signing ministers. Make it your duty to see "that they execute your commands without the "least deviation or neglect, for it is through them you must govern your people.

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"Let your judges and magistrates be men of capacity, religion, and virtue, that the light of justice may illuminate your realms.

"Let no levity on your part, either in public or private, detract from that important majesty "which exalts the character of a king; and let every thing around you be so regulated as to "inspire that reverence and awe which will render "your person sacred, and contribute to enforce "respect to your commands.

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Spare no pains to discover men of genius, learning, and courage. You must cherish them by kindness and munificence, that they may prove the soul of your councils, and the in"struments of your authority.

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"Throw not down a great man to the ground "for a small crime, nor yet entirely overlook his "offence. Raise not a low man too hastily to a high station, lest he forget himself, and be an eye-sore to men of superior merit.

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"Never attempt any thing, unless through necessity, but what you are sure to accomplish; "and having once determined upon a measure, let

your perseverance be never shaken, nor your "mind be ever averted from the object. For it is "better for a king to be obstinate, than pusil"lanimous and vacillating; as in the first case "he may chance to be right, in the latter he is "sure to be wrong. Nothing more certainly in

"dicates the weakness of a prince than a wavering "mind."

Having ended his instructions he embraced his son tenderly, and parted with him in tears. The Prince immediately marched against the enemy, and having expelled, with great slaughter, the Moguls who had invaded his province, recovered all the territories of which they had possessed themselves in his absence. The throne of Persia was at this time filled by Arghoon Khan, the son of Eibuk Khan, and grandson of Hoolakoo Khan, who had conquered that empire about the year 656. Teimoor Khan, of the family of Chungiz Khan, a prince of great renown, ruled the eastern provinces of Persia from Khorassan to the Indus, and at this time invaded Hindoostan with twenty thousand chosen horse, to revenge the death of the Moguls who had been slain during the former year. Having ravaged the country about Depalpoor and Lahore, he directed his march towards Mooltan. The Prince Mahomed, then in Mooltan, hearing of his designs, hastened to the banks of the river of Lahore, which runs through part of the Mooltan province, and prepared to oppose him. When Teimoor Khan advanced to saw the Hindoostan army on the opposite bank; but the Prince, desirous of engag ing so great a chief on equal terms, permitted Teimoor Khan to pass it unmolested.

the river, he

This person was governor of Ghizny, and must not be confounded with Ameer Teimoor Koorkan, known to us by the name of Tamerlane.

Both armies drew up in order of battle, and attacked each other with great spirit for the space of three hours, during which time both commanders were eminently distinguished. The Moguls being at last put to flight, the Indians followed them with too much eagerness. The Prince Mahomed, fatigued by the pursuit, halted on the banks of a stream, with 500 attendants, to drink, and having sated his thirst, fell prostrate upon the ground, to return God thanks for his victory.

At this time a Mogul chief, who had concealed himself with two thousand horse in a neighbouring wood, rushed upon his party. The Prince had only just time to mount, and collecting his small band, encouraged them by his example. They defended themselves desperately; but at length the Prince, overpowered by numbers, and having received several wounds (after having thrice obliged the Moguls to give ground), fell, and in a few minutes expired. A detachment of the Indian army appearing that instant, the Moguls took to flight. Few of the Prince's party survived this unfortunate conflict. Among those who fell into the hands of the Moguls was the Prince's favourite and tutor, Ameer Khoosrow, who procured his liberty in the way mentioned in his poem entitled Khizr Khany.

When the army returned from the pursuit of Teimoor Khan, and beheld their Prince weltering in his blood, the shouts of victory were changed to wailings of woe. Not a dry eye was to be seen from the meanest soldier to the general. The fatal news reached the old King, now in his

eightieth year, who was so much distressed, that life became irksome to him; but bearing up against his misfortune, he sent Kei Khoosrow, his grandson (the son of the deceased), to supply the place of his father. On his arrival at Mooltan, this Prince took the command of the army, and began to provide for the defence of the frontier.

The King, perceiving himself fast sinking from the weight of his affliction, sent for his son Kurra Khan from Bengal, and appointed him his successor; at the same time insisting, that he should continue with him at Dehly till his death, and appoint a deputy for his government of Bengal. To this Kurra Khan consented; but conceiving his father's illness was not likely to come so soon to a crisis as he expected, he returned to Bengal without acquainting him of his intention. This undutiful behaviour threw the old man into the deepest grief, and induced him to send for his grandson, Kei Khoosrow, from Mooltan. The Prince hastening to his presence, a council of the nobles was called, and the succession was changed in his favour, all of the officers promising to enforce Gheias-ood-Deen Bulbun's last will, in favour of this young Prince. The King, in a few days, expired, in the year 685, after A.D. 1286. a reign of 21 years. Immediately upon the death of the Emperor, Mullik Fukhrood-Deen Kotwal, chief magistrate of Dehly, having assembled the chiefs, and having been always at variance with the father of Kei Khoosrow, addressed them upon the present state of affairs. He stated that Kei Khoosrow was a young man

A. H. 685.

of a violent and untractable disposition, and therefore unfit to reign; he also observed, that the power of the Prince Kurra Khan was so great, that a civil war was to be apprehended if the succession should not be continued in his family, and that, consequently, as the father was absent, it would be most prudent for the nobles to place the reins of government in the hands of his son Keikobad, a prince of mild disposition, and then present in Dehly. So great was the influence of this minister at the time, that he procured the throne for Keikobad; and Kei Khoosrow, glad to escape with life, returned to his former government of Lahore.

In the glorious reign of Gheias-ood-Deen Bulbun, there flourished at Dehly, besides the great men we have already mentioned, the learned and celebrated Sheikh Fureed-ood-Deen Musaood, entitled Shukurgunj; Sheikh Baha-ood-Deen Zacharia, and his son; also Sheikh Budr-ood-Deen Aarif of Ghizny, the philosopher; the learned and holy Kootb-ood-Deen Bukhtyar Kaky; Siddy Mowla, and many more, eminent in various branches of science and literature.