of Marco Polo. 
The Thing happened thus : A young Patlan Lord, nam- 
ed Chira , who had been bred up with Amayum in his Fa- 
ther’s Court, became his principal Favourite, and was ad- 
vanced to the greateft Polls in the Government. Such a 
Confidence did this Prince place in him, that he made 
him his Generaliffimo and Commander of the Guards 
about his Perfon. But Chira , on whom Ambition, or 
a pretended Love to his Country, had a much greater In- 
fluence than all the Favours bellowed on him by Amayum , 
meditated how he might depofe his indulgent Mailer, and 
reflore the Pattans to their ancient Sovereignty. This 
great Mimfter firft difcovered his Ambition, it is faid, by 
changing his Name from Chira , which fignifies a young 
Lion, to that of Chircha , which fignifies the Royal or Im- 
perial Lion. And being Commander of all the Perfian , 
Tartar, and Mogul Troops, among whom he had rendered 
himfelf very popular, by his obliging Behaviour ; and his 
own People the Pattans , as well as the Indian Rajahs , be- 
ing glad of an Opportunity of throwing off the Mogul 
Yoke, all Things feemed to confpire to raife him to the 
Throne. 
Amayum however being apprifed of this univerfal Difaf- 
feclion to his Perfon, occafioned by his Favourite, affem- 
bled a frnall Body of Tartars and Perfians , with whom 
he gave Battle to Chira ; but their Numbers being very un- 
equal, Amayum was foon compelled to leave the Field, and 
fled to the Shah of Perfia for Protection, after he had 
reigned in Dehly about eleven Years, almolt in continual 
Trouble and Confufion. The Inhabitants of the Fall are 
extremely addifled to Augury, or obferving the Flight of 
Birds, from whence the few Courtiers who attended 
Amayum in his Retreat, predicted his Return to his Em- 
pire; for, it fell out one Day, when the Weather was hot, 
and he was weary with Travel, that Prince lay down to 
reft, when an Eagle, followed by her young ones, ho- 
vered for a confiderable Time over his Head, and there- 
by ihaded him from the Sun-beams. When he awaked, 
his Attendants complimented him on the Omen, which 
ferved to keep up his Spirits ; for it is obferved, by all 
the Writers of his Hiftory, that he bore his Misfortunes 
with great Dignity, and appeared as much a Monareh in 
his Exile, as he had ever done upon his Throne. The 
Perfian Prince received him with all imaginable Kindnefs 
and Refpecl, affigned him a Palace in his Capital, with a 
competent Revenue, and left nothing untried that might 
contribute to Men his Senfe of his Difafter, which had fo 
good an Effeft, that the Indian Monarch forgpt his Cares, 
and palled his Time as comfortably as it is poffible for one 
Prince to do in the Dominions of another. 
In the mean time however, Circha employed all his 
Thoughts in, providing for the Welfare of that Nation, 
who had, in fome meafure, called him to the Throne. 
He was a Man of great Parts, and of a benevolent Na- 
ture ; he faw that the only Means to make his People 
happy was, to enlarge and facilitate their Trade ; and 
therefore to this he applied his Attention and his Power. 
He ereCled, at proper Diftances in all the great Roads 
throughout his Dominions, Caravanferas, or publick Inns, 
where Merchants might find all Conveniencies, and pro- 
per Perfons to attend them at a very moderate Expence, 
and where Foot-pafiengers might be entertained at the 
publick Expence. His Example had fuch an Effeft on 
the richeft of his Subjects, that they began to imitate him 
in the like Foundations, which proved of infinite Advan- 
tage to the Publick ; and has therefore been practifed ever 
fmce. The founding fuch Receptacles for Strangers and 
Travellers, being accounted the higheft Point of Charity 
in that and other Eaftern Countries to this Day. Another 
Regulation with the fame \ iew did equal Honour to the 
Adminiftration of this Prince, and contributed no lefs to- 
wards making him the Darling of his Subjects. There 
was, before his Time, no kind of Certainty in the 
Weights or Meafures of this Country, but all Things 
were in a manner bought and fold by hand, which was 
attended with many Inconveniencies. This Evil he re- 
medied by a Law, which forbid the felling any thing but 
by Weight and Meafure, and appointed the Standards of 
both to be kept in the great Towns throughout his Do- 
minions. The Reign of this Prince was but fhort, and, 
he died without Iffue, for otherwife he had, in all Pro- 
bability, put an End to the Mogul Empire in the Indies. 
He was a very martial, as well as a very wife and prudent 
Prince in Time of Peace, and had a particular Turn for 
the Art of Engineering, which, by an Accident, proved 
fatal to him ; for, having a Cannon of an unufual Size 
fent him from Bengal , he would needs make Trial of it 
himfelf, and the Piece burfting,he was killed by theBreech 
of it that ftruck him on the Head, when he had enjoyed 
the Empire about nine Years 
All Things upon his Death fell into Confufion ; every 
one of the petty Princes had either Vhews for himfelf or 
for fome greater Prince, to whom he was attached ; and, 
in the Midft of his Diftradlion, the Government remained 
without a Head, and every Rajah acted as an independent 
Prince in his own Dominions. While t hings were in this 
Situation, a certain Faquir , whofe Name was Chadaula , 
went privately to the Court of Perfia , and informed 
Amayum how Matters flood, alluring him that if ne could 
procure but any Appearance of Force, he might be able to 
recover his Throne. He applied himfelf upon this to the 
Shah of Perfia his Protector, and offered, if he would 
affift him, to pay him an annual Tribute, and, as a Com- 
penfation for the Expence he muft neceffarily be at in fur- 
nifhing him with an Army, he propofed to make a Ceffion 
of the Principality of Kandahar. Thefe Terms were im- 
mediately accepted, and with a confiderable Body of Foot, 
and twelve thoufand Perfian Horfe, he began his March 
towards the Frontiers of the Indies. The King of Perfia , 
at his taking Leave of him, gave him a fhort Piece of 
Advice, which contributed no lels to the Prefervation of 
his Dominions, than the Army with which he furnifhed 
him, did to the regaining them. His Advice was to 
keep up continual Enmity between the Pattans and the 
Rajhpouts , or Indian Soldiery, by which Means each of 
them would be weakened, and both of them kept within 
the Bounds of their Obedience. 
On his entering the Confines of India , he found the 
whole Country open except only the Fortrefs of Labor, in 
which a Pat tan Lord was Governor, and had under his 
Command a numerous Garrifon, every way well provided. 
Of this Place however he foon became Mailer by the fol- 
lowing Stratagem. An hundred young Perfians , wholly 
devoted to his Service, difguifed themfelves in the Habits 
of Pilgrims juft returned from Mecca ; of thefe a Part 
got into the Fortrefs before it was dark, and the reft pre- 
sented themfelves at the Gates juft as the Day was fhut in, 
entreating Admittance for that Night only. The Gover- 
nor looking upon it as an Adi of Religion, admitted them : 
But in the midft of the Night, when the Garnlon, weary 
with Fatigue, were buried in Sleep, the pretended Pil- 
grims fell upon the Governor and thole who were about 
him, and having maffacred them without Mercy, delivered 
the Foi trefs to Amayum , who, by this- Means, entered 
Labor without the lead Refiftance. ' He marched on from 
thence with the utmoft Diligence toward Dehly. A fin He 
Battle fought at the Diftance of three Leagues from that 
City determined the Difpute, and put him once more in 
I ofiemon of the Dominions ol his Anceftors. Amayum , 
upon his Reiloration, fhewed his Gratitude to the Faquir 
Chadula , who firft brought him the News of Chiracs, 
ofSS 10 f L-T , Meafure j ovv ; in S. to the perfonal Behaviour of Amayum, who ailonilhed the Perfian Monarch by his Prefers 
otlVlmd at their firft Interview, which happened to be in a Summer-Houfe, where there was but one Sopha and that too fmall for “ F 
oge er. Tie Indian Prince faw this with Indignation, but recoilefting himfelf after he had paid his Compliments to the Shah whru 4° ° ! 
c J t h r;°n feated A a " d as foon as he had placed himfelf on the Sopha, fimaynm fate down fry him on his Quiver which X 1 
Culbrn he had hanging at his Back, which Adi of Spirit pleafed the Shah extremely. } * hlCh > after the 
& , 1S one Circumirance of this Prince’s Reign which ought not to be palled over. When he took PolTeilion of t-Kp c * , 
reate his Emprefs with extraordinary Refped ; and being informed that Ihe was with Child, ordered her to be fent to Perfia °p- he 
Amayum, kizod witn a Fit of Jealoufy, refufed to fee her j of which Ihe informed Chirac! a by Letter Upon this he wmi t X Ku/band J but 
j I 16 had T Ver T U i h SS / een £he Em P refs ; and t0 confirm the Truth of this Fadt, he fwore it upon^e Khora^ 
received her with great Tendernefs and AffeSion ; and the Son, with which Ihe was then big. fucceeded him in the EmpS’ ' ^ Emper01 
Numb. 43, 
7 Y 
Death 
