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 character he thought fit to give Nundcomar, he has given the best of characters to Rajah Gourdas, who was employed by Mr. Hastings in occupations of trust, and therefore any objections to his competency cannot exist.  Having got thus far, the only thing that remained was to examine the records of the public offices, and see whether any trace of these transactions was to be found there.  These offices had been thrown into confusion in the manner you will hear; but, upon strict inquiry, there was a shomaster, or office paper, produced, from which it appears that the officer of the treasury, having brought to the Nabob an account of one lac and a half which he said had been given to Mr. Hastings, desired to know from him under what head of expense it should be entered, and that he, the Nabob, desired him to put it under the head of expenses for entertaining Mr. Hastings.  If there had been a head of entertainment