Page:A Comprehensive History of India Vol 1.djvu/691

 f'HAP. Xn.] LETTER OF THE SIIAZADA. 657

agreeable to their conduct. Tliis world is like a garden of tlowers, interspersed a.d. irss. with weeds and thorns. I shall therefore root out the bad, that the faithful and good ryots ^God willing) may rest in peace and (piietness. Know you, who Letter of ti.o are great, that it is proper you should pay a due obedience to this my firman, and make it your business to pay your respects to me like a faithful servant, which will be great and happy for you. It is proper you should be earnest in doing thus, when, by the blessing of God, you stand high in my favour. Know this must be done."

Clive dismissed the agents with a warning not to come near him again, for ciive* if they did, he would "take their heads for their pains." The letter he answered as follows : — " I have had the honour to receive your highnes.s's firman. It gives me great concern to find that this country must become a scene of troubles. I beg leave to inform you, that I have been favoured with a sunnud from the emperor, appointing me a mimsubdar of the rank of GOOO foot and ') horse, which constitutes me a servant of his; and as I have not received any orders, either from the emperor or vizier, acquainting me of your coming down here, I Cxinnot pay that due regard to your highness's ordei-s I would otherwise wish to do. I must further beg leave to inform you, that I am mider the strictest engagements with the present soubahdar of these provinces to assist him at all times, and it is not the custom of the English nation to be guilty of insincerity." In declining the interview which the shazada's letter obviously invited, on the gi'ound that he had not "received any orders" from the court of Delhi, Clive took stronger ground than he was probably aware of at the time, as afterwards appeared when Meer Jaffier sent him an imperial edict which he had received. It was in the following terms: — " Know that you are under the .shadow of my favour. Some ill-designing people have turned the brain of my beloved son, Mahomed Ali Gohur (the shazada), and are carrying him to the eastern part of the empire, which must be the cause of much trouble and ruin to my country. I therefore order you, who are my servant, to proceed immediately to Patna, and secure the person of my son and keep him there. You are likewise to punish his attendants, that other people may take warning thereby. In doing this you will gain my favour and have a good name."

Though Clive spoke and wrote slightingly of the shazada and his invasion, critical state there was gi'ave cause for alarm. Ramnarain, the governor of Behar, was sus- pected of being in league with the enemy, whose forces had rapidly increased to 30,000 or 40,000, while the whole force which the presidency could muster amounted only to about 450 Europeans and 2500 sepoys. At tiie head of these Clive set out, and after a short halt at Moorshedabad — where he lectured the nabob on his misconduct, which, by forfeiting the confidence of all chvsses of his subjects, had the natural consequence of inviting foreign invasion, and at the same time " complied with the nabob's solicitation to ride on the same elephant with him, and adopted any measure that covdd support him in his administra- VoL. I. 83