The History of Shēr Shāh (Tārīkh-i Shērshāhī) 3.7.5

3.7.5

The enmity between Sher Khan and the Lohanis increased daily, until the latter at last plotted to kill Sher Khan, and they thus took counsel among themselves, saying, "Sher Khan waits every day upon Jalal Khan with a very small retinue; let us pretend that Jalal Khan is ill. Sher Khan will go inside the palace to inquire after him. When he is returning, and has passed through one gate, and before he reaches the other, let us kill him, while thus inclosed between the two gates of Jalal Khan's palace." Some of the Lohanis, who were friends and connexions of Sher Khan, having heard of these machinations, told Sher Khan, who, before receiving the news, had, by his own penetration, discovered from the actions and motions of the Lohanis that they meditated some injury to himself. As he was a wise man he said nothing of the matter, but privately took precaution for his own safety; and all the land and property he had recently acquired he expended in enlisting fresh retainers, to whom he gave Jagirs and maintenance to their heart's content; but to the Lohanis he gave nothing. When he perceived that he had got so large a number of new soldiers collected together that the Lohanis could not injure him or prevail against him in battle, he proclaimed the enmity of the Lohanis, and said to Jalal Khan, "You well know that the King of Bengal has the design to send an army and seize to-morrow, if not to-day, the kingdom of Bihár.