctified air, he conceived the design of setting up a new religion of his own; and first of all he associated to his mission that very secretary's son mentioned above, in whom he had discovered much ingenuity and many talents. He observed to him: "That should they join their talents together to contrive a new sect, the consequences of such an undertaking would prove of manifold benefit to themselves.

8.2.4

That it would be necessary, first of all, to invent a new language, which might strike by its singularity, and also enable them to receive revelations from above, and messages from heaven in a new set of expressions. That by raising their characters in that manner they would come to be accounted "beings of a middling nature and dignity between the Prophets and the Pontiffs sent in times of yore from heaven. That revelations standing as proofs of their mission, they might henceforward raise themselves to so many honours, and to so much credit and power as would prove beyond conception. And that once they had gained the admiration of the multitude, and the staring of the vulgar, and had brought the mob always to throng about their persons, the learned ones and the people of higher nations would in time come to be swayed by the multitude's belief at last, and would believe themselves, and would be coming in crowds after them ; in which case their credit and influence over both, and over both the high and low, would know no bounds." As the turn of both their minds was alike, the master's insinuations took root in the disciple's heart; and these two men joining their endeavours together, invented a new language, established its rules, wrote a book in it, full fraught with a number of strange expressions and odd imaginations of their own ; and by correcting and mending the text alternately, they completed a treatise, which they called Acoza-mucaddess, or the Holy Acoza.

8.2.5

As the master was not without learning, he brought forwards a number of words of ancient Persian, and many other expressions which seldom are heard of amongst moderns, and having either translated them or given them a particular termination, he sprinkled them throughout his compositions, which he little by little put into verses. He clothed the whole in a new garb, and gave this his farrago a very extraordinary appearance. But his pretensions were still more strange, and they are of so high a nature, that it is hardly possible to give an intelligible account of them. In one word, he pretended to a BecoSkiet or BecoSkiety, which novel word he explained by saying: "That it was expressive of the middle dignity and nature betwixt Prophecy and Pontificate ; adding with all that all Prophets had not been BecoScs ; but that the last and seal of Prophets had been both, and moreover that the first BecoSc, simply speaking, had been the Prince of the heirs, the King of Saints, that is, His Majesty Saint-aaly, the son of Aab8-taaleb ; that Imam-reza had been "the eighth ; and that down to the Imam the eighth and securer, "both the Pontificate and Becoskiety had been joined in one and "the same person, until the two natures being split asunder, "Becoskiety descended to himself (Mahmed Hossein) in one "hand, and the Pontificate to His Majesty, the Imam Mahamedtaky on the other, from whom it would be continued to the "Lord of Command, (upon whom be peace !

8.2.6

) and I Mahmed "Hossein," added he, "am the last of the Becoscs." This manner of counting those gifted with the Becoskiety, was that which he used when in company with the Imamians ; but when he found himself amongst the people of tradition and assembly, he commenced his account by the four first Qhalifs, and then added four persons more of the Ommiah and Abbass families (that is, those few amongst them that had some little good in their compositions and were distinguished from their kindred by a better character than the rest) ; after which he reckoned himself the ninth Becosc. And after such an account he used to say: Gentlemen, I have no business with any man's religion; but I am come, like a blazing flambeau to illuminate every nation, and every sect. My character, therefore, is of the highest nature, for I am the ninth Becosc who is to be the seal and last of the Becoskiety, and to whom it has been recommended to write a book, to invite all nations to his belief, and to promulgate the rites of that new law, the intent whereof is to renew and to refresh some customs and particular tenets. So that I am myself under the immediate influence of inspiration from above, and under an obligation to publish those tenets infused in me from above.

8.2.7

After having set up such pretensions, he used at some of those solemn festivals of the Islamisme, (celebrated by the illustrious Religionists, and held in veneration by the Mohommedans) to assemble his followers, whom he called his Ferbûds, to whom he then exposed his precepts, and with whom he celebrated certain anniversaries he had set up; and as it is written in the Measir-nebevi, that the revelations that descended upon the Prophet were of two sorts, this man to acquire the merit of a resemblance, used to say: That he was in the same predicament; at one time receiving the inspiration in such a manner as that there appeared in heaven a luminous globe or discus, not unlike the sun, in which the words he was to say appeared delineated, and that at last the luminous discus having surrounded him with lights, deprived him of his senses, in which state he was so pained by its presence, and he suffered so much from its operation, that he firmly believed no other man would be able to endure the like. That at another time the revelation would manifest itself by a voice that pronounced those ridiculous mystical words of his Qhyfshan-nomûd-bûd-it: words which he immediately would mouth out to his followers. The rites he had instituted were no less singular.

8.2.8

His Ferbûds in their assemblies after having saluted each other, as it is customary amongst Mussulmen, by the word Selam-aaleikum, used to add in a lower tone of voice, the sacred words of their sect, to wit, Qhyfshan-nomûd-bûd-it. The day in which he said the revelation had descended upon him for the first time, he had denominated the day luminous; and he on the anniversary of it, used to assemble a multitude of people, to whom he distributed a perfume of Amber with which they rubbed each other's faces, after which they sung and made rejoicings; and when they were heated with these preparatives, he used to display two standards, and putting upon his head a cap not unlike that used by the Armenians, but a little loftier, he marched at the head of his Ferbads towards those mountains about Lahor, where there are to be seen those ancient buildings of Divel Rani's, which go by the name of the Divel-baqhtiari's quarters. This journey he always performed in the night time. He reported that he had received his first revelation in a spot like the cavern of Herra; and he used to fast the six days that preceded his rejoicings for the anniversary of the luminous day, in which six days he remained silent, as it was in this manner, he said, that he recollected any other anniversary or day that had escaped his memory, for which he would order a congregation of his followers to be held accordingly.

8.3.1

Over and above the five stated times of prayer that are of divine obligation every day, he assembled his Ferbads three times more, for the same purpose, and his times were first, at sunrising after the Mussulman morning prayer; secondly, at full noon, when the sun is in the middle of heaven; thirdly, at sunset, when the horizon conserves still some redness towards the west. The rites of these his new fangled assemblies were these:—Himself, or his successor, or representative, stood in the middle his Ferbûds forming round him four ranks in a perfect square, like the four walls of a house, each rank standing with the face to the quarter of the horizon, then in front, and each of them at one and the same time, after having pronounced the new fangled words he had learned from his master, inclined his head very low, and turned his body to his left side, in such a manner as that those fronting the north, should turn to the north-west; and those fronting the west, to the south-west; and those fronting the south, should turn to the east; and those fronting the east to the north. After having in this manner exchanged places, they cast their eyes upon the ground, after which raising their heads upwards, they looked at the heavens, and repeated at each time those particular words of theirs.

8.3.2

After these six evolutions the congregation, or as they termed it the Did, was over, at which time he assembled a circle about his person, and would say: I am that beneficent being (Good God, what a blasphemy!) that dropped in the world when the younger Fatemah (on whom be peace!) suffered an abortion. He had some other blasphemies and impieties in his mouth besides, which I do not remember positively. But what I know is from what I have collected myself immediately from his two sons, Shah-feghar-ollah, and Shah-did, with whom I have conversed several times, as well as with his principal followers, when I went first to Shah-djehan-abad, which was about the end of Mahmed-shah's reign, and the beginning of Ahmed-shah's. This Impostor had appointed four successors to himself in imitation of the four Qhalifs so famous in the Mohammedan history. The first of those was Narshid, that confidant of his, for whom he had coined in his new fangled language the new name of Vedji-bar. The second was Mir-Bakyr, son-in-law to Emir-qhan. There were two more for whom he coined out the two names of Nom8d-ollah, and Nom8da-nom8d; and in the same manner he imposed new names to his children and to his followers, all of which were drawn from his new-invented language. For whoever presented himself for admission, was sure to receive a new name, which he called a sign; nor was admittance given on any other terms. He had three sons, to the first of whom he gave the name or sign of Nema-nom8d;

8.3.3

to the second, that of Feghar; to the third, that of Did. His two daughters were called Nemana the elder, and Nemana the younger; and to his relations from his wife's side, (whose name he changed into that of Hac-nema) he gave the names of Nema-yar, Nom8d-yar, and Fer-nom8d. To his son Feghar he gave a second name, to wit, that of Nom8d-did, and so of others. In short, that worthless liar quitting Lahor, his residence, came sometimes after to Shah-djehan-abad, where he took up his abode, and as Bhadyr-shah resided at a distance in the former city, his circle of idiots increased daily; so that he drew to his net every ignorant sot whom he could bring within his reach. As he had provided wherewith to subsist, he made a parade of his disinterestedness, nor ever would ask or accept any thing; insomuch that the multitude amazed, and mightily pleased to find he subsisted by such invisible means, gave him the more credit for what he said of himself, and they did not understand. Little by little his followers swelled into such numbers, and those numbers proved so zealous in alluring others to the net, that at last, they formed a mighty multitude. Bahadyr-shah dying about this time, there arose divisions amongst the Princes of the blood, which occasioned dissensions in every city and every town; so that the impostor availing himself of the opportunity, spread his net the wider;

8.3.4

and now growing bold and daring, he dropped the veil entirely, brought forth his new book and new language to the light of broad day, gave himself in spectacle to the staring multitude, and fearlessly exchanged the obscurity of his proceedings and assemblies for the broad sunshine of publicity. His skill in argumentation rendered him a formidable adversary; so that whenever any one amongst the gaping multitude attempted at any time to raise objections against either his pretensions or tenets, he was soon outwitted and overmatched by his antagonist, who never failed to overpower his man, over whom he always had the advantage of more expertness at controversies, and a greater knack at syllogisms and sophisms. Hence the multitude confounded at what they were seeing and hearing, flocked to him in shoals; and this was the case during all those dissensions that ended by bringing Feroh-syur to the throne, a Prince exceedingly idiotic and ignorant himself, whilst his two Ministers, eternally busy upon matters of their own, minded nothing else; Hossein-aaly-qhan being mostly engaged in wars and expeditions, and the other brother, Abdollah-qhan, being eternally engrossed by his pleasures and his insatiable love for women, unless indeed his attention was now and then awakened by the Emperor's machinations against him, at which time he had too much business of his own upon his hands, to think of the impostures and lies of that worthless man.

8.3.5

The new sect therefore continued to spread, and Haddy-qhan, son to Emir-qhan, and a man of the first rank and distinction, became one amongst many others of that impostor's converts; and his conversion produced so imposing an effect, that the mob took the belief and sincerity of such great men to be an unanswerable argument for yielding implicitly their own acquiescence, and even for going a little farther. But that noble lord's attachment, as well as that of some others, full as ignorant, whimsical, and fanatic as himself, added so much splendour and credit to that impostor's person, that in a little time he came to count five-and-twenty thousand men in his assemblies at one time. The Emperor Feroh-syur himself, instigated by some of his lords, men lost to all religion, went once to see that impostor. It was in the night time, and as it were by stealth and incognito, being accompanied only by some eunuchs, without any retinue and without imparting his design to any others. The impostor Nomad having got notice of a visit from a Prince equally idiotic and ignorant, had the assurance and craftiness to shut up the door of his own room from within, and to make difficulty to open it, whilst the Emperor descended to entreaties and supplications, and was supported by the impostor's children and disciples, who redoubled their importunities. At last he was prevailed upon to open the door. The Emperor on seeing him, inclined his body, made a bow, and went forwards.

8.3.6

Nomad drawing out a stag's hide, spread it for the Prince, and said: Here is what will do both for Kings and beggars. Choose which you please. Feroh-syur, who was narrow-minded, and had none but homely conceptions, charmed with his resignation and poverty, conceived from thence a higher opinion of the man's sanctity; and at his departure, he presented him with a bag containing a thousand rupees and eshreffies mixed, and with a quilted carpet or mimber. The man refused them both; nor was it but after a thousand refusals, that he could be prevailed upon to compliment the Prince with a Coran of his own writing, for which he deducted seventy rupees out of the bag for his own pains (this being his stated price for Corans of his own writing) and returned the rest. The Prince having stood up out of respect to receive the Coran, carried it to his forehead, and making his bow, he returned home. Nomad, without reconducting the Prince, came out of the room, and finding the bag and money on the ground, he ordered the whole of it to be distributed immediately to his starers-at, an affected piece of self-denial by which he raised his character so high in their opinion, that nothing henceforward could shake it. So that it became of a solidity not to be reasoned against; whilst so much eclat rendered the man intrepid and above all consideration. He now thought it beneath his dignity to make a secret of the festivals and fasts which he had appointed;

8.3.7

nor had he the least scruple about displaying full open his standard within the city, and marching in state to his rendezvous; and this he always did at the head of multitudes of his disciples, with whom he resolutely crossed the whole city in parade, without either fear or precaution. So far was he from it, that after having performed there those ridiculous rites of his, he used to return in triumph amongst vast crowds of his followers, who repeated in a loud singing tone of voice those mystical words which he had trumped up.

8.4.1

The reign of Feroh-syur being over, as well as the power and prevalence of the two brothers, the throne fell to the lot of Mahmed-shah, and the vezirship to that of his favourite Mahmed-aamin-qhan, whose ministry lasted only three or four months and some days. But that Minister who died of excruciating pains in his bowels, having chanced some days before his death, to hear for the first time of that impostor, he ordered some of the soldiers, then at his gate, to set out immediately, and to seize and bring that Pimp away (for such was his expression on that occasion), and they had orders to kill him instantly, if he made the least resistance. As it was already past noon when the order was given, and the Vezir had dismissed his people, there were but few men at the gate, and only part of those went to the impostor's, where they signified the order they had received. At that moment Qhyfshan-nomad (for so he styled himself) was taking his meal within his room; and hearing the soldiers talk without, he lost his wits, and remained stupified with fear. But having had time to recollect himself, and being a man fertile in expedients, he sent out Did, his youngest son, who was extremely handsome; and putting in his hands a few cakes of mixed wheat and barley, with some dishes of pulse and greens, which he had before him, he added this message: Friends, as you are come to a fakir's house partake of his fare for a while, until he comes himself.

8.4.2

The soldiers equally surprised and struck with the singularity of the message, and the beauty and tender age of the messenger, waited awhile. In the meanwhile Mahmed-aamin-qhan, whose distemper was a violent cholic, being actually seized with a paroxysm of his evil, the news in an instant spread everywhere, and reaching the soldiers, they all left Nomad, and repaired to their quarters at their master's gate, being anxious about the arrears due to them. The Vezir, who was actually attacked and overpowered by the worst species of that distemper, had lost his senses and was speechless; but as soon as he could open his eyes, he asked where was that man? It was represented to him that his accident had so much affected all his servants, that their attention had been entirely engrossed by their master's situation, on which account the seizing and bringing the man had suffered a small delay. The Minister, displeased with the apology, ordered him to be brought without fail to-morrow morning. But in the evening the Minister himself being seized with another violent fit of his distemper, seemed to be so near his end, that his life was despaired of;

8.4.3

and NomSd, who was thinking how to make his escape, but to whom Haddi-aly-qhan and some others of his friends and followers were from moment to moment conveying intelligence of the Minister's despaired state, at once plucked up courage, and sending for a number of his followers who flocked in shoals to him, he gave broad hints of the Vezier's being at the agonies of death, an intelligence that was now brought to him explicitly. On this notice he came out of his house with a serene air of satisfaction, and took up his seat in the mosque close to his door; upon which his followers, relations, and friends, immediately filled the mosque and street. But at this very time Camer-eddin-qhan, son to the dying Minister, having been overcome by the fears of the old women of the seraglio, and by the apprehensions of men as weak as the women themselves, he sent at day-break his own Divan with a bag of five thousand rupees to that impostor as an atonement for his father's misbehaviour, and a price for some Amulets of his own writing, which were requested as a favour. The man who had already received a short note with intelligence of the Minister's death, now spreading his wings full open, and taking a lofty soar, he was discoursing in a high tone of voice, and saying these very words: — I have shot such an arrow into that Pagan's heart as will never let him recover.

8.4.4

Nevertheless, in imitation of my ancestor, who was martyrized in a mosque, I am come to receive martyrdom in this mosque, although, indeed, would he add after a pause, I cannot receive it since I have been already martyrized once (an expression by which he alluded to the abortion suffered by the younger Fatema). He was yet speaking, when Camer-eddin-qhan's Divan came in, and laid the money at his feet, as a price for his writing a Taaviz or Amulet, adding at the same time an humble message from the son, expressive of a hope that he would forgive Mahmed-aamin's transgressions (for such was his expression). The inspired man's answer was: That an arrow once shot, and a water once spilt, could not come back. This answer having produced a fresh effusion of prayers and supplications, he turned towards his future successor, and bid him write these Arabic words of the Coran: — We have sent the Coran down for the benefit of the believers, nor is there in it any thing for tyrants but loss and disadvantage. The paper being written, he put it in the Divan's hands, and bade him carry it quickly, although, added he, I know it will avail nothing, as by the time thou shall be arrived, the man will already have ceased to live. The Divan humbly insisted on his accepting the money, but he refused it constantly, saying: That for his part he would not so much as touch it; but that the poor people present might take it, if they pleased.

8.4.5

Hardly had these words come out of his mouth, when those Indian beggars, accustomed to overrun a whole city for the sake of a few pieces of copper, getting up at once, in a moment made away with the whole sum. The Devan, on his return, heard by the way that the Vezir was gone to the place he had deserved; and the intelligence being then publicly conveyed to Nomud, he got up, dismissed the congregation, and went home with an air of satisfaction and triumph. But meanwhile this miracle of his being rumoured abroad, and exaggerated all over the city, did not fail to produce a plentiful crop of sots and idiots. Three years after this miracle, Nomud himself with all his whimsies and artifices died, and was succeeded by his eldest son, Nema-nomud, who fell out with his brothers, and with several of his father's followers, on account of the shares of a family estate which he had been presented with by his disciple, Hadi-qhan, and which the father had assigned to Vedji-bar and to his other confidants, in his life time, as an acknowledgment for their faithful services. These disputes did not please Vedji-bar, who more than once observed to Nema-nomud, that he had better sit quiet and be silent, than to fall out with one, who by his age was not likely to be his guest many years longer.

8.4.6

But as Nema-nomud was already in his father's lifetime accustomed to bear a sway, and to govern his followers, and he could not suspect that they could alter or change their notions of his son's importance, he paid no attention to Vedji-bar's clamours, a conduct which could not fail to incense the latter, who thought himself equal to his master in every artifice and every imposture, and had, moreover, always acted as the other's right-hand-man. These dissensions rose so high that, when the congregation of Ferbads proved more numerous than usual, he appeared in the middle of them, and with a deal of deliberateness, he delivered himself in these words : — Friends, said he, do you know my handwriting from that of the late Nomoad's. He was answered in the affirmative by numbers, who really knew both hands. Upon which he went into a closet, and brought out from thence the flap of his cloak full of a quantity of writings, containing the rough draughts and original minutes of the law book, which the impostor had published. The text appeared evidently written by both hands alternately, with plenty of alterations, interlineations, in either hand, and plenty of erasures. These being handed about for some time amongst the bystanders, most of whom could readily distinguish one hand from the other, the man still standing added these very words : Friends ! let me tell you that this new religion and sect have been contrived by Nomoad with your humble servant's assistance.

8.4.7

Had it come from God, it would have come at one stroke, without needing so much erasing, and so many alterations and corrections. These words struck the whole assembly. The writings and evidence being acknowledged on all hands, many who had still some common sense left, smiled at their own credulity, and went away pretty much altered in their belief; and the matter being rumoured abroad, the desertion increased, and those mixed assemblies of impostors and idiots, and knaves and sects, were very much thinned.

8.5.1

Nema-nomoad, confounded at such a reverse, made up matters with Vedji-bar. But it was too late, the matter had got abroad ; and Nema-nomoad finding how matters went to wreck, retired to an estate in the Doab, with which Hady-aaly-qhan had complimented the family, and it was there he took up his abode, by styling himself Shah-feghar or Saint Feghar, successor to his father's carpet.

8.5.2

This Shah-feghar or Saint Feghar was a man of a pleasant aspect, and very sensible conversation; nor was he destitute of learning. I, the poor man, knew both him and his brother, Did, as well as Vedji-bar, as well as Mir-bakyr, who all became his successors, each in their turn. I have seen them all, known them all personally, spoken often to them; and what has been delivered in these sheets, are the result of either what I have heard from their mouths, or of what was said by those who conversed with them these many years past. Shah-feghar lived mostly under Mahmed-shah, and he even saw some years of the beginning of Ahmed-shah's reign. This monarch, who, after Nadyr-shah's departure, was observed often to amuse himself with fakirs and other religious persons, had given him free access to his person. But after that Prince's decease, he found means to introduce himself to the Navvab Djavid-qhan, another inspired personage, whose revelations called Djavidian-revelations, several persons out of flattery were collecting into one volume, in writing and arranging which Shah-feghar was associated to some other correctors. Did, his younger brother, died about this time, and was in a few years followed by his elder, Shah-feghar. It was about the beginning of Mahmed-shah's reign. Most of his father's sectators and admirers were already dead in Feghar's lifetime, and more had deserted him since that event; nor did there remain to him but some few idiots stupidly wedded to those whimsies.

8.5.3

After Shah-fegar's decease, and the ruin of Shah-djehan-abad some of Nomad's nearest relations, like the remains of the tribes of Ad and Semood, taking a dislike to that ruined city, repaired to Bengal, where they were recommended by some silly courtiers to Miren, son to Mir-djaafer-qhan, who had assumed the Nizamet or government of that province, and they were so well supported, that Miren complimented them with a spot of ground, since called Cadem-ressul, and a pension of five rupees a day; but most of these people were already gone to hell, the place of their destination, in Mir-djaafer-qhan's lifetime, of which Prince I hope to speak at large in the subsequent sheets. Nor did any one remain of that worthless impostor's race, that I know, except Nema-nomud-yar, and some of the impostor's women, who are alive to this day in the year 1194 of the Hedjra. So that the race of that worthless man was put an end to, thanks to God, and we can now revert to our general history. Mahmed-aamin-qhan, who found that his distemper gained ground, was not satisfied with the denials and answers given him by his physicians, but absolutely insisted upon some relief or some medicine. So that the physicians after consulting together, agreed upon administering a clyster; and as this remedy, although repeatedly given, did not procure any relief, his excrements came out at his mouth, and he took his journey to the other world.

8.5.4

They say, that he bore such a cordial aversion to the descendants of the Prophet, and detested so violently those particularly descended from the Prince of Justs, that hearing by the way a man who sung the words Aaly, the Saint of God, he ordered his tongue to be cut off. And there is a common report that in imitation of some pious persons who spread a table of victuals, as an offering to the King of Braves, and humbly waiting for a token of his acceptance, are always excused, he ordered such a table to be spread on his own account, with an intention to give the matter a ridiculous turn. Now that such a token is granted by His Majesty, the King of Braves, to those that have a sincere faith, and that it has been an infinity of times observed by thousands of people, some of which were men of great sense and knowledge, as well as prone to incredulity, is universally known to all the world, and to my humble self in particular, who have often offered such an offering, and as often observed a variety of tokens of acceptance, for which I return my respectful acknowledgments to God Almighty. This the wretched Minister could not bear to hear mentioned in his presence; and his aversion to the Seids was such, that even his friends, servants, and dependants, made no difficulty to call him a Moaviah and a Yezid, of which names he seemed to be proud.

8.5.5

He once said that he wanted himself to offer such a table of victuals to those two venerable personages of his, in hopes of observing their acceptance by some visible sign, in approbation of his attachment to them, and of giving some check likewise to those blasphemers that pretend to soar so high; and what he said, he put in execution. The entertainment having been prepared in a retired apartment of the seraglio, himself with that broken constitution of his, made a shift to limp thither with a number of choice persons, and to pronounce the Fateha or benediction in the name of those venerable personages of his; after which he went away, shutting up the door of that room, and putting the key of it in the hands of a trusty old woman of his whom he placed close to it, as on the watch, with orders in an hour's time to open the door, and to see what sign had appeared, so as to make her report to him, that he might immediately repair thither with his courtiers, and convince the incredulous. It happened that the woman was herself a Shyah in her heart, but that she used to conceal her opinions and principles. After a full hour had elapsed she, according to his instructions, opened the door, and saw an ugly black dog sitting quietly upon his hams, and tasting leisurely of every plate, and licking his chops. Struck with the sight, she ran to her master, and out of breath, screamed out: "Why, my Lord, should you wait for a sign and what do you mean by seeing it?

8.5.6

Here he is come himself, and has honoured your table with his presence, and he is actually tasting of every plate." Mahmed-aamin-qhan getting up with all those present, repaired to the chamber, whilst the old woman fearing for her life, slunk away. The Minister being arrived at the spot, saw with his own eyes, the dog feeding heartily, and being incensed beyond measure at the sight, he wanted to put the old woman to death ; but although every perquisition was made, she could not be found. He suspected treachery, and would bite his lips in the excess of his anger and resentment ; but without being able to wreck his resentment upon any one, at last he quitted this world and repaired to the place which was fit for him. It is reported by people of the highest credit, that on Emir-djemlah being appointed to the government of Azim-abad, the Lords and Grandees of the court went out of the city to wish him a good journey, and to take their leave ; but that the late Naamet-ollah-qhan, son to Roh-ollah-qhan, being then taken up with the mourning rites and other customs usual in the first ten days' of Moharrem in commemoration of the Prince of Martyrs, Hossein, son of Aaly, (on whom be peace ! ) came late, and he excused himself to Emir-djemlah with saying : " That he had been in mourning." Mahmed-aamin-qhan happened to be present at that visit, and sat on one hand of Emir-djemlah, whilst Naamet-ollah-qhan sat on the other.

8.5.7

On hearing the apology, Mahmed-aamin-qhan asked whether any person had died in His Lordship's palace ? Naamet-ollah-qhan answered in the negative, but added that his mourning was on account of the Prince of Martyrs. And pray, my Lord, replied Mahmed-aamin-qhan, were not Hossein and Yezid younger sons of the same holy family ? And does it become us to mourn for the one, and to reject the other? " The younger son of the holy family, for us," rejoined Naamet-ollah-qhan, "has been killed, and we mourn for him ; whereas your younger son of the holy family did gain the victory. Do you then rejoice on his account ? " At these words, the conversation growing warm, they both laid their hands upon their poniards, when Emir-djemlah interposed and made up the matter. After such a digression on that Minister's turn of mind, we may now revert to public matters. Mahmed-aamin-qhan being deceased, the Emperor without making any new Vezir, appointed Ynaïet-ollah-qhan, one of the old lords of Aoreng-zib's court, to act as Deputy in that high office, and he invested him in his new dignity with a rich dress of honour.

8.6.1

At that moment His Majesty's attention was supplicated to the following report: That Nizam-el-mulk, his faithful servant, after having put in order the affairs of the government of Haider-abad, was coming to the presence, and had arrived as far as Feridapoor, where being informed of commotions excited by some refractory Afghans of Bidjapoor, and by some rebellious Zemindars of the Carnatick, he had hastened thither to put an end to those disturbances. A supplication was at the same time presented from the Sahoo Radja with five hundred eshreffies, in congratulation of his Imperial Majesty's victory. The Emperor after listening to this report, dismissed Abdol-semed-qhan, governor of Lahor, to his government, whilst Camer-eddin-qhan was invested with his father's title of Ytimad-ed-doulah or trustworthy of the Empire; but Muez-ed-doulah-haider-cly-qhan, the valiant, had his surname of Nasyr-djung exchanged for that of Firoz-djung or Victorious in war. Saadet-qhan was honoured with the government-general of Ecber-abad, and Mahmed-qhan-bangash, who had been promoted to the government of Ilah-abad, and had set out for it, having been recalled again within the city on account of his setting up some excessive demands for the lands of his Djaghir, and for some other points, was reprimanded for his artifice, taken into favour again, and appointed anew.

8.6.2

At the same time the Imperial Gazette from Haider-abad brought the following strange news: That the seventh of Sefer of the second year of His Majesty's reign, there fell, out of season, such an immense quantity of rain in the country of Carnatic, that all the rivers, reservoirs, and pieces of water had overflowed their bounds, submerged the grounds to the distance of ten or twelve cosses at the right and left, and swept away and drowned an infinity of men and cattle, carrying away whole villages and towns, and levelling them with the ground. A mountain in the same country had split in two, crushed under its ruins a whole town with all its inhabitants and cattle, and ruined the whole country around. The Emperor after hearing that news, went a hunting, and took Aghyr-qhan the Turk with him, to whom he spoke Turkish during the whole hunting, taking care to shew him a deal of kindness and good will. Three or four days after, the Emperor of his own motion, and without any one's mediation and interference, added fifteen hundred horse to his grade, and a thousand more to his command, making him at the same time a present of a Serpitch of jewel-work, and of a kettle-drum ; and a few days after, another thousand was added to his grade, and another to his effectual command. So that in a few days he was raised to the grade of four thousand horse, and to the real command of three thousand.

First 37 of 70 passages. Read on