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 Chap. Ill]

REIGN OF JELAL-U-DIN.

io

Piopoaed trial by fire.

and the hope of impunity produced numeroas disorders. " The streets and a.d. 1291. highways," says Ferishta, " were infested by thieves and banditti. House- breaking, robbery, murder, and every species of crime was committed by many who adopted them as a means of subsistence. Insurrections prevailed in every province; numerous gangs of freebooters interrupted commerce, and even common intercourse. Add to this, the king's governors neglected to render any account either of their revenues or their administration."

Crime, thus encouraged, did not stop shoit of treason, and two plots were coiispiraciee formed against the king's life. One, in which some Khilji chiefs were the X.'"** conspirators, was no sooner detected than forgiven; the other, which was headed by a celebrated dervis, called Siddy Mollah, wixs visited more severely. Tins dervis, originally from Persia, after visiting various countries in the west, arrived at Delhi, where his reputation for sanctity, joined to the liberality of his alms, made him a great favourite, especially with the populace, who were constantly crowded around his gates. For a time he appeared to have no higher aspiration than popularity ; but at last, ambition took possession of his soul, and an intriguer, to whom he had given his confidence, persuaded him that the people looked on him as sent from God to deliver the kingdom from Khilji misrule, and bless Hindoostan with a wise and just government.

The throne having thus become his object, he determined to take the nearest road to it, and sent two of his followers to assassinate the king as he was pro- ceeding to the public mosque. One of the two, however, was seized with remorse, and disclosed the plot. Siddy Mollah and his confidential intriguer were apprehended; but as they persisted in their innocence, and no witness appeared against them, it was determined to have recourse to the fiery ordeal, that they might purge themselves of their guilt. Everything was ready, and the accused having said their prayers, were about to plunge into the fire, when Jelal-u-din, who had come to witness the ceremony, stopped them, and turning to his ministers, put the question, " Is it lawful to try Mussulmans by the fiery ordeal?" They unanimously answered that the practice was heathenish, and contrary to the Mahometan law as well as to reason, inasmuch as it was the nature of fire to consume, paying no respect to the righteous more than to the wicked. Siddy Mollah was ordered to prison, but was barbarously murdered before he reached it. This murder was associated in the minds of the populace with a series of public calamities which ensued, and particularly with two — the one a dreadful famine in the com*se of the same year (1291), and the other a Mogul invasion in the year following.

The invading force, headed by a kinsman of Hoolakoo Khan, Ghenghis Khan's ^'"^'i'

invasion

grandson, consisted of 100,000 hoi-se. Jelal-u-din collected his anny, and iei>eiie<i advanced 'against them. For five days the amiies lay in sight of each other, with a stream between them. On the sixth morning, as if by mutual consent, they drew up on an extensive plain, to fight a })itched battle. After an