I shall now read to your Lordships Mr. Middleton's letters, that you may
hear these men with their own mouths describing their own acts, and that
your Lordships may then judge whether the highest tone and language of
crimination comes up to their own description of their own proceedings.

"_Lucknow, the 6th of Dec., 1781._

"Finding the Nabob wavering in his determination about the
resumption of the jaghires, I this day, in presence of, and with
the minister's concurrence, ordered the necessary purwannahs to be
written to the several aumils for that purpose, and it was my firm
resolution to have dispatched them this evening, with proper people
to see them punctually and implicitly carried into execution; but
before they were all transcribed, I received a message from the
Nabob, who had been informed by the minister of the resolution I
had taken, entreating that I would withhold the purwannahs till
to-morrow morning, when he would attend me, and afford me
satisfaction on this point. As the loss of a few hours in the
dispatch of the purwannahs appeared of little moment, and as it is
possible the Nabob, seeing that the business will at all events be
done, may make it an act of his own, I have consented to indulge
him in his request; but, be the result of our interview whatever it
may, nothing shall prevent the orders being issued to-morrow,
either by him or myself, with the concurrence of the ministers.
Your pleasure respecting the Begums I have learnt from Sir Elijah,
and the measure heretofore proposed will soon follow the resumption
of the jaghires; from both, or, indeed, from the former alone, I
have no doubt of the complete liquidation of the Company's
balance."