stings does not meet Nundcomar: he was afraid of him. But he was
not negligent of his own defence; for he flies to the Supreme Court of
Justice. He there prosecuted an inquiry against Nundcomar for a
conspiracy. Failing in that, he made other attempts, and disabled
Nundcomar from appearing before the board by having him imprisoned, and
thus utterly crippled that part of the prosecution against him. But as
guilt is never able thoroughly to escape, it did so happen, that the
Council, finding monstrous deficiencies in the Begum's affairs, finding
the Nabob's allowance totally squandered, that the most sacred pensions
were left unpaid, that nothing but disorder and confusion reigned in all
his affairs, that the Nabob's education was neglected, that he could
scarcely read or write, that there was scarcely any mark of a man left
in him except those which Nature had at first imprinted,--I say, all
these abuses being produced in a body before them, they thought it
necessary to send up to inquire into them; and a considerable deficiency
or embezzlement appearing in the Munny Begum's account of the young
Nabob's stipend, she voluntarily declared, by a writing under her seal,
that she had given 15,000_l._ to Mr. Hastings for an entertainment.

Mr. Hastings, finding that the charge must come fully against him,
contrived a plan which your Lordships will see the effects of presently,
and this was, to confound this lac and an half, or 15,000_l._, with the
two lacs given directly and specifically as a bribe,--intending to avail
himself of this finesse whenever any payment was to be proved of the two
lacs, which he knew would be proved against him, and which he never did
deny; and accordingly your Lordships will find some confusion in the
proofs of the payment of those sums. The receipt of two lacs is proved
by Nundcomar, proved with all the means of detection which I have
stated; the receipt of the lac and a half is proved by Munny Begum's
letter, the authenticity of which was established, and never denied by
Mr. Hastings. In addition to these proofs, Rajah Gourdas, who had the
management of the Nabob's treasury, verbally gave an account perfectly
corresponding with that of Nundcomar and the Munny Begum's letter; and
he afterwards gave in writing an attestation, which in every point
agrees correctly with the others. So that there are three witnesses upon
this business. And he shall not disqualify Rajah Gourdas, because,
whatever charact