242 Translations from the TdriJch i Firuzshdhi. [No. 3, 
ing among themselves whether they should submit, there had 
arrived no couriers from the king. Although there were wont 
to come to Sultan Muhammad from his father two or three des¬ 
patches in each week:, not a single despatch had been received 
by him. Because of this, Sultan Muhammad and his councillors 
were troubled in their minds, and they said among themselves that 
some of the stations on the road had risen in rebellion, and because 
of them there was no communication, and the couriers had ceased to 
arrive. Then was it known in the camp that Sultan Muhammad was 
troubled in his mind, and there arose all manner of suspicion, and 
the tidings spread by degrees among all men. Then ’Abid, the 
poet, and a Shaikhzadah of Damascus, who were men of evil 
repute and infamous, and among them that stood in the presence of 
Sultan Muhammad, began to pervert the minds of men, and spread 
false reports amongst the army, saying that Sultan Gliiasuddfn 
Tughluq had died in the city of Delhi, and that there was rebellion 
within Delhi, and that a stranger had seized the throne, so that 
there was no more any communication. Because of their sayings, 
men began to fear : and these infamous ones, ’Abid the poet, 
and the Shaikhzadah, the Damascene, being sons of evil and rebel¬ 
lious, faithless also and ungrateful, devised yet another mischief; 
and they went to Malik Tamar and to Malik Takin, and to Malik 
Mai Afghan and to Malik Kafur, keeper of the seals, and spoke 
to them saying, “ Sultan Muhammad regardeth you, who are of the 
chiefs of the nobles of ’Alauddin and captains of his host, as men 
who are dangerous to him, and as fellow-plotters against him, and 
thinks to slay you, and upon one day will he seize you all, and 
will cause you to be put to death.” Then, because those four cap¬ 
tains knew that the speakers were of those who stood in the pre¬ 
sence of Sultan Muhammad, and were about him, they believed 
their words, and gathered themselves together, and, with their host, 
left the army. And because of their departure all men were afraid, 
and there arose a great cry, so that in every rank there was con¬ 
tention and rebellion, and there was great distress, no man trust¬ 
ing his neighbour. But the Hindus within the walls heard that 
some misfortune had happened to the besiegers, and they gathered 
heart, and sallied out from within the walls, and plundered the 
