e said crimes and offences were charged for the purpose of
extorting money, and not upon principles or for the ends of justice.

XXXIX. That, after some ineffectual negotiations to make the prisoners
pay the money, which it does not appear to have been in their power to
pay, they were again threatened by the Resident, in a letter to Major
Gilpin, dated 9th June, 1782, in the following terms. "I wish you to
explain once more to the prisoners the imprudence and folly of their
conduct in forcing me to a measure which must be attended with
consequences so very serious to them, and that, when once they are
removed to Lucknow, it will not be in my power to show them mercy, or to
stand between them and the vengeance of the Nabob. Advise them to
reflect seriously upon the unhappy situation in which they will be
involved in one case, and the relief it will be in my power to procure
them in the other; and let them make their option."

XL. That he, the said Resident, did also, at the same time, receive a
letter from the princess mother, which letter does not appear, but to
which only the following insolent return was made,--that is to say: "The
letter from the Bhow Begum is no ways satisfactory, and I cannot think
of returning an answer to it. Indeed, all correspondence between the
Begum and me has long been stopped; and I request you will be pleased to
inform her that I by no means wish to resume it, or to maintain any
friendly intercourse with her, until she has made good my claim upon her
for the balance due."

XLI. That, in consequence of these threats, and to prevent a separation
of the ministers from their mistresses, several plans for the payment of
the balance were offered, both by the mother of the Nabob and the
prisoners, to which no other objection appears to have been made than
the length of time required by the parties to discharge the
comparatively small remainder of the extorted bond: the officer on
command declaring, that, conformable to his instructions, he could not
receive the same.[66]

XLII. That the prisoners were actually removed from the city of their
residence to the city of Lucknow, where they arrived on the 24th of
June, 1782, and were on the next day threatened with severities, "to
make them discover where the balance might be procurable." And on the
28th, it should seem, that the severities for the purpose aforesaid were
inflicted, at least upon one of them; for the Assistant Resident,
Johnson, did