Later Mughals v1.c6.s29.20

v1.c6.s29.20

On the 10th May Jahandar Shah left Lahor on his march to Dihli. There the envoy attended the first public audience, which took place on the 10th July. They were much struck with the peacock and other thrones, of which the Diary gives a full description. They were at darbar again on the 11th August. They were now buoyed up with hopes of an early departure, and hearing that the documents were signed, enquiry was made from Zulfiqar Khan, who sent word on the 15th that the Emperor had consented to their going. But, as the matter-of-fact Dutchmen soon found, "these were only words," and in spite of the daily presents sent to the subordinates of the minister delay after delay took place. At length five farmans were made ready in legal form and their early transmission was promised. On the 31st August the final presents were ordered; a farman addressed to Abraham van Riebeek, Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies, put up like all the others in a bag of gold cloth, accompanied by a dagger studded with rubies, a dress of honour, a piece of velvet, a stomacher of diamonds and other stones, set in gold, and fifty tolas of attar of roses. Eighty dresses of honour were subsequently added. For the envoy were sent a horse and gold trappings, a dress of honour, a dagger and a kalghi or plume studded with diamonds. The two assistants received each a dress and a dagger. At this juncture M. Martin the French physician raised some trouble by some story about a house in Surat known as Itibar Khan's, but his plots were exposed by Donna Juliana, and on the 21st September as a punishment the Frenchman's mansab was reduced one half by Zulfiqar Khan.