Storia do Mogor 65.9.3

65.9.3

The first daughter whom he had was Begom Saeb (Begam Sahib), the eldest of all, whom her father loved to an extraordinary degree, as most lovely; discreet, loving, generous, open-minded, and charitable. She was loved by all, and lived in state and magnificence. This princess had an annual income of three millions of rupees, in addition to the revenues of the port of Surat, assigned for her expenditure on betel. She had in addition many precious stones and jewels that had been given to her by her father. She favoured the interests of her brother Dara, securing thus that the nobles at the court adopted the same side, and did not join that of his adversaries. She exerted herself a great deal to secure the crown to her brother Dara ; this was due to her eagerness to marry, Dara having promised to give his consent as soon as he was crowned. With this end in view, she employed all her cleverness and energy to satisfy her father ; she served him with the greatest love and diligence in order that Shahjahan should accede to her petitions. It was from this cause that the common people hinted that she had intercourse with her father, and this has given occasion to Monsieur Bernier to write many things about this princess, founded entirely on the talk of low people. Therefore it is incumbent on me, begging his pardon, to say that what he writes is untrue.