32 Translations from the Tarihh i Firm Shdhi. [No. 1, 



used to give Amirs, Maliks, great and well known men, passes according 

 to his knowledge of their circumstances ; but if he knew that some of 

 them, though not merchants, had merely applied to him for permission 

 to take costly stuffs from the Sardi 'Adl, in order to sell them in the 

 country at four or five times the price at which they had got them from 

 the stores of the Sultan, he refused to give passes. The very reason why 

 the pass system had been introduced, had in fact been this, to prevent 

 merchants, both in and outside the town, from obtaining costly stuffs 

 from the Sardi 'Adl at the rates fixed by the Sultan, and then taking 

 them to the country where they could not be had, and selling them at 

 high prices]. 



[In consequence of the continuance of these five regulations, all 

 things remained so cheap in Dihli, as to astonish old experienced 

 people. Politicians of the age used to ascribe the low prices prevailing 

 during the reign of 'Alauddin to four reasons ; first, the harsh way 

 in which he enforced his orders, from which there was absolutely no 

 escape ; secondly, the oppressiveness of the taxes and the rigour with 

 which they were exacted, so that people had to sell grain and other 

 articles at the rates fixed by the Sultan ; thirdly, the scarcity of 

 money among the people, which was so great that the proverb got 

 en vogue, ' a camel (may be had) for a dang; but where is the dang 

 to be had ?' fourthly, the impartiality and consequent harshness of 

 the officials, who would neither take a bribe, nor pay regard to the 

 rank of any man]. 



[Four regulations also were given to maintain cheap rates for 

 horses, slaves, and cattle. They were introduced in a very short time. 

 These four regulations were — ] 



Specification of quality, and its corresponding price ; prohibition of 

 purchase by dealers and monieel men ; coercion and castigation of bro- 

 kers, dealers, and monied men ; investigation into the sale and purchase 

 of each market at certain intervals before the throne. By the institu- 

 tion of the four laws mentioned above, at the end of a year or two, 

 such a reduction in the prices of horses, slaves, and cattle ensued as 

 was never witnessed subsequent to the 'Alai reign. 



First, with respect to the specification of quality and the correspond- 

 ing price of a horse, it was determined thus. Horses coming under the 

 designation of taxable animals, were divided into three qualities, with 



