Storia do Mogor 65.6.8

65.6.8

I have already stated that the Mogul kings were the heirs of the men in their service, taking all the wealth left at their death. A commander who was assumed to be very rich because of his lavish expenditure (which was done by him deliberately, so that he might leave behind him nothing for the king) was found on his death to have nine great and well-constructed boxes, with locks and nails of gold, sealed with his seal, and labelled to the effect that these boxes were to be made over to the king. At his death they were carried off to court, everybody supposing that the king had inherited a large amount. Shahjahan joyfully ordered the boxes to be opened, and praised the loyalty of the commander. The boxes were found to be full of horns and old shoes ! By this he intended [140] to declare that if he (Shahjahan) dishonoured his own officials, he would in turn be dealt with in the same way, and the wealth that he gave away to women would lead to his having to wear old shoes — a fact that was well verified, as we shall see a little farther on (II. 54). Seeing this result, the king ordered that the property left by the said leader should be put into his tomb. He added that he did not care for any such bequest, for the general's father must have been some butcher or other, and his mother a shoemaker ; and thus he left behind him only what his parents had bequeathed to him.