the affairs of the Company have been exposed to much inconvenience and injury.

That in all such concealments and acts done or ordered without the consent and authority of the Supreme Council, the said Warren Hastings has been guilty of high crimes and misdemeanors.

XXII. RIGHTS oF FYZOOLA KHÂN, &c. BEFORE THE TREATY OF LALL-DANG.

THAT the Nabob Fyzoola Khân, who now holds of the Vizier the territory of Rampore, Shawabad, and certain other districts dependent thereon, in the country of the Rohillas, is the second son of a prince, renowned in the history of Hindostan under the name of Ali Mohammed Khân, some time sovereign of all that part of Rohilcund, which is particularly distinguished by the appellation of the Kutteehr.

II.

That after the death of Ali Mohammed aforesaid, as Fyzoola Khân, together with his elder brother, was then a prisoner of war at a place called

G G4

called Herat, "the Rohilla chiefs took possession "of the ancient estates" of the captive princes; and the Nabob, Fyzoola Khân, was from necessity compelled to wave his hereditary rights for the inconsiderable districts of Rampore and Shawabad, then estimated to produce from six to eight lacks of annual revenue.

III..

That in 1774, on the invasion of Rohilcund by the united armies of the Vizier Sujah ul Dowla and the Company, the Nabob, Fyzoola Khân, "with some of his people, was present at the "decisive battle of St. George," where Hafiz Rhanet, the great leader of the Rohillas, and many others of their principal chiefs were slain; but, escaping from the slaughter, Fyzoola Khân "made his retreat good towards the mountains "with all his treasure." He there collected the scattered remains of his countrymen; and as he was the eldest surviving son of Ali Mohammed Khân, as too the most powerful obstacle to his pretensions was now removed by the death of Hafiz, he seems at length to have been generally acknowledged by his natural subjects the undoubted heir of his father's authority.

IV.

That, "regarding the sacred sincerity and friendship of the English, whose goodness and

"celebrity

#celebrity is every where known, who dispossess "no one," the Nabob Fyzoola Khân made early overtures for peace to Colonel Alexander Champion, commander-in-chief of the Company's forces in Bengal: that he did propose to the said Colonel Alexander Champion, in three letters, received on the 14th, 24th, and 27th of May, to put himself under the protection either of the Company or of the Vizier, through the mediation, and with the guarantee, of the Company; and that he did offer "whatever was conferred upon him, to pay "as much without damage or deficiency, as any * other person would agree to do;" stating at the same time his condition and pretensions hereinbefore recited, as facts "evident as the sun;" and appealing, in a forcible and awful manner, to the generosity and magnanimity of this nation, "by "whose means he hoped in God that he should "receive justice;" and as "the person, who de"signed the war, was no more;" as "in that he

was himself guiltless;" and, as "he had never "acted in such a manner as for the Vizier to "have taken hatred to his heart against him; that "he might be reinstated in his ancient posses"sions, the country of his father."

V.

That on the last of the three dates above mentioned, that is to say, on the 27th of May, the Nabob

Nabob Fyzoola Khân did also send to the commander-in-chief a Vakeel, or ambassador, who was authorized on the part of him (the Nabob Fyzoola Khân, his master) to make a specifick offer of three propositions; and that by one of the said propositions "an annual increase of near "L.400,000 would have accrued to the revenues "of our ally, and the immediate acquisition of "above £.300,000 to the Company, for their "influence in effecting an accommodation perfectly consistent with their engagements to the "Vizier," and strictly consonant to the demands of justice.

VI.

That so great was the confidence of the Nabob Fyzoola Khân in the just, humane, and liberal feelings of Englishmen, as to "lull him into an "inactivity" of the most essential-detriment to his interests; since, "in the hopes, which he enter"tained from the interposition of our Govern"ment," he declined the invitation of the Mogul to join the arms of his Majesty and the Mahrattas, "refused any connexion with the Seiks," and did. even neglect to take the obvious precaution of crossing the Ganges, as he had originally intended, while the river was yet fordable, a movement, that would have enabled him certainly to baffle all pursuit, and probably "to keep the Vizier in

a state

66

a state of disquietude for the remainder of his "life."

VII.

That the commander-in-chief, Colonel Alexander Champion aforesaid, "thought nothing could "be more honourable to this nation than the sup

port of so exalted a character; and whilst it "could be done on terms so advantageous, sup"posed it very unlikely that the Vakeel's propo"sition should be received with indifference;" that he did accordingly refer it to the Administration through Warren Hastings, Esquire, then Governour of Fort-William, and President of Bengal ; and he did at the same time enclose to the said Warren Hastings a letter from the Nabob Fyzoola Khân to the said Hastings; which letter does not appear, but must be supposed to have been of the same tenour with those before cited to the commander-in-chief; of which also copies were sent to the said Hastings by the commander-in-chief; and he (the commander-in-chief aforesaid) after urging to the said Hastings sundry good and cogent arguments of policy and prudence, in favour of the Nabob Fyzoola Khân, did conclude by "wishing for nothing so much as for the adop"tion of some measure, that might strike all the 26 powers of the East with admiration of our jus"tice, in contrast to the conduct of the Vizier."

VIII.