A History of the Mahrattas v1.c13.87

v1.c13.87

This marked slight did not pass unobserved; but Sivajee forbore noticing it, till on being admitted to an audience, and condescending to present a Nuzur,⁵ the place assigned to him was only amongst those who held the rank of five thousand. He could no longer suppress resentment at this indignity, and he expressed in the hearing of those near him, who repeated his words to the Emperor, the indignation he felt at such treatment.¹ In consequence of this language, when the audience was ended, and Sivajee had retired to the dwelling assigned to him, it was intimated that the Emperor for the future declined seeing him at court. Sivajee was justly alarmed at this communication, and after some delay, in order to ascertain the real intentions of Aurungzebe, he sent Rugonath Punt with a petition, setting forth the reasons which had induced him to visit Delhi, the promises and invitation of the Emperor, the services he had rendered, the conditions to which Aurungzebe had subscribed, the readiness of Sivajee to fulfil his part of the agreement, and his assurance of affording every assistance to the imperial troops in reducing the Edil Shahee or Kootub Shahee states. If, however, the Emperor did not choose to avail himself of his services, he only asked permission to return to his Jagheer, as the air and water of Hindoostan were prejudicial to his own health, as well as to that of the other natives of the Deccan by whom he was accompanied.² Aurungzebe’s answer was evasive, and he shortly after directed the Kotwal of the city to place a guard over Sivajee’s house, to watch his person carefully, and never to allow him to quit his residence without a party responsible for his safe custody. Sivajee remonstrated and complained, particularly of the hardship of detaining his people. Aurungzebe readily granted passports for their return to Deccan, and now probably considered Sivajee completely in his power. But it is the characteristic of cunning to overreach itself; and in the safe conduct afforded to his friends Sivajee exulted in the greater facility it afforded of effecting his own escape. Ram Sing was privy to his design, and on account of the pledge given by his father, connived at it.¹ The confinement of Sivajee was not so rigid as to prevent his paying visits. He frequently went to different nobles of the court, sent them presents, and endeavoured to interest them in his favour. In this manner an intimacy sufficient for Sivajee’s purpose having taken place, he feigned sickness, sent for physicians, took medicines, and was soon reported very ill. Pretending to have partially recovered, he gave great charities to Bramins and presents to physicians. He made up several long baskets which were daily sent from his apartments filled with sweetmeats, to the houses of different great men, his acquaintances, or to be distributed amongst Fuqueers at mosques. When the practice had continued for some time, he one evening put Sumbhajee into one basket, got into another himself, and was thus conveyed by his domestics beyond the guards, to an obscure place where he could get out unseen. He proceeded to the suburbs of Delhi, where he had a horse prepared, mounted, with Sumbhajee behind him, and reached Muttra next day, where several of his Bramins and his faithful friend Tannajee Maloosray were watching the result of his scheme. Everything was prepared, Sumbhajee was consigned to the care of a Bramin family, natives of Poona Desh, and distantly connected with Moro Trimmul Pingley.² Sumbhajee remained in their charge several months, and was afterwards conveyed by them to the Deccan.