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50 FARGHANA
what he got, he spent liberally. He waxed exceeding great after SI. Mahmud Mirza s death, in whose sons' time his re- tainers approached 20,000. Although he prayed and abstained from forbidden aliments, yet was he black-souled and vicious, dunder-headed and senseless, disloyal and a traitor to his salt. For the sake of this fleeting, five-days world,^he blinded one of his benefactor's sons and murdered another. A sinner before God, reprobate to His creatures, he has earned curse and execration till the very verge of Resurrection. For this world's sake he did his evil deeds and yet, with lands so broad and with such hosts of armed retainers, he had not pluck to stand up to a hen. An account of him will come into this history.
Pir-i-muhammad Allchi-bugha2 Quchin was another. In Hazaraspi's fight ^ he got in on challenge with his fists in SI. Abu-sa'id Mirza's presence at the Gate of Balkh. He was a brave man, continuously serving the Mirza (Mahmud) and guiding him by his counsel. Out of rivalry to Khusrau Shah, he made a night-attack when the Mirza was besieging Qunduz, on SI. Husain Mirza, with few men, without arming 4 and without plan ; he could do nothing ; what was there he could do against such and so large a force ? He was pursued, threw himself into the river and was drowned.
Ayub {Begchik Mughul) ^ was another. He had served in SI. Abu-sa'id Mirza's Khurasan Cadet Corps, a brave man, Bai- sunghar Mirza's guardian. He was choice in dress and food ;
1 Roebuck's Oriental Proverbs (p. 232) explains the five of this phrase where seven might be expected, by saying that of this Seven days' world (qy. days of Creation) one is for birth, another for death, and that thus five only are left for man's brief life.
2 The cognomen Ailchi-bugha, taken with the bearer's recorded strength of fist, may mean Strong man of Ailchi (the capital of Khutan). One of Timor's commanders bore the name. Cf. f. 21b for bughu as athlete.
3 Hazaraspi seems to be Mir Pir Darwesh Hazaraspi. With his brother, Mir 'Ali, he had charge of Balkh. See Rauzatu's-safa B.M. Add, 23506, f . 242b ; Browne's D.S. p. 432. It may be right to understand a hand-to-hand fight between Hazaraspi and Ailchi-bugha. The affair was in 857 AH. (1453 AD.).
4 yaraq siz, perhaps trusting to fisticuffs, perhaps without mail. Babur's summary has confused the facts. Muh. Ailchi-bugha was sent by SI. Mal.mud Mirza from Hisar with 1,000 men and did not issue out of Qunduz. (H -S. ii, 251.) His death occurred not before 895 AH.
5 See T.R. s.nn. Mir Ayub and Ayub.
