much to be doubted, that fome of the charges laid against the Rajah Cheit Sing, might be well founded. That he perhaps entered into negociations with the native princes in the adjoining countries, for mutual fupport, and for acting on fome plan of general concert, in the defence of their refpective rights; and that he might have correfponded with the difcontented Begums of Oude, or caballed with the difaffected Rajahs, in the neighbouring English governments.

The governor general ftates, that various accounts had been repeatedly tranfmitted to Calcutta, as well by the English refidents at Benares, as by feveral of the company's officers, from different parts of that country, of the frequent and ftrong marks of difaffection that were fhewn by the rajah himself; but which were difplayed in a ftill higher degree by his officers, and by the people in general. These charges, indeed, fo far as they are fhewn, are laid in very loofe and general terms; without any fpecification of facts, dates, names, or circumftances. It is not lefs remarkable, that they are not included in the written complaints of his conduct, which the governor general fent to the Rajah himself upon the spot.

But however juft the charges of contumacy and difaffection laid against the Rajah might have been, and however neceffary, perhaps, in fome degree their correction, it is fully evident, that the enormous expences of the war had fo drained the treafury of Bengal, and the means of ftill feeding it

in all its parts went fo far beyond the revenues of the state, that the, looking out for new fources of fupply was become a matter of great urgency. In fuch circumftances, the fuppofed wealth and real weakness of the Rajah, pointed him out as the immediate and proper object for fupplying the public neceffities.

Such was the fituation of the Rajah, and the state of affairs in the country of Benares, before and about the time that the governor general fet out on his progrefs from Calcutta, upon the 7th of July 1781. He had, in that progrefs, other objects befides Benares in view. Order was, if poffible, to be reftared in the dominions of the Nabob vizier, and money, at all events, to be there procured. A separate peace with Madajee Scindia was then likewife in agitation, through the intervention of Colonel Muir; and the governor general hoped that his approach to the fcene of negociation, might afford means for bringing it the more fpeedily to a conclufion. This was indeed an object of the first importance.

With refpect to Benares, the governor general ftates in his narrative of thefe tranfactions, that the difappointment of aid from the Rajah, though in a season of fuch extreme public diftrefs and danger, was ftill lefs a matter of confideration with him, than that thofe repeated acts of contumacy and difobedience of which he had. been guilty, appeared evidences of a deliberate and fyftematic conduct, aiming at the total fubver fion of the company's authority, and the erection of his own inde

pendency

pendency on its ruins; a defign, he fays, which had been long and generally imputed to him. He farther obferves, that it was reported he had inherited a valt mafs of wealth from his father Bulwant Sing, which he had fecured in the two ftrong fortreffes of Lutteefpoor and Bidjeygur ; and that he made yearly additions to it; that he kept up a large military establishment, both of cavalry, of difciplined and irregular infantry, and of artillery; that befides the two already named, he had many other fortreffes, of strong conftruction and in good repair, conftantly well ftored and garrifoned; that he maintained a correfpondence with the Marattas, and other powers, who either were, or might eventually become enemies to the company; and, that he was collecting, or had prepared, every provifion for open revolt, waiting only for a proper feafon to declare it, which was fuppofed to depend, either on the arrival of a French armament, or on a Maratta invasion.

It will appear not a little extraordinary, that feveral of these matters, particularly whatever relates to the Rajah's military eftablishment and preparations, the ftate of his garrifons, and the internal condition or appearance of things, fhould be founded on no better authority than mere report, when it is confidered, that the ftrong fortress of Chunar, in the centre of his dominions, and within an easy march of his capital, had for many years been garrifoned by. the English; that his country was the highway and thoroughfare to the company's troops, in their frequent paffage to and from the

dominions of Oude, and all the western fide of India; that it was equally the paffage and the refidence of their merchants and traders; and that it was at all times open to the free obfervation and inspection of their officers whether civil or military.

Another offence was indeed charged on the Rajah, which perhaps had its weight. That he had, by his agents and emiffaries at Calcutta, taken an active and decided part against the governor general, in thofe contefts which had for fome years back prevailed between him and other members of the council. To that continued oppofition which he met with in Calcutta, to the difapprobation of his conduct induftriously published by the parties formed against him in England, and to the conftant expectation from thence entertained in India of his speedy degradation, the governor general attributes all the mifconduct, mifdeeds, and crimes of the Rajah of Benares.

In the progrefs of his narrative, the governor general by degrees opens and avows the motives and objects of his expedition, with refpect to that prince. He fays, that he confidered Cheit Sing as culpable, in a very high degree, towards the ftate, and his punishment, (of which, he fays, he had given him frequent warnings if he did not amend his conduct) as an example which juftice and policy required. That, he was refolved to draw from his guilt the means of relief to the company's diftreffes, and to exact a penalty, which he was convinced he was very well able to bear, from a fund, which he was also convinc

ed,

" an

ed, he had destined for purposes of the most dangerous tendency to the company's dominion. In a word, that, he had determined to make him pay largely for his pardon, or to exact a fevere vengeance for his paft delinquency. He feems, however, apprehenfive in feveral inftances, that the tranfactions of which he gives the detail, would be fubject to much difcuffion, if not cenfure, at home; and in one, he seems to think it neceffary, to appeal to his motives, at leaft in a certain degree, as a juftification of his conduct. -He fays, "I will fup. pofe for a moment that I have "erred, that I have acted with unwarrantable rigour to"wards Cheit Sing, and even with injuftice; let my motive "be confulted; I left Calcutta "impreffed with a belief that ex"traordinary means were necef"fary, and thofe exerted with a "ftrong hand, to preferve the "company's interefts from fink"ing under the accumulated "weight which oppreffed them: "I faw a political neceffity for "curbing the overgrown power "of a great member of their do"minion, and for making it con"tribute to the relief of their preffing exigencies.-If I erred, my error was prompted by an "excess of zeal for their interefts "operating with too ftrong a bias "upon my judgment."

It appears from a conference between the governor general and Mr. Wheler (which is ftated in the narrative, they being, as we apprehend, the only members of the council then in Bengal) on the eve of the expedition, that it was then confidentially communi

cated and agreed upon, that the Rajah's offences requiring early punishment, his wealth being great, and the company's exigencies preffing, it was a meafure of policy and justice, to exact from him a large pecuniary mulet for their relief; the first having declared his refolution to extend the fine to the amount of forty or fifty lacks.

The governor general's progrefs up the Ganges, lafted near fix weeks before his arrival at Benares. Whether it proceeded from a sense of past, a consciousness of intended criminality, or a full knowledge of the dangers with which fuch progreffes were generally pregnant, and a conviction that thefe were now much augmented under the peculiar preffure of the times; from whatever caufe it proceeded, it appears evidently that the Rajah was exceedingly alarmed at this journey, and. that his mind feemed already to forebode fome part of the enfuing calamities. Indeed, exclufive of all other caufes of apprehenfion, the favourable reception and entertainment which Ouffaun Sing, a profligate relation of his, had for fome time received at Calcutta, and the fingular circumftance of his now attending the governor gene. ral in his train, and coming under that protection, would in themselves have afforded no fmall room for alarm.

It appears from the Rajah's ma. nifefto, and other testimonies, which do not feem to be any where contradicted, that this man, who had once been dewan, or miniter, having loft his office thro' the effects of misconduct, or court intrigue, and afterwards fquan

dered

dered his fubftance in a course of vice and profligacy, he was at length banished the country for his crimes. That being in that flate joined by feveral whofe condition, characters, and defperate fortunes correfponded with his own, they drew together a number of those rovers of all nations, with whom India, more than any other part of the world abounds, fo that he was at length enabled to invade, and to excite fome fort of rebellion in the country of Benares; and became fo formidable, that it was only by the aid of the English, whofe forces were called in for the purpose, that, after doing infinite mifchief, he was defeated and driven out. Such was the man, who now came in the fuite of the governor general, to revifit the city and country of Benares.

Upon the governor general's arrival at Buxar, on the borders of Benares, he was met by the rajah, who brought with him a great train of the principal people of his country. Mr. Haftings remarks, with difapprobation, that he had brought with him a great Bleet of boats; that he had afterwards been informed they were crowded with chofen armed men to the amount of two thoufand; and that this circumftance was a matter of much obfervation and notice with fome of the gentlemen of his train. It is not improbable that this matter was much mifreprefented to him. It is now evident that no defign had been formed against his perfon; nor can it be drawn or fuppofed from the fubfequent circumstances, that any fuch number of chofen or of

armed men were yet collected in a body.

The governor general informs us, that he received the Rajah with civility, and without any expreffion of difpleasure, at Buxar. That he received a fecond vifit from him in his boat, upon their paffage up the river, on the following morning; when a private conference was requested and granted. He does not at all affume being correct in his recollection of the particulars which paffed in this private converfation; for confidering it, he fays, as accidental, and as making no part of the plan which he had concerted in his own mind for his conduct with the Rajah, he did not think it of fufficient confequence to make any written minutes.

From his recollection, however, of the fubftance of this conference, it appears, that the Rajah expreffed much concern for his difpleafure, and contrition for having himself given any occafion for it; declaring at the fame time, and in the moft humiliating terms, that the zemindary and every thing he poffeffed were at his devotion: that he expreffed great fears about Ouffaun Sing; and that upon that occafion, whether it proceeded from an extraordinary agitation of mind, or from a defire to imprefs a strong opinion of his fincerity, he accompanied his words with the fingular action of laying his turban in Mr. Haftings's lap.-The governor general, in answer, dif. claimed the idea of his defcending to become a party in the Rajah's family difagreements: but avowed

his difpleasure to be equal to whatever he had heard or might have conjectured of it; and concluded by declaring, that he had been already deceived by his oaths and proteftations, and that he should not fuffer his purpose to be changed, or his duty to be over-ruled, by any verbal conceffions or declarations. He takes no notice of any demands being made, or terms offered, upon this occafion.

But the Rajah ftates in his manifefto, that the demands made upon him at this meeting, were in the highest degree exorbitant. That after difcourfing upon the fubject of the tribute, and profeffions from him of his attachment and fidelity to the company, and of his willingness to comply with their demands, the payment of no less a fum than a crore of rupees (amounting to a hundred lacks, or about 1,200,000 pounds fterling) was the demand made upon him; and that to this was added his furrender of the fortrefs of Bidjeygur, which he calls his family refidence, the depofit of his women and of his honour." That, to the first of these demands he pleaded inability; and with respect to the fecond, he afked what he had done, that the company should dishonour him fo as to take away the fort where his family refided.

66

On the day of their Aug. 14th. arrival at Benares, 1781. the governor general

fent a meffenger to forbid the Rajah's waiting upon him in the evening as he had intended; defiring at the fame time, that he might defer his future vifits until he should obtain permiffion, as he had fome matters previously to

fettle with him. As this infult. ing and fufficiently alarming meffage produced no manner of effect on the Rajah's motions or conduct, it may well be concluded, that he had formed no defigns againft Mr. Haftings's perfon, that he had made no armed preparations, and that he was equally indisposed to flight and to refift

ance.

On the following evening, Mr. Markham, the refident at Benares, was fent by the governor general, with a paper drawn up by himfelf, containing the feveral charges which he laid against the rajah, and demanding an immediate anfwer. These were founded, on the Rajah's repeated evafion and breach of promise with respect to the payment of the fubfidies, and the lofs fuftained, in one particular inftance, by Col. Camac's corps, through that failure; on his evafion and non-compliance with refpect to the body of cavalry which was demanded of him; his endeavours to excite diforders in the English government by the means of fecret emiffaries; and, milgovernment in his own territories, by his fuffering the public perpetration of robberies and murders, in violation of the tenure by which he held them. But the great ftrefs of the whole feemed to be refted, upon that infidelity and difaffection to government, which appeared in the two first instances.

The Rajah, in his answer, which was returned late at night by Mr. Markham, entered into a written justification of the feveral parts of his conduct. He ftates, that the payment of the fubfidies had been much more regularly made

than