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 Chap. I.]

CHARACTER OF JEHANGIR.

257

him. Tliis done he eateth opium, and then he ariseth, and being in the height of his drinke, he layeth him downe to sleep, every man departing to his owne home; and after he hath slept two houres, they awake him and bring his supper to him, at which time he is not able to feed himselfe, but it is thruste into his mouth by others; and this is about one of the clocke, and then he sleepeth the rest of the night."

The government of such a disgusting drunkard could not be well conducted; and though the administrative talents of his wife, Nur Jehan, and the military prowess of his son, Prince Khurram, afterwards better known by his title of Shah Jehan, prevented the confusion which must otherwise have taken place, the court was a scene of constant intrigue, and corruption was rampant in every branch of the public service. Such was the state of matters when Sir Thomas Roe arrived. On first landing at Surat, he found the governor enrich- ing himself by seizing the goods of merchants, and insisting on their being sold to him at prices of his own fixing. On advancing into the interior, he was everywhere struck with signs of devastation and neglect ; and on his reaching the court, though he could not but be struck with the magnificence which surrounded the monarch, as he sat on his throne all covered with diamonds, pearls, and i*ubies, his admission to the drinking parties above described, when, with the exception of himself and a few grave personages, scarcely an individual remained sober, soon convinced him how little dependence could be placed on any aiTanofements that could be made with one who was so little master of liimself

Even at the time of Sir Thomas Roe's residence, Jehangir's sons, con'inced that his drunken habits must speedily terminate his life, had begun to intrigue for the succession; and yet, such was the strength of his constitution, that his reign was pro- longed for other ten years, and did not terminate till 1627. During part of this time, indeed, he ciould scarcely be said to possess the throne, as his sons were openly at war

either with him or with each other ; and the year before he died, he was some months a prisoner in the hands of one of his generals. On regaining his liberty, he set out on his annual visit to Cashmere, but had not long arrived before he was seized with a violent illness, and died on the way back to Lahore.

Vol. I. 33

A.D. 1627.

nisordcrs under the government of Jehaiigir

Jehangir's death.

Tomb of Jehangir at Lahore. — Hordinge's RecoIlectionR of India.