Item CR9/21/29 - Letter from Rajah Shitab Rae to Clive.

Thank you for your letter of the 13th of Rabi al-Avval, received here on 21st of this month, informing me that from a copy of a petition of the vakil of Januji Khoslah who had come to Azimabad with a petition you have come to know that I had a meeting with him during which I disclosed to him some of our secrets and suggested to him that he would bring glory to his master if he did not go back immediately. -- My dear Sir, I am a true and faithful servant of the Company and I am not so stupid as to reveal our secrets to anyone. The truth is that three days after you had left the vakil first came to see Mir Zain al-Abidin and then came to see me and wanted to discuss various issues. I told him that I had no authority to negotiate with him. He told me that you had asked Mir Zain al Abidin to go and negotiate with Januji; I told him that I had no knowledge of that. Later, he told me that he wanted to come and see you. I did not allow him to do so and he is still here. Now that you have indicated in your letter that if he was still here he could come and see you I will allow him to do so. Meanwhile, Mubariz al-Mulk Muin al-Daulah told me that he had sent Januji's letter with his letter to you and that we should wait for you reply. Now you have written to me that I have spoken to him. I do not talk to anyone except you, His Majesty and the Nawab Vazir. These vakils look for secrets all around them. He came to know about the departure of Mir in Benares and straightaway rushed here. -- Enclosure 1: You have complained for not receiving letters from all parts of India. Among the nobles, notables and rajas of Hindustan known to me whosoever wants to write sends his letter to me. If you wish, in future I can send all these letters to you or return to the sender. I am here to obey your orders. One of my messengers, Rae Sujit Rae, is at the court of the king and sends reports from there. Rae Jyali Ram who used to be there is with Colonel Smith now. -- Enclosure 2: You have written to me that we have harkaras to bring news from the army of Raghunath Rao to Azimabad and yet we have not received any news from the Rao's army. My dear sir, the Rao was in Kansi and my harkaras were with him there. As soon as Rao came to Gwalior the rainy season has set in and we had to postpone this work; moreover, there was nothing new to report. Previously the news of the prince running away from the capital and coming to Farrukhabad was received; this was conveyed to you. Following your wishes we had appointed our harkaras to bring news from his camp. -- Enclosure 3: You have written regarding the financial administration of the Province of Bihar; I am busy day and night working that out. Previously, I used to have Munir al-Mulk Mr Middeton to help me and now Nawab Mubariz al-Mulk Muin al-Daulah Bahadur Muzaffar Jang is here to help me. The result is that we have completed the accounts for 1173. A small sum needs to be collected and it will be collected soon. The accounts for 1174 are also under control. This may have been conveyed to you by Nawab Sahib.