128 AURANGZIB THE PURITAN EMPEROR not merely fine sentiments, but ruling principles. No act of injustice, according to the law of Islam, at least after his accession, has been proved against him. Ovington, who was informed by Aurangzib's least partial critics, the English merchants at Bombay and Surat, says that the Great Moghul is " the main ocean of justice. He generally determines with exact justice and equity; for there is no pleading of peerage or privilege before the emperor, but the meanest man is as soon heard by Au- rangzib as the chief Omrah (amir), which makes the Omrahs very circumspect of their actions and punctual in their payments." Khalfi Khan, a native chronicler, tells us that the emperor was a mild and painstaking judge, easy of approach and gentle of manner; and the same character is given him by Doctor Careri, who was with him in the Deccan in 1695. So mild indeed was his rule that " throughout the imperial dominions no fear and dread of punishment remained in the hearts " of the provincial district officials, and the result was a state of corruption and misgovernment worse than had ever been known under the shrewd but kindly eye of Shah Jahan. Yet his habit of mind did not lend itself to trust- ing his officials and ministers overmuch, whether they were efficient or corrupt. He was no believer in dele- gated authority; and the lessons in treachery which the history of his dynasty afforded, and in which he had himself borne a part during the war of succession, sank doop into a mind naturally prone to suspicion. That he lived in dread of poison is only what many
