VIII.  That, in the conclusion of the said ceremony, the Nabob Fyzoola Khan did deliver to the said Barwell, for the use of the Vizier, a nuzzer (or present) of elephants, horses, &c., and did add thereto a lac of rupees, or 10,000_l._ and upwards:  which sum the said Barwell, “not being authorized to accept any pecuniary consideration, did at first refuse; but upon Fyzoola Khan’s urging, that on such occasions it was the invariable custom of Hindostan, and that it must on the present be expected, as it had been formerly the case,” (but when does not appear,) he, the said Barwell, did accept the said lac in the name of the Vizier, our ally, “in whose wealth” (as Warren Hastings on another occasion observed) “we should participate,” and on whom we at that time had an accumulating demand.

IX.  That, over and above the lac of rupees thus presented to the Vizier, the Nabob Fyzoola Khan did likewise offer one other lac of rupees, or upwards of 10,000_l._ more, for the Company, “as some acknowledgment of the obligation he received; that, although such acknowledgment was not pretended to be the invariable custom of Hindostan on such occasions, however it might on the present be expected,” Mr. Daniel Barwell aforesaid (knowing, probably, the disposition and views of the then actual government at Calcutta) did not, even at first, decline the said offer, but, as he was not empowered to accept it, did immediately propose taking a bond for the amount, until the pleasure of the board should be known.

That the offer was accordingly communicated by the said Barwell to the Resident, Middleton, to be by him, the Resident, referred to the board, and that it was so referred; that, in reply to the said reference of the Resident, Middleton, the Governor-General, Warren Hastings, did move and carry a vote of Council, “authorizing Mr. Middleton to accept the offer made by Fyzoola Khan to the Company of one lac of rupees,” without assigning any reason whatever in support of the said motion, notwithstanding it was objected by a member of the board, “that, if the measure was right, it became us to adopt it without such a consideration,” and that “our accepting of the lac of rupees as a recompense for our interposition is beneath the dignity of this government [of Calcutta], and will discredit us in the eyes of the Indian powers.”

That the acceptance of the said sum, in this circumstance, was beneath the dignity of the said government, and did tend so to discredit us; and that the motion of the said Hastings for such acceptance was therefore highly derogatory to the honor of this nation.