As the three new comers were linked and knit together, they formed a compact body, which being invested with both the King’s and the Company’s authority, carried a mighty weight, especially when they set up an inquiry into the conduct and principles of the Governor Hushtin, a man against whom they seemed to have formed a confederacy. General Clavering was a man of distinction in that country, and a King’s servant; Colonel Monson expected to have the command-in-chief of all the troops, whenever the General should succeed to the chair of Governor; and Mr. Francis aimed at the next rank after the General’s. As these three men acted in concert, they bore a mighty sway, made an immense noise, and caused a great disturbance. It was observed, that in receiving visits, they constantly refused the nuzurs presented them in compliance with a custom peculiar to India, and that they returned untouched, even presents of fruits. Their method in their inquiries was to attach to their interests, people whom they found in opposition to the Governor, or who had some discontent against his person. Amongst these Nand-comar cut a conspicuous figure. He had been this longwhile out of office, and lived neglected and forgotten, so early as the times of Governor Vansittart and Lord Clive; nor had Governor Hushtin taken greater notice of him. This man went to General Clavering, and to the others of his party, by whom he was received with honor and regard; and it was by his management, that numbers of covetous, ambitious men, fond of trouble and dissensions, joined the three Members, on the prospect of being put in office; and they commenced informers in the enquiry set up about the Governor’s administration and secrets. Such a conduct having produced a rent and disunion amongst the five Members that composed that Council, the mutual aversion was carried so far, that the partisans of either side became as animated as their principals, and soon extended their principles and animosity A duel between the General and Mr. Barwell. throughout the whole kingdom. The fury of both parties rose to such a pitch, that a duel ensued between the General and Mr. Barwell, who fought together with pistols, as is the custom of that nation. One of the two parties consisted of Mr. Barwell, which last continued to have but one mind and one heart with the Gov­ernor; whilst, on the other hand, the General was colsely linked with the two others. But as these last always agreed in opinion, and stood as three to two, the General’s party prevailed almost every day, and almost every public business came to be trans­acted by his dictate. It was in consequence of this prevalence of the General’s that an Englishman, named Goran (Goring), was made Chief of Moorshood-abad, as was Mr. Sage of Azim-abad, and Mr. Fouck of Banares, as well as Mr. Bristow of Aood and Lucknow. These were promoted on the General’s recommenda­tion; and it was by the same dictate that Mubarec-ed-döwlah, who with his mother, Babboo-begum, had fared so hard under Menny-begum’s rod, was now emancipated on Mr. Goran’s advice, who acted totally under the General’s nod. That Prince was left at liberty to dispose of the affairs of the Nizamet, that is, of his A.D.1775-76. own household. It was in the year 1189. Thus these two persons got out of Menny-begum’s grasp, and out of the reach of her eunuch, Aitbar-aaly-qhan. But what did they gain by the eunuch’s being turned out of his office? Menny-begum continued to sway every thing. For as she had a great deal of money, a great deal of authority, and a great deal of genius; and Mubarec-ed-döwlah, who was used to her sway, expected one day to become heir to her vast wealth, she would sometimes frighten him into compliance, by threatening to sqander her riches amongst the poor, or to leave them to strangers and Frenghees (Europeans). In fact Mubarec-ed-döwlah’s turn of mind, and his particular temper are such, that neither his resentment is an object of fear, nor his good will an object worth seeking; nor does he himself seem to have a turn for the affairs of this world, so as that people should become anxious about his opinion. Every one, therefore, in his household does as he likes; nor is he inclined to meddle with any one’s doings. Let him have his personal pension*, and he cares not for the rest. For these reasons Menny-begum’s sway is not likely to be at an end yet; and the affairs of the Nizamet, (and this word signifies now no more than his private household) are in a state of perpetual fluctuation. It was in this same year 1189 that Mir-mahmed-hosséin-fazyl*, a man of great subtility of mind and great extent of knowledge, took a journey to the country of England in company with Mr. Elliott, an Englishman of much goodness of heart, much uprightness, and great liberality of principles. A learned Hindostanee travels to Europe. His intention was to acquire knowledge, to see the world, and to inquire into those discoveries which the learned of those parts had made in the science of astronomy, in the choice of simple medicines, and the art of compound ones; in the qualities of plants, and the functions of heavenly bodies. In these studies he spent his time in his sojourn, which was a short one; but in which he found means to acquire a variety of knowledge in some arts, especially in that of translating books relative to those sciences, in dissecting bodies, and in such like acquisitions. On his being returned to Moorshood-abad, in the year 1192, he gave the principal men of that city notice of the acquisitions he had brought with him; but found no favour with a set of Grandees who did not value the opportunity. Nor did any one of them think of setting apart a small sum for this business, which would have published their generosity to the world, insured to his character a lasting life with posterity, and handed down their names to the recording page of history. Instead of that, all that store of knowledge has remained shut up from the world for ever. But there is no assistance, and no success but from God Almighty*. It must be acknowledged, however, that men’s minds were then engrossed by the dissensions in the Council, and by the fate of Governor Hushtin. This man, who has been-endowed by nature with a keen penetrating genius, and a superior intelligence; and whose wisdom, in matters of State and in politics, has not been equalled in this age by any one, did not think it consistent with his dignity to dispute upon small matters; and having thought it decent to adopt a system of difference, he resolved, first of all, to clear himself of the accusations brought against him, and of the infidelities and misdemeanours he was suspected of; and then to expose to publicity the General’s ignorance, together with the grossness of his behaviour and the precipitancy and violence of his temper. He intended afterwards to bring to condign punishment those short-sighted accusers, that had raised such a disturbance in the country, and especially Nand-comar, that man of a wicked disposition, and an infamous character, who had made himself their leader and director. He expected that after having provided for all these matters, and quelled the commotion excited by the General’s party, the General himself would become an easy object. With this view he spent a deal of time in confuting the accusations brought against him by that officer on the instigation of Nand-comar and his followers; and he thoroughly justified his own conduct by exposing the falsehoods of his adversaries. But whilst he was exposing to publicity Nand-comar’s infamies, and giving proofs of most them, or indeed of all, it came out that this man used to forge bills of exchange under the hands and seals of eminent men; and that after having imitated their seals exactly, he kept them at home, ready at all times for manufacturing, as occasion required, bills of exchange and bonds in any one’s name and hand, to be hereafter produced at his pleasure; by which iniquitous practice, he used to keep every one in awe of his displeasure. Amongst these pieces of his manufactury Le had forged an obligation bond in favour of Bolakidas, a banker, at all times of much credit, but who had acquired a great name in Mir-cassem-qhan’s time. He had presented it to the Company’s cash-keeper, and had received the full amount, which he had kept to himself. To enquire into so heinous an offence, and to discern the punishment due by law, it became necessary to have a Grand-jury. A Grand-jury signifies an assembly of twelve creditable Englishmen, chosen by lot, which the culprit may recuse one after another, so far as to get them changed two different times, if he should object to them all; but at the third time he ceases to exercise the right of recusing any of them; and they remain twelve in number. Their duty is to examine what is to be his punish­ment*; but till they have found out this punishment, they cannot be spoken to by any one, lest they might be influenced to swerve from the dictates of justice and equity. This Grand-jury was made up over and over, and twice changed (the Court of Justice at that time being full of people), untiI it was proved and determined that Nand-comar was guilty and deserved death; and that his kind of punition ought to be hanging. He was a man of a wicked disposition and a haughty temper, envious to a high degree, and upon bad terms with the greatest part of mankind, although he had conferred favours on two or three men, and was firm in his attachments. The moment he perceived that any one had ceased to pay him his court for a few days, either out of sickness, or because he wanted nothing from him, that instant he became his enmy; nor did he give himself any rest until he had run him down, and demolished him totally. At last he met with what he deserved; and his supplice took place. It is observable that as the General had given him strong assur­ances that none should ever hurt him, and that were he even to be carried to the foot of the gallows, he never would have any thing to fear, provided he exerted himself strenuously in bring­ing to light the Governor’s misdemeanours, that man predestinated to death, never ceased both out of firmness of temper, and out of hatred to the Governor, to accumulate accusations against him, without ever minding how exposed he was himself to an attack. That man, advised and instigated by the General, and become bolder and bolder, had of late set up a number of new accusations against the Governor; and in the violence of his wickedness and malice he had never minded that he was left alone, and had remained exposed to an attack. The Governor having refuted all his imputations, brought proofs of Nand-comar’s great misdemeanours and crimes; and this affair made so much Nand-comar executed. noise, that questions and answers of these two men were written down in the English language and character; and the whole being bound up together in the form of a book, was sent to England, from which such vast number of copies were drawn out, that this subject is become famous, and an object of much curiosity in that nation. Nevertheless the General’s protection having proved of no avail against a crime that had been fully ascertained, Nand-comar underwent his sentence in the manner statued; and on the seventeenth of Djemady, of the year one thousand one hundred and eighty-nine, he was drawn up and hanged by the neck. His money and effects were registered, and then delivered to his son, Radja Goordass. They say that His immense property. the whole amounted to fifty-two lacs in money, and full as much more in effects and other property in his possession. Amongst other strange things found in his house, there came out a small casket containing the forged seals of a number persons of distinction. In consequence of this discovery, his malicious arts were dragged to open light, and they met with what they well deserved.