Item CR9/14/41. - Letter from Mir Jafar,

We have received today, 15 Rajab, reg.yr. 5 [14 March 1759], a letter from His Majesty with his signatures and a letter-bag from Nawab Vazir al-Mumalik regarding the Prince. Copies of these letters are enclosed for your information. I have also received a petition from Maharajah Ram Narayan. A copy of this is also enclosed. Enclosure 1. Copy of the letter from His Majesty. -- Some short sighted and foolish people have instigated my son Prince Mirza Ali Gohar to rebel against me. He is marching towards you with evil designs. As he is thinking of disturbing the peace of our realm I am writing to you so that you could at once go to Azimabad and somehow or other arrest my son, keep an eye on events everywhere else and punish the troublemakers so that they become an example to others. This will please us most. Enclosure 2: Copy of letter from Nawab Vazir al-Mumalik to His Majesty. -- We have been informed that your son, misguided by some mean and unfaithful people and having some crazy ideas in his mind is marching towards Azimabad. It will be good if you could issue an order forbidding everyone to join in this mischief and to arrest the Prince for usurping your rights and authority and punish all troublemakers for destroying the peace and tranquillity of the state. This would give us great pleasure. Enclosure 3: Copy of a petition of Maharajah Nand Kumar addressed to Shuja al-Mulk Bahadur. --Thank you for your parvana received here on 9th Rajab, informing that Nawab Sabitjang Bahadur [i.e. Clive], along with a European force arrived there on the above date and Nawab Nasir al-Mulk Bahadur will be reaching there by fast coaches. Mr Sabitjang has written to Mr Amyatt that he should also come with his army and armaments to join them. I am pleased to know that everything is working out satisfactorily. I have recently informed you that Nawab Madar al-Daulah had arrived at Nayatpore. He has now reached Phulwari. In order to delay him here I have asked Maharajah Shitab Rai to start some negotiations with him so that our forces have enough time to reach here. Mr Amyatt was also here but today, in the morning of Thursday, 9th Rajab [8 March 1759] he suddenly and without informing me left for Murshidabad by boat. This has made my army very disheartened and there is rioting in the city. The Prince is marching towards us very fast and it was reported yesterday that he has arrived at Alipore. There is a rebellion in the city. I am not sure what sort of report Mr Amyatt will give to Nawab Sabitjang Bahadur but I swear in the name of Almighty, my religion and Ganges,etc., that I am fully faithful to you and the negotiations with Madar al-Daulah were being conducted to waste his time and delay him until our forces arrive here. That is why I have sent one of your most faithfull servants Muhammad Shakir to you to give you correct information regarding my intentions. So far, I have not received any reply to this message. -- Here there are two thousand men carrying banners and shuqqa of Muhammad Quli Khan. I am at a loss what to do. I am annoyed with my own luck that I have been ruined for nothing. I do not know what to do next. As I am the keeper of the fort and the English Kothi is next to it, or rather, it is part of the fort, I wanted my men to guard this place. If the Kothi was taken over by the enemy I would not be able to protect the fort. In order to guard Mr Amyatt and the English Kothi I appointed some of my men to guard this place but he wanted to depend on his men only. I have explained this to you in detail in my letter. Thee is not much time left. Whatever I have done I have done with a clear conscience. Another, contemporary translation of the contents is CC2/10, item no. 400