lence, and oppression, they put these eunuchs into prison,
without food and water, and loaded their limbs with fetters. This was
their second imprisonment; and what followed these few severities your
Lordships will remark,--still more severities. They continued to
persecute, to oppress, to work upon these men by torture and by the fear
of torture, till at last, having found that all their proceedings were
totally ineffectual, they desire the women to surrender their house;
though it is in evidence before you, that to remove a woman from her own
house to another house without her consent is an outrage of the greatest
atrocity, on account of which many women have not only threatened, but
have actually put themselves to death. Mr. Hastings himself, in the case
of Munny Begum, had considered such a proposition as the last degree of
outrage that could be offered. These women offered to go from house to
house while their residence was searched; but "No," say their
tormentors, "the treasure may be bricked up, in so large a house, in
such a manner that we cannot find it."

But to proceed with the treatment of these unfortunate men. I will read
to your Lordships a letter of Mr. Middleton to Captain Leonard Jaques,
commanding at Fyzabad, 18th March, 1782.

"Sir,--I have received your letter of the 13th instant. The two
prisoners, Behar and Jewar Ali Khan, having violated their written
solemn engagement with me for the payment of the balance due to the
Honorable Company on the Nabob's assignments accepted by them, and
declining giving me any satisfactory assurances on that head, I am
under the disagreeable necessity of recurring to severities to
enforce the said payment. This is, therefore, to desire that you
immediately cause them to be put in irons, and kept so until I
shall arrive at Fyzabad, to take further measures, as may be
necessary."

Here is the answer of Captain Jaques to Mr. Middleton.

"_April 23d, 1782._

"Sir,--Allow me the honor of informing you that the place the
prisoners Behar Ali Khan and Jewar Ali Khan are confined in is
become so very unhealthy, by the number obliged to be on duty in so
confined a place at this hot season of the year, and so situated,
that no reduction can with propriety be made from their guard, it
being at such a distance from the battalion."

You see, my Lords, what a condition these unfortunate p