Storia do Mogor 164: Multafat Khan marches against the Agrah Villagers.

164

But let us now make mention of the peasants of Agrah, of whom I spoke before in my First Part (I. 91). When Aurangzeb had returned to Dihli, these men rose and refused to pay their revenue. Owing to this he was obliged to send an army against them, and for this purpose he selected an officer called Multafat Khan, with whose fidelity the king was not satisfied, and sent him out to force the villagers to pay. On this man's arrival near to a village where these rustics were collected and ready to defend themselves, he sent for the oldest in age and the greatest in authority to come to his presence.
On the old man's appearing, Multafat Khan met him cheerfully and gave him a seat, and informed him most tenderly that he had not come to harm a soul, or to deal with them as enemies, but only as sons or brothers. But he must insist that payment of the revenue was necessary. It were better to pay peacefully than run any risk of life, and provoke so many deaths and misfortunes, leaving fathers without sons and wives without husbands, grandfathers without grandsons. If he, like a man of understanding and capacity, would persuade the others to pay without a fight, he gave his word to support him at court in everything he could desire or demand.
The old man smiled and said he knew quite well they would never listen to his words, they being rapacious, insolent, and over-bold. Never would they abandon their ancestors' practices. All the same, he had no objection to saying to the men of the village whatever was required. The old man took his leave of Multafat Khan, and, drawing near to his village, incited them all to hold fast their ancestral practices, for better were it to die fighting than admit they were subject to revenue payments. Thus they all came out, resolved to die rather than pay revenue. They fought with such desperation that they routed the force of Multafat Khan, and took him a prisoner. After they had given him a thorough shoe-beating they let him go, and told him to be off. They spared his life, for they had discovered he was a woman and not a soldier. The report of this affair reached the king, and he sent a man with poison to be given to Multafat Khan. He was told it was better to die from a hidden cause with honour intact, than to die in sight of all the court a dishonoured man. Coerced by this message Multafat Khan, in desperation, took the poison, and put an end to his life.