Travels in the Mogul Empire (Bernier) 5.6.6

5.6.6

An ancient custom attends these anniversary days of rejoicing, not at all agreeable to the Omrahs. They are expected to make a handsome present to the King, more or less valuable according to the amount of their pay. Some of them, indeed, take that opportunity of presenting gifts of extraordinary magnificence, sometimes for the sake of an ostentatious display, sometimes to divert the King from instituting an inquiry into the exactions committed in their official situations or governments, and sometimes to gain the favour of the King, and by that means obtain an increase of salary. Some present fine pearls, diamonds, emeralds, or rubies; others offer vessels of gold set with precious stones; others again give a quantity of gold coins, each worth about a pistole and a half. During a festival of this kind Aureng-Zebe having paid a visit to Jafer-kan, not as his Vizir but as a kinsman, on the pretext that he wished to see a house which he lately erected, the Vizir made a present to the King of gold coins to the amount of one hundred thousand crowns, some handsome pearls, and a ruby, which was estimated at forty thousand crowns, but which Chah-Jehan, who understood better than any man the value of every kind of precious stone, discovered to be worth less than five hundred, to the great confusion of the principal jewellers, who in this instance had been completely deceived.