on and the English are engaged.

"Second, Whenever the Begum may choose to go to Mecca, I will not
oppose it.

"Third, Whenever the Begum should go to Mecca, she shall leave her
lands, jaghires, &c., either in the care of my mother or of me; and
I will procure bills for the amount of their revenues, and send
them to her: no one shall oppose this.

"Fourth, The Begum shall have authority over all the ladies of her
zenanah; she shall let them remain with me, and not let them go
anywhere without my permission, or keep them with her.

"Fifth, The jaghires Coda Gunge and Ali Gunge, &c., with the mahal
and syer belonging to the Begum and made over, shall remain as
heretofore in her possession: Total, 14,460 rupees per month.

"Eighth, The Begum has authority over the ladies and attendants of
the zenanah; neither myself nor any one else will oppose it.

"Ninth, The Begum, my grandmother, shall have the authority in all
festivals, and in the marriage of the children of the late Nabob
Sujah ul Dowlah, and, with the consent of my mother and myself,
shall regulate them: excepting in the festivals (_shadee_), the
authority is mine.

"The English are guaranties to the above engagements, so long as
the Begum shall exist."

Your Lordships will observe something here worthy of your notice. You
will first perceive, that the very treaty in which Mr. Hastings, by his
representative, Mr. Middleton, was a party concerned, supposes that the
Nabob Sujah ul Dowlah had other children besides the reigning prince by
his sole legitimate wife; and yet Mr. Hastings, in his defence, has
thought proper, with a full knowledge of that circumstance, to doubt
whether there were any other children. You next see that these women
have Mr. Middleton's (that is, Mr. Hastings's) guaranty for the
allowances which are made and settled upon them, and for the maintenance
of their attendants, for the security and enjoyment of their own
possessions, for their having a law officer of high rank, a moulavy, of
their own. In short, there is a regular establishment formed for all
these women: they are not separated as a part distinct from the Begums,
but they are put by this very guaranty entirely under their management;
the maintenance of the children is secured; the whole order and economy
of their establishment is delivered entirely to the Begum, the
gran