“I received your letter and observe what you desire in regard to the French factories and other goods.  I address you seeing you are a man of wisdom and knowledge, and well acquainted with the customs and trade of the world; and you must know that the French by the permission and phirmaund[60] of the King[61] have built them several factories, and carried on their trade in this kingdom.  I cannot therefore without hurting my character and exposing myself to trouble hereafter, deliver up their factories and goods, unless I have a written order from them for so doing, and I am perswaded that from your friendship for me you would never be glad at anything whereby my fame would suffer; as I on my part am ever desirous of promoting” [yours].

“Mr. Renault, the French.  Governor being in your power, if you could get from him a paper under his own hand and seal to this purpose; ’That of his own will and pleasure, he thereby gave up to the English Company’s servants, and empowered them to receive all the factories, money and goods belonging to the French Company without any hindrance from the Nawab’s people;’ and would send this to me, I should be secured by that from any trouble hereafter on this account.  But it is absolutely necessary you come to some agreement about the King’s duties arising from the French trade....  I shall then be able to answer to his servants ’that in order to make good the duties accruing from the French trade I had delivered up their factories into the hands of the English.’"[62]

Clive replied on the 8th of April:—­

“Now that I have granted terms to Mr. Renault, and that he is under my protection, it is contrary to our custom, after this, to use violence; and without it how would he ever of his own will and pleasure, write to desire you to deliver up his master’s property.  Weigh the justice of this in your own mind.  Notwithstanding we have reduced the French so low you, contrary to your own interest and the treaty you have made with us, that my enemies should be yours, you still support and encourage them.  But should you think it would hurt your character to deliver up the French factories and goods, your Excellency need only signify to me your approbation and I will march up and take them."[63]

The more we study the records of the time, the more clearly we realize the terrible determination of Clive’s character, and we almost feel a kind of pity for the weak creatures who found themselves opposed to him, until we come across incidents like the above, which show the depths of meanness to which they were prepared to descend.

As to Renault’s further career little is known, and that little we should be glad to forget.  Placed in charge of the French Settlement at Karical, he surrendered, on the 5th of April, 1760, to what was undoubtedly an overwhelming British force, but after so poor a defence that he was brought before a Court Martial and cashiered.  It speaks highly for the respect in which he had been held by both nations that none of the various reports and accounts of the siege mention him by name.  Even Lally, who hated the French Civilians, though he says he deserved death,[64] only refers to him indirectly as being the same officer of the Company who had surrendered Chandernagore to Clive.