me resolved, that, as soon as the
Begum's engagements with the Nabob, to which Mr. Bristow is a
party, shall be fulfilled on her part, this government will think
themselves bound to protect her against any further demand or
molestation.

"9. If, therefore, the disaffection of the Begums was not a matter
of public notoriety, we cannot but be alarmed for the effects which
these subsequent transactions must have had on the minds of the
natives of India. The only consolation we feel upon this occasion
is, that the amount of those jaghires for which the Company were
guaranties is to be paid through our Resident at the court of the
Vizier; and it very materially concerns the credit of your
government on no account to suffer such payments to be evaded.

"10. If it shall hereafter be found that the Begums did not take
that hostile part against the Company which has been represented,
as well in the Governor-General's Narrative as in several documents
therein referred to,--and as it nowhere appears, from the papers at
present in our possession, that they excited any commotion previous
to the imprisonment of Rajah Cheyt Sing, but only armed themselves
in consequence of that transaction,--and as it is probable that
such a conduct proceeded entirely from motives of self-defence,
under an apprehension that they themselves might likewise be laid
under unwarrantable contributions,--we direct that you use your
influence with the Vizier that their jaghires may be restored to
them; but if they should be under apprehensions respecting the
future conduct of the Vizier, and wish our further protection, it
is our pleasure that you afford those ladies an asylum within the
Company's territories, and there be paid the amount of the net
collections of their jaghires, agreeably to the second article of
the late treaty, through the medium of our Resident, as may be
ascertained upon an average estimate of some years back."

You see, my Lords, the Directors had received every one of his false
impressions. They had conceived an idea, that, after the rebellion of
Cheyt Sing, (but not before, upon his own showing,) the Begums had shown
a disposition to arm. They here assume a false fact, which Mr. Hastings
stated in his representation of the business to them. They assume a
variety of other false facts: t