been made by
his predecessors to unworthy objects, but that his own administrators
had been guilty of bribery and corruption of various degrees. It was
shortly after Faizi joined him in camp, and had acquired great
influence with him, that his eyes were opened to these enormities. He
found to his horror that the chief perpetrators of them were men who
made the largest professions of sanctity. Then followed, almost
immediately, the sarcastic exile of these men to Mekka: {189} then, a
thorough inquiry into the department. There were four classes to whom
it had been considered desirable that the sovereign should be able to
render State assistance. The first class comprised the men who
devoted themselves to literature and learning, and who had no means
of their own. It had seemed desirable that such men should not be
harassed by the need of having to care for their daily bread. The
second class included those who 'toil and practise self-denial, and
while engaged in the struggle with the selfish passions of human
nature, have renounced the society of men.' The third, the weak and
poor, who had no strength for toil. The fourth, honourable men of
gentle birth, who, from want of knowledge, are unable to provide for
themselves by taking up a trade.

To inquire into the circumstances of petitioners of these classes an
experienced officer of presumably correct intentions had been
appointed. He was entitled Sadr, or chief, and ranked above the Kazi
and the judges. When, in consequence of the inquiries set on foot at
the instance of Faizi, it was discovered that the whole of this
department was a hotbed of corruption, Akbar made a clean sweep of
the officials, from the Sadr down to the smallest Kazi, and nominated
men drawn from a different class, fencing their functions with strict
regulations.

But, as sovereign who had to reward great services rendered to the
crown, Akbar required to dispose of large grants of land to men
devoted to his service. Thus, he paid the Mansabdars, or officers
entrusted {190} with high command, by temporary grants of land in
lieu of a money allowance. He found that the most powerful of his
immediate predecessors, the Sher Shah who had expelled his father,
Humayun, had been more than lavish in his grants of land to his
immediate followers, men mostly of Afghan descent. Akbar inquired
into the circumstances under which these grants had been made, and in
many instances he resumed them to bestow them up