The History of Shēr Shāh (Tārīkh-i Shērshāhī) 4.2.3

4.2.3

When Masnad 'Ali 'Isa Khan came to that sarkar, he being a lion in valour and gallantry, so humbled and overcame by the sword the contumacious zamindars of those parts, that they did not rebel even when he ordered them to cut down their jungles, which they had cherished like children, but cut them with their own hands, though drawing deep sighs of affliction; and they reformed and repented them of their thieving and highway robberies, and they paid in at the city their revenue according to the measurements. Sher Khan said: "By reason of these two Sarwanis, that is to say, 'Isa Khan and Mian Ahmad, I have no cause for anxiety from the sarkar of Dehli to the sarkar of Lucknow. And Bairak Niazi, who was shikkdar of Kanauj, so subjected the contumacious and highway plunderers inhabiting the pargana of Malkonsah, that no man dared to draw a breath in contravention of his orders. Bairak Niazi so established authority over the people of Kanauj, that no man kept in his house a sword, an arrow, a bow, or a gun, nay, any iron article whatever, except the implements of husbandry and cooking utensils; and if he ordered the head-men of any village to attend him, they obeyed his order, and dared not for one moment to absent themselves. The fear and dread of him was so thoroughly instilled into the turbulent people of those parts, that according to the measurement they paid their revenue to the treasurers.