5o
FARGHANA
what he got, he spent liberally. He waxed exceeding great after §1. Mahmud Mirza's death, in whose sons' time his retainers 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,1 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 Ailchi-bughd2 Qilchln was another. In Hazaraspi's fight3 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 arming4 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 (Begchlk Mughul)5 was another. He had served in SI. Abu-sa'Id Mirza's Khurasan Cadet Corps, a brave man. Baisunghar 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 b'rth, another for death, and that thus five only are left for man's brief life.
2 The cognomen AUchi-bugha, taken with the bearer's recorded strength of fist, may mean Strong man of Ailchi (the capital of Khutan). One of Timfir's commanders bore the name. Cf. i. 21b for b&ghii as athlete.
3 Hazaraspi seems to be Mir PIr Darwesh Hazaraspi. With his brother, Mir "All, he had charge of Balkh. See Rauzatu'x-safa B.M. Add. 23506, f. 242* ; Browne's D.S. p. 432. It may be right to understand a hand-to-hand fight between Hazaraspi and Ailchi-bfigha. 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-bflgha was sent by SI. Mal.mud Mirza from Ili^ar with 1,000 men and did not issue out of Qunduz. (II-S. ii, 251.) His death occurred not before 895 ah.
6 See T.R. s.nn. Mir Ayub and Ayub.
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