1671.] 
208 
The reign of MxCizz-uddin. 
more prosperous than himself. A father may have such a wish for 
his son, and for you I desire prosperity a hundred-fold greater 
than has fallen to my lot. Aild in those days when I heard that 
the kotwals had seated you on the throne, and had become your 
hand and arm, I was glad beyond measure, reflecting that Lak’li- 
nautf being mine, and Dihlf having fallen to my son, my own 
power and dignity was a thousand-fold enhanced, and it was in 
the strength of your sovereignty that I issued in my own name the 
coins and manifestos ( Jchutbah ) of this realm. Since then for two 
years past, I have heard such stories of your profligacy and negli¬ 
gence and indifference, I wonder how your vices have left you in 
peace up to this hour on the throne of the kingdom, how there can 
be any vigilance in your government, how your kingdom and 
country, your governors and officers, your dependants and army 
and subjects, your treasury and income and expenditure can be 
under your control, or liow any can look to your justice and favour, 
or hold thsmselves obedient to your behest. And yet, methinks, 
you know that the great and glorious God has created nothing in 
the universe sweeter and dearer than the world, and of all things 
in the world that are sweet and dear. He has brought into being 
nothing sweeter or dearer than empire, which is His viceger- 
ency.* Is it not from the utter and exceeding sweetness of 
empire, that the affection that binds father to son is dissolved, and 
thus it comes to pass that the father slays the son, and the son 
sheds his father’s blood, or causes him to be poisoned, or lives night 
and day in longing for his death ? No chief in the world worthy of 
the name but aims to be chief of all; and from the day when I heard 
of your recklessness, and continued indulgence in pleasure, I have 
made lamentation for the empire of my father, and seen you and 
myself and both our kingdoms on the verge of annihilation ; and 
ever since the news reached me that you were putting to death my 
father’s servants and chosen officers, loyal men, whose death must 
needs have estranged from you the loyalty of the rest, a presage 
of your ruin has weighed upon my mind. I know, if you do not, 
how my father had to wade through blood to attain the kingdom 
of Dihli, and himself several times narrowly escaped destruction, 
* Niydbat is evidently intended. Nihdyat is an error of the text. 
