nalterable opinion that it was
indispensably necessary to employ temporizing expedients, and to work
upon the hopes and fears of the Begum herself, and more especially upon
those of her principal agents, through whose means alone there appeared
any probable chance of our getting access to the hidden treasures of the
late Vizier; and when I acquaint you that by far the greatest part of
the treasure which has been delivered to the Nabob was taken from the
most secret recesses in the houses of the two eunuchs, whence, of
course, it could not have been extracted without the adoption of those
means which could induce the discovery, I shall hope for your
approbation of what I did. I must also observe, that no further rigor
than that which I exerted could have been used against females in this
country, to whom there can be no access. The Nabob and Salar Jung were
the only two that could enter the zenanah: the first was a son, who was
to address a parent, and, of course, could use no language or action but
that of earnest and reiterated solicitation; and the other was, in all
appearance, a traitor to our cause. Where force could be employed, it
was not spared: the troops of the Begum were driven away and dispersed;
their guns taken; her fort, and the outward walls of her house seized
and occupied by our troops, at the Nabob's requisition; and her chief
agents imprisoned and put in irons. No further step was left. And in
this situation they still remain, and are to continue (excepting only a
remission of the irons) until the final liquidation of the payment; and
if then you deem it proper, no possible means of offence being left in
her hands or those of her agents, all her lands and property having been
taken, I mean, with your sanction, to restore her house and servants to
her, and hope to be favored with your early reply, as I expect that a
few days will complete the final surrender of all that is further
expected from the Begum."

There are some things in this letter which I shall beg your Lordships to
remark. There is mention made of a few preliminary severities used by
Mr. Middleton, in order to get at their money. Well, he did get at the
money, and he got a bond for the payment of an additional sum, which
they thought proper to fix at about six hundred thousand pounds, to
which was added another usurious bond for sixty thousand; and in order
to extort these forced bonds, and to make up their aggravated crimes of
usury, vio