Translation of a letter Pihalvan Singh wrote to Dunde Chaudhari. -- 1. Thank you for your last report. I am with a person who is lord of both worlds. No one has the power to take over my state. The Rajah of Ujain does not have the guts to look towards my lands with greed. They can burn ten or twenty of my villages but would not be able to takeover my state. The Prince is not going to move from here. If Beni Bahadur comes on this side of Benares he would see what happens to him. -- 2. Translation of a letter from the tavakkul and companion of Pihalvan Singh to Dunde Chaudhari. -- The Prince came to see Pihalvan Singh on Wednesday and presented four thousand rupees to him. Pihalvan Singh is managing the affairs of the army. Shivdat Narayan went to see Narobad Singh and asked him to join them; we are still waiting for their arrival. Sunbhal Singh went to the house of Raj Rup and later Pihalvan Singh also joined them. The Prince has five thousand horsemen but many have deserted him. Raj Rup has gone with his force to Sehsaram to ambush the enemy forces at night. -- Enclosure: Translation of a holograph letter Pihalvan Singh wrote to Adhar Choley. -- Thank you for your letter. This country is a gift from God and is not the property of any one person. The sons of Odey Singh are like children; they do not know how to reply to my letters. The Rajah of Ujain should know very well that he cannot occupy my land. Farmers working on my land know my worth and would not allow anyone else to take over. Miran and Colonel Sahib would not be able to establish their camps in this area.
Thank you for your letter regarding the payment of twenty five Lac rupees for the maintenance of land and sea forces and which you say that you had made clear to me that I must pay and that without the payment of this amount you would not be able to satisfy Patrick? Akhtan? Bahadur [Board of Governors?]. -- At the time I agreed to this demand I had told Mr Dache [French Admiral Comte de D' Ache'] that I do not know how much money was left in my treasury and in case there was not enough money left I would not be able to fulfil this demand. In this situation I would not be able to agree to this demand. I am therefore writing to inform you and Mr D'Arche' that there is not enough money available in our treasury. This can be confirmed from the Jagat Seth brothers and the Maharajah [Diwan] who are both very well known to you. I have agreed with them that I am willing to pay half of this amount. Out of this I am willing to pay half in cash and half in commodities. It would not be possible for me to pay more than that in cash as I have to take into account the payment I have to make to my own army. This is in addition to the demand of Chauth/one-fourth from the Marathas and payment made to the King Emperor. God willing, I will be able to pay the fist instalment of the above amount in the month of Katak and the rest in Chet. I am unable to agree or pay any additional sums. I am sure there is enough money in the Company's coffers that you could pay the Board of Governor this amount now and replace it when you have received it from me.
In reply to the letter your officials had written to the Nawab Sahib regarding Rajah Tilok Chand and the Rani of the deceased Rajah Karamchand a letter was received from the Nawab Sahib on the 16th of Rabi al-Avval, San 6. This is being sent to you for your information. Whatever amount of revenue was received from Burdwan was sent to Calcutta promptly. I am sending a reminder to Ramchand at Burdwan. Whatever amount reaches here in future will also be despatched to you similarly.
I am sure you are very well acquainted with the true character of Khadim Husain Khan. For reasons which are connected with you it is advisable that he comes to Murshidabad. As you will soon be travelling from Murshidabad towards this side it may be a good idea that he come and see you when you are staying near Bhagalpur and Kundiyah. Navab Nasir al-Mulk and Amir Beg Khan should also be briefed about this meeting. Please let me know if you agree with these proposals.
I have come to know that you will be passing through Hoogly soon. For this purpose I had arranged a welcome party to receive you. I am very disappointed at the cancellation of your visit, however, I intend to visit the capital in a few days time and would be able to come and pay you a visit.
I had written a letter of warning to Rajah Tilok Chand and later sent my men to ask him that he, along with his officials, should attend to the state affairs as soon as possible. Rajah Ram Singh who is coming to see you will be able to give you further details. -- P.S. I will be coming to see you on Friday.
Thank you for your reply to my letter along with a copy of a letter from the Nawab informing me about the dismissal of Mir Ali Akbar and that I should ask Misri Khan to deliver the summons to him and as soon as he arrives he should be sent to Murshidabad. You have informed me that Muhammad Misri Khan was coming here with five hundred horsemen, one thousand musketeers, and with parvanahs addressed to the zamindars. -- Enclosure: 1 -- Our guards, who after entering the port of Balsar had established a post, are now the 20th of Safar, San 5, moving to Madanpur; their details are given below. Mir Ali Akbar is sending his men to you with details. -- Enclosure: 2 -- The parvanah, which you had sent for Ali Akbar, has been handed over to him.
The administration of the village of Sunahrha Garh used to be allocated to Shaikh Ahsan Allah. Now Narayan Sarha, Ram Kishor, and others have come around and taken over the village saying that they have done so on behalf the Sarkar. As there is no one to look after the administration of the village I am requesting that the responsibility for the administration be restored to the rightful person.
I have not received any communication from you for some time; please do let me know that you are well. I will be going to Akbarnagar on the 11th of Ramazan and will pay my respects at the mausoleum of Hazrat Banduh (or Naha?). I will be returning to Murshidabad soon afterwards.
Thank you very much for your letter. In order to help me to safeguard the interests of the Company you and the Mahrajah Bahadur had kindly posted a force of six hundred armed/ barqandaz tilangas under the command of Mr Kings/Cook. As the interest of my people and those of the Company are the same we feel very much encouraged by your support. God willing we will be able to defeat the enemy soon. The enemy force which reached here was supported by the zamindars. They had come down from the valley they had captured from you with great pride and after crossing the jungle they have now established their defence lines with bushes of thorns. God willing, and with your help, we will soon be able to destroy them. We will be able to destroy them easily if they come out onto the plains; but if they retreat to the jungles behind we will have to go into the jungle to destroy them. In any way, we will soon be able to send them all to Hell.
Congratulations on the birth of your son. May God grant him a long and successful life. -- Enclosure: Details of a nazur sent to Clive on the 22nd of Safar, San 6.
Thank you for your letter informing me that Mr Heshton has obtained a license/dastak-I rahdari to send salt to Azimabad and that I should write to the state officials that they should not charge any duty on the salt exported by him. -- As a matter of fact Mr Heshton was issued a permit for last year only and it is not valid now. As the duty on twenty thousands maunds of salt is between two to three thousand rupees please let me know if you want us to forgo this duty.
I have just received your letter through my servant Muhammad Rustam and read the happy news about your well-being and the defeat of your enemy and that you will soon be visiting this part of the country. During this holly month of prayers and with the festivities of Eid approaching I will pray for your victories and good health.
When you came to visit us here you assured me that you would be able to attend to the bank drafts on your return to Murshidabad. Now my bankers/creditors [mahajans] are pressing me hard to return their money and they have installed guards on my doors. They are saying that it is a time of war and that they want their monies returned at all costs. As I have no one else to turn to except you I seek your help to save me from these mahajans.
Thank you very much for your letter informing me that you will come and see us when you have recovered from your illness. I very much hope and pray that you recover from your ilnness very soon and visit us in the near future.
Today, 22nd Zi al-Hijj, the Nawab went to the house of Mirza Salih the merchant and afterwards to the house of Mirza Misbah al-Din Muhammad Khan Bahadur and later to the houses of Shaikh Jahu, the brother of Fakhr al-tajjar. Each one of them presented some nazur and offerings to the Nawab. At night he marched towards Murshidabad and dismissed Divan Nand Kumar and Amir Beg Khan from his company at Hoogli.
The late Navab, Shuja al-Mulk Mir Muhammad Ja'far Khan, during his life and with all his faculties functioning and following our religious tradition appointed me as his heir. He also told me that out of all the cash and precious stones he had in his treasury three Lac and fifty thousand rupees in cash and jewellery and fifty thousand rupees and Ashrafis to the value of one Lac rupees, making a total sum of five Lac rupees, should be sent to Nawab Sabit Jang Bahadur [Clive]. Therefore I have passed this sum to my mother, Begam Sahibah. After she has signed and affixed her seal the above sum will be sent to Lord Clive. -- Enclosure: Munni Begam -- The late Nawab during his life, and with all his faculties functioning and following our religious tradition, told me that whatever cash and valuables he had three Lac and fifty thousand rupees in cash and jewels and fifty thousand rupees in cash and ashrafis worth one Lac rupees, altogether five Lac rupees, should be passed on to Lord Clive. I am writing these sentences as a testimony.
I have just reached home after travelling for two days. After I have attended to my customary duties here I will come and pay another visit to you. As you are my only benefactor and patron I continuously pray for your prosperity and good health.
News reports from Benares -- On the 18th of Sha'ban, San 6, Rajah Balvand Singh Bahdu along with Rajah Beni Bahdur went to see the Prince. Rajah Ram Singh came from Ramnagar and Rajah Beni Bahadur from Benares and they met in Gang Maki and then went to see the Prince. After staying for four ghari there they returned to their states. Beni Bahadur's servant, Mir Murtaza Jamadar, is staying in Ramnagar. Rajah Beni Bahadur is at present (19th Sha'ban) staying in Madhudas Bagh in Benares; his army is encamped around the garden and water tank. Rajah Beni Bahadur called Rae Kirpa Dayal, who is a trusted servant of Nawab Muhammad Quli Khan, in Benares and asked him to write to Nawab Muhammad Quli Khan that he should not try to come to Benares as he will be arrested. This is because Nawab Shuja al-Daulah has criticised the conduct of Quli Khan. -- Zain al Abidin, Jamadar, with four hundred horsemen and foot soldiers was sent here by Nawab Shuja al-Daulah; he has gone to see Muhammad Quli Khan.
