LXXXII.  “As Mirza Shaffee’s grandfather was brother to Sufdar Jung, there can be no doubt of what his declaration means; and if this measure of dismissing the old Begum should be persisted in, I should not, from the state of affairs, and the character of the Amir ul Omrah, be surprised at some immediate and violent resolution being adopted by him.”

LXXXIII.  That Mirza Shaffee, mentioned in this correspondence, (who has since been murdered,) was of near kindred to the lady in question, (grandmother to the Nabob,) was resident in a province immediately adjoining to the province of Oude, and, from proximity of situation and nearness of connection, was likely to have any intelligence concerning his female relations from the best authority.

LXXXIV.  That the Resident, Bristow, on receiving this letter, did apply to the said Hyder Beg Khan for an explanation of the Nabob’s intentions, who denied that the Nabob intended more than a visit of duty and ceremony:  which, whatever his dispositions might have been, and probably were, towards his own mother, was not altogether probable, as it was well known that he was on very bad terms with the mother of his father, and it appears that intentions of a similar nature had been before manifested even with regard to his own mother, and therefore obtained the more easy credit concerning the other woman of high rank aforesaid, especially as the evil designs of the said Hyder Beg were abundantly known, and that the said Hastings, upon whom he did wholly depend, continued to recommend “the most effectual, that is, the most violent, means for the recovery of the small remains of his extorted demand.”  But although it does not appear that the Resident did give credit to the said report, yet the effect of the same on the minds of the neighboring princes did make it proper and necessary to direct a strict inquiry into the same, which was not done; and it does not appear that any further inquiry was made into the true motives for this projected journey to Fyzabad, nor into the proceedings of Hyder Beg Khan, although the said Warren Hastings well knew that all the acts of the Nabob and his principal ministers were constantly attributed to him, and that it was known that secret agents, as well as the Company’s regular agent, were employed by him at Lucknow and other places.

LXXXV.  That the said Hastings, who did, on pretence of the majesty of justice, refuse to inquire into the charges made upon the female parents of the Nabob of Oude, in justification of the violence offered to them, did voluntarily and of his own accord make himself an accuser of the Resident, Middleton, for the want of a literal execution of his orders in the plans of extortion and rapine aforesaid:  the criminal nature, spirit, and tendency of the said proceedings, for the defective execution of which he brought the said charge, appearing in the defence or apology made by Mr. Middleton, the Resident, for his temporary and short forbearances.