Into this tower were to be put along with the prince all sorts of provisions and necessaries, with a few servants to attend him.  While this was building, the wife of Cusero fell at the king’s feet, and would not leave him till she obtained his consent to be shut up along with her husband.  The king endeavoured to persuade her to enjoy her liberty, but she utterly refused any other comfort than to be the companion of her husband’s miseries.  Among these, this was the greatest, that if any of those who were to be shut up along with him, to the number of fifty in all, should happen to die during the king’s absence, there were no means either to remove or bury the body, as no person was to be allowed to come near the tower.

It is a frequent custom of the present Mogul, when he happens to be awake in the night time, he calls for certain poor old men, making them sit beside him, and passes his time in familiar discourse with them, giving them clothes and bountiful alms when he dismisses them.  At one time, when residing at Ajimeer, he went a-foot on pilgrimage to the tomb of a saint or prophet called Haji Mundin, and there kindled a fire with his own hands, under an immense Heidelbergian equipolent brass pot, in which victuals were cooked for five thousand poor persons.  When the victuals were ready, he took out the first platter with his own hands, and served the mess to a poor person.  Noor Mahal took out and served the second, and the rest was served by the other ladies of his court.—­Crack me this nut, all ye papal charity-vaunters.

One day an Armenian procured a nobleman to present him to the king, as one who desired to become an Mahometan; on which the king asked him, if he had been converted from hope of preferment; to which the Armenian answered, that be had no such motive.  Some months afterwards, the new convert craved some courtesy from the king, which he denied, saying, “I have already done you the greatest of all favours, in allowing you to save your soul; but you must provide for your own body the best way you can.”  The king likes not those who change their religion, being himself of none but according to his own fancy, and freely allows therefore of all religions in his dominions.  Of which I may give the following notable example: 

He had an Armenian in his service, named Scander, whom he one day asked if he thought any of the padres had ever converted a single Mahometan to be a true Christian, for conscience sake, and not for money.  Scander answered, with great confidence, that he had one as his servant, who was a sincere Christian, and would not be of any other for any worldly consideration.  The king immediately caused this man to be sent for, and bidding Scander depart, he examined the convert as to his reasons for having become a Christian.  In reply, he quoted certain feeble jesuitical reasons, declaring his determination to be of no other religion, though the king made him many fair speeches and large