विक्रम चरित (उज्जैन सम्राट् विक्रमादित्य - पराक्रम, न्याय एवं ३२ पुतलियों की कथा सटीक)

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upon her, and plans for her future conduct. We will leave
her for the present, and return to Koobjuck, the sentinel,
whom we left reigning in the place of his king and the
rightful owner of the throne.
This man exercised all the authority with which his new
position had invested him, with the iron hand of a despot.
His subjects were becoming discontented and insubordinate,
under the accumulation of the evils that had been heaped
upon them by the new monarch. They began even to
doubt the identity of the person now ruling with their old
and revered monarch Vickramadetea; and, as we said before,
the belief in transmigration being common in the city,
they were in a manner convinced that the new monarch be-
fore them was but an usurper, who by some unknown and
unaccountable means had contrived to assume the body of
Vickram. Nevertheless, they submitted to his oppressive
measures. The original gifts and grants in lands and
villages bestowed by Vickram were revoked and taken back,
as crown property, and from those who were allowed to retain
them, which in some few cases happened, he demanded a
moiety of the whole produce; from those who were in the
receipt of annual nemnooks* and pensions, he deducted a
third; many of the officers' salaries were reduced to the
smallest possible pittance; and his subjects were otherwise
subjected to great and glaring injustice, and were
consequently one and all much distressed.
It happened that about this time a brahmin named
Somedut arrived at Koobjuck's court, to receive his annual
gifts. He was a sage, a learned man, and an ornament to
his calling and society. Koobjuck enquired of his ministers
who this brahmin was. They replied, "Can your majesty be
ignorant of one who has for a long time enjoyed your
majesty's warmest friendship? He has been in the habit
of coming here regularly every year to receive his customary
allowances. His reputation for wisdom and learning is
well known to your majesty, as well as to all your subjects."

• Stipends.
  H