, at best answering to our
common beadle or tipstaff, was sent with a message (of what nature does
not appear) from Mr. Hastings, or the Resident, to the prince under
arrest: and this base person, without regard to the rank of the
prisoner, or to his then occupation, addressed him in a rude, boisterous
manner, "passionately and insultingly," (as the said Rajah has without
contradiction asserted,) "and, reviling him with a loud voice, gave both
him and his people the vilest abuse"; and the manner and matter being
observable and audible to the multitude, divided only by an open stone
lattice from the scene within, a firing commenced from without the
palace; on which the Rajah again interposed, and did what in him lay to
suppress the tumult, until, an English officer striking him with a
sword, and wounding him on the hand, the people no longer kept any
measures, but broke through the inclosure of the palace. The insolent
tipstaff was first cut down, and the multitude falling upon the sepoys
and the English officers, the whole, or nearly the whole, were cut to
pieces: the soldiers having been ordered to that service without any
charges for their pieces. And in this tumult, the Rajah, being justly
fearful of falling into the hands of the said Hastings, did make his
escape over the walls of his palace, by means of a rope formed of his
turban tied together, into a boat upon the river, and from thence into a
place of security; abandoning many of his family to the discretion of
the said Hastings, who did cause the said palace to be occupied by a
company of soldiers after the flight of the Rajah.

XIII. That the Rajah, as soon as he had arrived at a place of refuge,
did, on the very day of his flight, send a suppliant letter to the said
Hastings, filled with expressions of concern (affirmed by the said
Hastings to be slight expressions) for what had happened, and
professions (said by the said Hastings to be indefinite and unapplied)
of fidelity: but the said Warren Hastings, though bound by his duty to
hear the said Rajah, and to prevent extremities, if possible, being
filled with insolence and malice, did not think it "_becoming_ of him to
make any reply to it; and that he _thought_ he ordered the bearer of the
letter to be told that _it required none_."

XIV. That this letter of submission having been received, the said
Rajah, not discouraged or provoked from using every attempt towards
peace and reconciliation, did again appl