Lieut. -Colonel Bhiggs on the Life and Writings ofFerishta. S43 



soon appear. While we were talking, intelligence was brought that the 

 minister, Mirza Khan, had marched to Dowliitabad, in order to bring the 

 prince Miran Hussein, and to seat him on the throne. The king now asked 

 my advice how to avert the threatened storm. I replied, that there were two 

 measures which occurred to me : first, that the king shoidd leave his retire- 

 ment, and march from the city at the head of his guards ; when, probably, 

 most of tiie nobles would desert the minister and join him : to which he 

 replied, he was too ill to mount a horse. Secondly, that he should send for 

 Salabut Khan from confinement, and put him at the head of affairs ; as he 

 was beloved and respected by all ranks, who would flock to his standard : 

 and his Majesty might proceed in a litter to meet him as far as the fort of 

 Junir. The king, approving of this advice, instantly sent off orders to 

 release Salabut Khan, and prepared to move himself; when Futteh Shah fell 

 at his feet, and weeping said, that should his Majesty quit the palace, the 

 guards would immediately seize him, and send him prisoner to the prince, in 

 order to pay their court to a new sovereign. On this the king altered his 

 intention ; and resolved to wait in the palace for the arrival of Salabut 

 Khan. The troops, perceiving the king's imbecility, deserted in crowds to 

 Dowlatabad ; from which place Mirza Khan hastened to the capital, accom- 

 panied by the prince, and arrived before Salabut Khan. At the time he 

 came I had the guard of the palace, and wished to defend it; but beino- 

 deserted by my people, and no one being left with the king but Futteh 

 Shah and a very few domestic attendants, opposition was vain. The prince 

 and Mirza Khan rushed into the fort, followed by the whole army consisting 

 of 40,000 armed men, and put to death without mercy whomsoever they 

 found. The prince fortunately recognized me ; and reflecting that we had 

 been schoolfellows and brought up together, ordered my life to be spared. 

 Having reached his father's presence, the prince treated him, both in word 

 and action, with every possible degree of insult. Murteza Nizam Shah 

 was silent, and only looked at him with contempt ; till the prince, drawing 

 his naked sabre across his breast, said, " I will put you to death." Murteza 

 Nizam Shah then breathing a deep sigh, exclaimed, " O thou accursed of 

 God ! it were better for thee to let thy father be thy guest for his few 

 remaining days, and treat him with respect." The prince relenting for a 

 moment at tiiis speech, witiulrew from the apartment. Not having patience, 

 however, to wait for his death, though he was then ill of a mortal disease, 

 lie caused the king to be shut into a warm-bath room ; and closing fast the 



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