WHAT great and indefatigable industry hath bin imployed? What Arts and Devices made use of, to blast the Reputation of the present East-India-Company, is notoriously evident to all, who either give themselves the trouble of listning to those Calumnies, dayly inculcated in all noted Coffee-Houses against them, or to the reading of those Prints exposed publickly, and delivered gratis in the said Coffee-Hou­ses, to all such as will but accept them: Wherein the said Company are not only set forth to be Bankrupts as to their present Condition, but represented as vile and odious as Malice it self can invent, or a Pen dipt in the very gall of Asps can depaint; so that it may justly seem necessary, that at this time a just and modest Vindica­tion of them, and their present Condition from the said Aspertions should be published; and the rather since their Enemies have endeavoured of late to impose, not only upon the unthinking Vulgar, but upon the Members of the Honourable House of Commons, by putting Pa­pers into their hands; wherein besides the scurrility of the Language sutable to the Authors, there are many things notoriously untrue; nay they have presumed so far up­on the whole Body of the Legislative Power of the Na­tion, King, Lords and Commons, as to declare to them, [Page 2]in the preamble to their new Subscriptions, by them now Printed and Published, the very terms of an Act of Parliament to be by them passed, without which, their Subscriptions are ipso facto void, and no wayes obliging, and withal are become so confident, as to publish to the World their Assurance, that an Act shall pass in such terms, as they have there prescribed, which withal sub­mission is left to a just censure.

It is now confessed almost by all, even the very Ene­mies of the present Company, That the East-India Trade is of a great National advantage; That for the making of it more advantagious, it must be car­ried on in a Joynt Stock: That that Stock must be in a Company exclusive to all Interlopers: That a Joynt Stock and Interlopers, are things inconsistent: That such a Company must necessarily be invested with Powers sufficient to govern their respective Residences abroad, and carry on their Trade; So that these things being sufficiently evident to common sense, and now by almost all in general acknowledged, it will be needless to bring any Arguments for the proof of them; by which means the business of this present Paper will be much contra­cted, and applyed only to undeceive the World, in some of those Calumnies, by which the Enemies of the present Company have endeavoured to blacken them, and render them most obnoxious to the Publick; Where­in I shall be as concise as possible I can, without so much as in the least taking notice in particular of that scurri­lous Language and opprobious Expressions, they are pleased to cast upon them.

The first Objection then that presents it self to Consi­deration, and which hath created them so many Ene­mies, is, That the said Company have at several times given disturbance to those Persons, who traded into the places of their Priviledge, and were not free of the [Page 3]said Company, and are therefore stiled Interlopers, and that, by stopping their Ships and Goods, and by other ways and means to the hindrance of their Trade.

To this it is answered, That the Premises before laid down fairly considered, and which are now in a man­ner universally acknowledged, viz. That the Trade of India to render it Nationally advantagious, must be carryed on in a Joynt Stock; That the said Trade in this Nation hath been so carried on all along in a Joynt Stock, exclusive to all others not free of the said Com­pany, by vertue of, and under the Power of the Char­ters of the several Princes of this Realm, ever since the Trade was first established; That a Joynt Stock and In­terloping are wholly inconsistent; And that the present Company had the same Trade wholly and entirely gran­ted to them equally with their Predecessors, from the lawful and undoubted Soveraigns of this Realm: I say these things fairly and impartially considered, It will ap­pear no more injustice in this present Company, to put all stops and Inconveniences they could upon all Persons not free of the said Company, attempting to break in upon them, by trading into the parts of their Priviledge so granted to them as aforesaid, than it would be in a private Person to defend himself from the at­tempts of those, who would wrong him in his Person or Estate, and by force endeavour to wrest him out of the Possession of his Freehold: Nay it may truly and ra­tionally be affirmed, That had not the Managers of the said Stock exerted all the Powers granted them in their Charters, to the keeping out of all unfree Persons from breaking into their Trade, they had been unfaithful to the Trust reposed in them by the Generality, and Be­trayers of the Interest both of themselves, and of the Nation. For whatever Company for the future may or shall be established (if the Wisdom of the Nation shall [Page 4]think sit to make any Alteration,) unless they have Po­wers granted, and Liberty as occasion shall offer to ex­ert them, to keep out Interlopers, and secure the Trade intirely to the Joynt Stock, they can never preserve that Trade to themselves or the Nation. And since it is now almost generally confessed, and is most certainly true, That if the Wisdom of the Nation shall think fit to establish this or any other Company by Act of Par­liament, If they will inable them to carry on the said Trade to a National advantage, they musT grant them the same, if not an increase of that Power which the present East-India-Company have granted to them by their Charter, Wherein then is the great Crime which the present Company is guilty off? And hath created them so many bitter and implacable Enemies? In stop­ping Interlopers Ships, and giving them what distur­bance they could in their Trade, since either there must be no Company and Joynt Stock, or all Interloping must be excluded? All Mankind being agreed, that both can't consist at the same time.

To this I presume it will be answer'd, That the thing in it self, for a Company establisht in a Joynt Stock to obstruct all others, may not be criminal, because ne­cessary and rational: But that this present Company have either exceeded the Powers granted to them in their Charters, Or if they have not exceeded them, Their Charters themselves are not agreeable to Law, and so they are criminal in acting by an unlawful Power. I shall therefore now fairly consider, how far the present Company is criminal in either of these two respects.

For the first of these, That the present Company have exceeded the Powers granted to them by their Char­ters, It is wholly denyed by them, That they have at any time exceeded the Powers given them therein, by [Page 5]any of their Actions here at home, Or by any Orders given by them to their Servants abroad. And this being matter of fact, must rest upon the proof of the Com­plainants; and that being to be in particulars, as is al­wayes in cases of matter of fact; The charge will then appear, either to be true or false, when the matter of the Complaint being first fully proved, and the Powers granted to the said Company, being likewise fully ex­amined, and both compared together, Then I say it will be clearly seen, and not before, Whether the present Company have exceeded the Powers therein granted, which is the first Objection. But it being the business of this Apology to be as concise as may be, there is no room left to enter upon Particulars; Only by the way it may seem to incline any rational Man to believe, that they themselves are very doubtful of the Truth of it, when upon their Complaints which they make so much noise about, they fly to other places for Remedies, and not to the Courts of Judicature, which are alwayes open to receive all just Complaints, and the Company as lyable to be fued in those Courts, as any private Per­son. But if it should be granted, that the Companies Agents abroad may have in some particular Cases varied from, or exceeded their Instructions from hence, and thereby some particular Persons have been agrieved, Are the Company here therefore guilty of those Excee­dings? Especially since it hath been their constant pra­ctice, that if any Persons come from thence, who find themselves agrieved by such irregular Proceedings made in India, upon their Complaint made to the Company here, They do order the said matter to be re-examined, and heard by some of their Members here, and if their Complaints be just, never fail to give the injured Per­son satisfaction; as may be instanced in many particu­lars: And it is irrational to affirm, that any Person can [Page 6]be rendred Criminal by the Transactions of his Agents abroad, unless done upon his Order; for though in some particular Cases, as they may be circumstantiated, he may be lyable to make satisfaction, for Injuries done by his Agent abroad; yet Criminal no Man can ever be said to be, but from Actions done by himself, or by his Order.

To this it may be believed, Divers Persons will reply, What! Is it denyed, that the Company have exceeded the Powers granted them in their Charters? How com­eth it then to pass, That the Right Honourable the House of Commons have declared that their Proceedings at St. Helena were illegal? &c. For answer to which, It must first be declared, That it is not the business of this Paper, nor the intention of the Author of it, to dispute, much less to determine the legality, or illegality of their Char­ter in general, or any separate Clauses of it in particu­lar: That being premised, this is certain, that they had Martial Law granted them in their Charter, and as cer­tain that their Predecessors had from time to time seve­ral Commissions of that Nature, particularly in the Reigns of Queen Elizabeth and King James the First; the Originals of which lye yet by them: That they had in that very affair the particular Commission and Orders from His then Majesty; so that in that affair, how cul­pable soever to some they may seem to be, It was their Charter which had once been judicially affirmed in Westminster-Hall, warranted by a particular Commission from their then Soveraign as to that affair, that led them into the Error; Nor did, nor well could they know, until the House of Commons had declared it, that such proceedings were illegal; since their present Charter, and the then Kings particular Commission, and the Cu­stoms and Usages of their Predecessors, sufficiently at­tested by several Original Commissions of Martial Law lying by them, seemed to warrant them: So that though [Page 7]their proceedings therein should not be strictly justifia­ble, yet are they fairly excusable, because led into the Error ignorantly; And that upon such grounds as are be­fore mentioned; and they being Merchants, and not Lawyers, the Illegality of it, was by them not easily to be discerned. And this fairly bringeth me to the Consi­deration of the next particular in this Objection, which is, To consider how far this Company can be accounted Criminals, by Acting under the Powers of their present Charters, which some are pleased to affirm are not le­gal, because not made, or confirmed by Act of Parlia­ment.

And here as before, Be it far from me to dispute, much less determine the Legality or Illegality of their Charters in general, or any branches of it in particular; that be­ing a point beyond the intentions of this Discourse, and no ways as is conceived, fit to be handled by a private Person. But how this present East-India-Company, over and above all Companies whatsoever, should be esteemed Criminal, by acting by the same Powers, and under the same Authority that all other Companies do, (One on­ly, which is the Russia Company being excepted) is wor­thy consideration. It is well known, that upon the first Establishment of the East-India Trade in this Nation, the Adventurers were established in a Company with a Joynt Stock by Queen Elizabeth, as by her Letters Pa­tents, in the Forty Third Year of her Reign appeareth; That during the remainder of that Reign, they traded as a Company, exclusive to all others without interrup­tion, under the Powers granted to them by the said Charter. That by King James the first their Charter was again renewed, and they continued in the Enjoy­ment of their Trade exclusive to Interlopers, by vertue of the same Powers during His Reign, and that of King Charles the first. True it is, That in the time of the late [Page 8]Usurpation, more particularly, from the year One Thousand Six Hundred Fifty Three, to the year One Thousand Six Hundred Fifty Seven; they were inva­ded in their Trade by Interlopers, so that in a manner the whole Trade was carryed on by private hands, and by that means the Trade of India was brought to that miserable pass, as it became so far from being an advan­tageous Trade, that to the knowledge and experience of many yet living, it proved the contrary; And while our Neighbours the Dutch managed the same Trade in a Company and Joynt Stock to their great advantage, The English by a general permission to all Persons to trade thither, drove on their Trade to a considerable loss, besides many indignities, affronts, and injuries, which were by several Princes in India where they traded put upon them; even to the forcing them to sell their Goods, and to take others at such Rates, and Price as they pleased; which could not have been put upon a Company in a Joynt Stock: This made the then Traders thither (though originally Interlopers them­selves) to apply to the Usurper Oliver for the Erecting a New East-India Company, as He did in the Year 1657; and during his time, they enjoyed their Trade, exclusive to all Interlopers. Upon the happy Restauration of His late Majesty, King Charles the Second, The Company applyed themselves to Him, for the renewal of their Charter, and had it granted to them accordingly; And under the Powers thereof, enjoyed the Trade to them­selves in all peaceable manner both here and in India, exclusive to all Interlopers, until about the Year 1680; About which time, and in the following Years, the Na­tion being then in a ferment, they were broke in upon by Interlopers, their now inveterate Enemies: The fa­tal consequence of which, in relation to the Interest of [Page 9]the Nation, will be more particularly considered, when I come to discourse of the Origine of the War in India.

Their Trade being as above broke in upon by Inter­lopers, They did as in reason they ought, address them­selves to their then Soveraign, the late King Charles the Second, for further Powers to obviate those inconveni­ences, who being fully convinced of the necessity of them, in order to the preserving that Trade to the Nation, granted them accordingly, which were afterwards again renewed, and confirmed by the late King James the Second.

This being then the true state of matter of Fact, as to the carrying on of the Trade in India, ever since it was established in England, it is fairly left to the Impar­tial Judgment of all Indifferent and unprejudiced Per­sons, to judge, what the present Company could or should have done, when their Trade was so broke in upon by Interlopers. Should they have broke up them­selves, and traded as private Persons? That had been infallibly to have lost the Trade to the Nation: Should they have continued their Trade in a Joynt Stock, and permitted all Freedom to the Interlopers? That had been as certain to have ruined themselves first, and let the Trade be utterly lost in time: Or, Should they (as some do alledge) have got their Charter to have been confirmed by Act of Parliament? That it must be con­fessed, had been as happy for them, as it was earnestly desired by them: But those who shall seriously consider, the temper of the Princes of the two last Reigns, how tender they were upon all the points of their Preroga­tive, must withal acknowledge, that such an attempt in them, would have been to have attempted that, which was next door to an impossibility: Should they have first addressed themselves to the King for such an Act of [Page 10]Confirmation, they would have been rejected with in­dignation, scorn and contempt, as calling in question the validity of that Power derived from their Preroga­tive; by which they had enjoyed the Trade all along since its first establishment: Should they have petitioned the Parliament that then was, for an Act to establish it? For that being to pass the Royal Assent, would in all Mens Judgment (should such an Act have passed both Houses) have been there rejected, and either of the late Kings so far exasperated against the Company by an attempt of that Nature, in diminution of their Preroga­tive, that the least which could have been expected, had been a Quo Warranto upon their backs, to an utter disso­lution of them; So that upon the whole matter, the pre­sent Company were put upon this Dilemma, either to relinguish the Trade to the Interlopers, and trade as private Persons, which had been as before hinted to ruine themselves first, and lose the Trade to the Na­tion in time: Or to continue the Trade in a Joynt Stock exclusive to Interlopers, upon and under the same Po­wers they then had; as that Trade had been carryed on, ever since its first establishment; Which they doing, How can it reasonably be fixed upon them, that they were therefore Criminal, or any wayes deserve those black aspersions, which are now cast upon them for so doing? Which is all shall be said to this last part of the first Ob­jection: That they had acted upon the Powers in their Charter; which as some are pleased to say, are not le­gal, as not confirmed by Act of Parliament.

The next Objection against the present Company, by which they are endeavoured to be rendred vile and odious, is, that they are in a Bankrupt Condition; An Imaginary Fund, a Nominal Stock, not having any Estate or real Stock: And to fortifie this Calumny, they [Page 11]have been pleased to take the pains, to draw up the form of an account, wherein besides vast Sums left in Blank, They have therein made the present Company to be 900000 l. worse than nothing: A most excellent at­tempt! and sutable it is confessed to the confidence of the Undertaker. To enter upon the examination of any of the particulars therein contained, would seem as ridi­culous, as their attempt of exposing them: Since no Man that understands any Dealing in the World, but understandeth withal, that at that rate, it is an easie matter, to make any, either Community, or Private Persons Bankrupt at their pleasure. Sufficient it is, that the present Company are not only willing, but able to pay their own just Debts, without being liable to satisfie the capricious Demands of every idle Brain: Nor can any one be said to be in a Bankrupt Condition, who neither hideth his Head, nor refuseth Payments of his Just Debts when due; neither of which is done by the present Company. How far their Enemies have prevailed to render them (if possible) what they would fain have them, and give them out to be; may appear, by the Companies having been required to give a true state of their Stock, by delivering in a perfect Account of their Moneys, Goods, and Debts both here and in India, as they now stand in their Books: A thing justly questio­nable, Whether ever before demanded, of either private Person, or Commonalty; Since exposing themselves and their whole concern to so publick a view, must cer­tainly have broke them, had they not had a valuable and real Stock to have subsisted upon: Notwithstanding which, the Company did humbly submit to that Com­mand, and in Obedience to it, did present to the Ho­nourable Committee of Parliament, a Faithful, Just and True account of the same, and perfect so far as their Books did enable them: And to make their candidness [Page 12]therein appear, For the Justification of the said Accompt, did humbly submit the inspection of their Books, in or­der to the Valuation of their Stock, to such Committee as the Honourable the House of Commons should ap­point, and their last Advices from India to the Honou­rable the Chairman of the said Committee, or to such two or three of them, as the Committee should appoint; not thinking it reasonable, that their whole concerns should be exposed to the publick view, whereby their inveterate Enemies would likewise have come to the knowledge of them. And that not without reason, since a Copy of that very individual Account, which was by the Company presented to the Honourable House of Commons, was immediately by some of their Adversaries sent into Holland, for them to make such advantages of it, to the prejudice of the Company, as they should think fit; as may appear by a Transcript of it, return'd to some Jews here, with a desire to be inform'd by them, Whether that Transcript agreed with the Account de­vered in by the Company. So that what uses they would have made of such an advantage, is easily judged by those who shall consider what they have done without it. But to close this Subject, which is so apparent a Calum­ny, that it may rationally be supposed, they themselves do not believe, what they do so industriously insinuate into the belief of others. For whenever was any Man envied that was worse than nothing? Or to what pur­pose is the dissolution of the present Company so ear­nestly desired by them, if they are worse than nothing, and are not able to carry on their Trade; For if that be true, they will quickly dissolve in course, nor will their Credit be able long to support them, without there be a real and substantial Stock left to found it upon; That having been as much blasted, as the Wit or Malice of Men could invent. Divers other publick Funds have [Page 13]failed, The Exchequer that hath been stopped, The Chamber of London that hath not been able to comply; The most noted Bankers have turned Bankrupt, and some other Companies there are, which shall be here nameless, whose Debts are now of a long standing, and are not yet satisfied: But where is the Person that ever lent Mo­nies to this East-India-Company, which have not been satisfied both their Principal and Interest? their greatest Enemies cannot instance in any one single Person. And shall those who have so faithfully and readily complyed with all their Engagements, be now upon the bare affir­mation of their Enemies esteemed Bankrupt, until they are guilty of some Action, that may truly render them such? No, no! It is not their Poverty, but their sup­posed Wealth, that hath created them so many Enemies, amongst which (more ungrateful they) are some, who have been Servants under them, and have taken the Oath of a Freeman, of the said Company, or purely raised by them. True it is, upon what Stock hath been continued there for divers years, or those Persons who have had the good Fortune to sell themselves out, when the Actions were very high (amongst which are some of their now greatest Enemies) Those it is confessed, have made considerable advantage by it: But as for many, if not most of the present Adventurers, who came in when the Stock was sold very high, they will be so far from deserving Envy, that they will rather deserve Pity; (amongst which are many Widows and Orphans) in as much as they will be most certainly great sufferers by a Dissolution. Notwithstanding which, the present Com­pany have not presumed like their Adversaries to di­ctate to the Legislative Power of the Nation, the very terms of the Act to be by them passed: But as in Duty bound, in their Petition lodg'd with the Chairman of the Committee, in order to be presented to the Honou­rable [Page 14]House of Commons, did submit themselves and their Concerns to the Justice and Wisdom of the Parliament.

Another Aspersion, which is cast upon the present Company, and urged by their Adversaries, as an Ar­gument for their dissolution, is, That its present Consti­tution is not sufficiently National: To which is answer­ed, That what is free for every Man to come into, can­not be said to be limited. It is well known, that by the present Constitution, no Man is debarred coming into it, either Englishman or Stranger: It is likewise well known, That there is every day Stock to be bought on the Exchange (and that much cheaper, if Truth may be the Judge, then it is really worth) so that no Man but may when he pleaseth come into the Company, and have what share in the Trade he pleaseth, so far as he is able to purchase. And what greater extent can any new Company to be Erected, have than this, where no Man is debarred?

But whereas they further Object,

That the present Stock is not sufficient to carry on so great a Trade, as those Places comprized within their Priviledge will bear. It is answered, Suppose that to be true, which is not granted; yet that defect may be supplyed otherwise than by a dissolution, even by an enlargement of Stock in a new additional Subscription, to such an increase, as the Wisdom of the Nation shall think fit; Nor need they fear to graft their new Sub­scription upon the present Stock, notwithstanding those Twelve Reasons instanced in their late scurrilous Paper, (which had they been penned without such opprobri­ous Expressions, should have received an Answer; but being such as they are, put out not to convince others, but to blast the Company, they deserve none) For in truth, Whatever the Adversaries of the present Com­pany do, or may exclaim to the contrary, their present Stock is really worth more, than it was then valued at, [Page 15]and will and must appear so, when Persons indifferent­ly chosen on both sides, shall examine it; in order to the adjusting of its Valuation.

But if it be further alledged, that there are many of the Constitutions of the present Company, which render it not so comprehensively National, as otherwise it might be; As the great quantity of the Stock in the hands of some particular Persons, and consequently the advan­tage they may have thereby, by the Number of their Votes, as to the management of it. It is answered, Not to enter upon particulars: Divers of these things are submitted by them, to the Regulation of the Wisdom of the Parliament, as appeareth by the Scheme by them delivered into the Honourable the Committee of Par­liament, at their Command: And this is all shall be said as to this Objection.

Another thing that the Adversaries of the present Company do take advantage to calumniate them upon, is the present War in India, which they endeavour to make the World believe, was entred into them by capri­ciously, and not enforced thereunto by the Necessity of Affairs; Whereas the contraty is true, that they were not only necessitated thereunto, But that the Occasion of that Necessity did arise from the breaking in of the In­terlopers upon them into their Trade (which are now the greatest Exclaimers against the War) which break­ing in upon them by the said Interlopers, and thereby the dividing of the English Interest in India, The Compa­ny did wisely foresee would inevitably occasion, either the breach of all the Agreements made by their Prede­cessors and themselves, with the great Mogul, by and under which, they had enjoyed their Trade with all peaceableness and quietness from its first Establishment, to that time; and that thereby they would be enforced tamely to submit unto all such Impositions and Avenia's [Page 16]which his Avaritious Officers would at their pleasure lay upon them, and raise out of their Estates, Or they must be at the charge, and run the hazard of a War, to oblige the Moors to make good their former Agree­ments and Phirmaunds: One of these two was certainly foreseen, would follow the dividing the English Interest as above, and accordingly the Company did prepare for the worst: Notwithstanding which, they did not exer­cise any Hostile Act (though they had reason enough to have begun, having had very great Sums of Money extorted from them,) until the Moors by their barba­rous Murder of an Englishman, and assaulting the rest at Hughly begun the War, and became the Agressors, which will most plainly appear, by giving a true, though short Account of the Origine of the War, which was as fol­loweth.

It is well known, What a flourishing Condition the East-India-Company were in about the Years 1680, 1681, 1682, 1683. When besides many large Dividents to the Adventurers, their single Stock was sold for 360 per Cent. to the admiration of Foreigners, and Emula­tion of their own Countreymen; especially some Mer­chants, who made not the like advantage in their par­ticular Trades; who though they might have come in­to the Company, and enjoyed a share of the Trade with them; Yet resolving to go a shorter way to work, and taking advantage of the great fermentation that was then in this Nation, arising between several different Parties, and Perswasions of Men; they fell to Interloping, into which, many well-meaning Men, by the Craft of some Cunning designing Persons (bred in the said Companies Service,) and the hopes of finding quicker returns for their Stock, by an Interloping Trade, than they could do, by coming into the Companies Stock, gave them the encouragement. And this proceeded so far, as to the [Page 17]sending out for East-India at several times, very many private Ships, with large Stocks, contrary to the Compa­nies Charter, and His then Majesties Proclamation. Upon the whole, the Company did address themselves to His then Majesty, humbly representing unto him the Injustice of such Proceedings, and the destructive con­sequences to the Company, to whom the sole Trade had been granted by his said Majesty exclusive to all others: By which they had been encouraged to be at vast charges in the Establishment of it, and were at ve­ry great Expences in maintaining Forts and Garrisons to defend it: And withal, did further represent to His said Majesty, what evil consequences such attempts would have upon the Trade and Navigation of this Kingdom, by such a division of the English Interest and Nation in India; particularly, that it would be a means to loose all the English Priviledges in India; That the Native Governours of India would oppress the English, seeing them so divided, And the French, Dutch, and Danes would make their advantages of such a confusion amongst the English: Their Debtors in India would neglect to pay them their just Debts, And above all, All the Wicked and Evil disposed Persons amongst the Companies Com­manders, Factors and Servants, would, that they might the better carry on their designs of wronging the Com­pany, and enriching themselves, joyn themselves to the said Interlopers, which if not prevented, would produce Rebellion in some of the Companies Garrisons in India; So that the loss and expence of a Million of Money, and many English mens Lives, would not re-estate the English Interest in India, in so prosperous a condition, as it was before the breaking in of the said Interlopers into their Trade: All which they humbly submitted to His Maje­sties consideration, nor were they out in their Conje­ctures; For accordingly as they did foresee, and fore­told [Page 18]to His Majesty, in their representations to him, it came to pass; For upon the first arrival of the Interlo­pers in India, They to procure Abettors to themselves, and the better to carry on their own Undertakings, corrupted some of the Companies old Servants, which had lived long abroad; gave out many untruths of the Companyes weak condition in Europe; Suggested that the old Company were fallen under the displeasure of the King; That the Nation was under great disturbances; That themselves were the new Company: All which untrue reports were ecchoed and improved by the Ene­mies of the present Company; especially, by such of their Servants, as by their unfaithful dealings, had ren­dred themselves obnoxious, and consequently had no way so proper to secure themselves, as to herd and joyn with the Interlopers: Upon this, Captain Kegwin, with other Confederates, set up for themselves; at Bombay; and under pretence, that our Nation was together by the Ears, and that the Company was in Rebellion against His Majesty, They declared for the King exclu­sive to the Company, Imprisoned the Companies Depu­ty-Governour there, refused Obedience to the Com­panies President; Seized on the Companies Treasure, and took the Companies own Ships, Arming and Man­ning them against the Company, particularly the Hunter and Return, and some other smaller Ships. And our Rivals in Trade took the advantage of dividing the English Interest in India, which was not to be let slip, to possess themselves of Bantam, and drove the English from thence.

The like consequences upon the Report and Sugge­stion of the Interlopers, followed at St. Helena, where almost the whole Island ran into an open Rebellion, and attempted to take the Companies Castle by force of Arms; and by imitation of the Rebels at Bombay, decla­red for the King; Set up the Union Flag, and with Co­lours [Page 19]flying assaulted the Fort,) But by Gods good Pro­vidence were prevented; For had they succeeded there­in, not being able to maintain it themselves without support from England, they must and would have sold it to Foreigners, and run away with the Moneys to have secured themselves.

In Bengal, where the Companies Chief Trade was, the Nabob or Governour, and those under him, took the advantage of those Reports, and the dividing of the English Interest in India, to break all their agreements formerly made with the Company, and their Prede­cessors, and deprive them of all those very great Privi­ledges, which the English had so long enjoyed under former stipulations; drew great sums of Money from both Parties, by such oppressive wayes of Vio­lence, Injustice, and open Hostility; as at another time, when the English were united under the prudent Conduct of the Company, would not have been, nor never was before attempted; Which they were encou­raged to do, because the Interlopers, that they might carry on their Trade, submitted to any Impositions the Moors would lay upon them, though never so much more than the Company by their Agreements were bound to pay.

The particulars of the Injuries sustained, and of the several Sums of Money extorted from them, as they were then faithfully represented by them, to His then Majesty and Council, are too long here to incert: But such as they were, as together with the apprehension of loosing the whole English Interest in India, did so far pre­vail with His Majesty, as to consider what proper re­medies to apply to such an inevitable Mischief, and made use of these two; The one, the preventing the further Trade of Interlopers which had been the root of all the Mischiefs; which He did by issuing out his Proclamation to restrain them, and order all the En­glish [Page 20]Nation in India, either to come home, or put them­selves in the service of the Company, that the English Interest might not be divided, but united in one: And further, in order to the preventing so great a Mischief, and the better to countenance the Company in their proceedings, He sent one of his own Ships of War into India, with Commission to sieze upon all English Interlo­pers, that he could meet withal there.

As to the Injuries, the Company sustained, by the Na­tives taking away all their Priviledges, though never so firmly stipulated by former agreements (which certainly being once gone, could never be again recovered by Complements) and exacting from them several great Sums of Money: The Remedy pitched upon by His then Majesty, was by directing the Company to put themselves in a posture to right themselves, and with­stand the like for the future; and to that end, granted them such new Powers, as were necessary for the carry­ing on so great a work, as appeareth by the supplements to their Charter, viz. The Erecting of Courts of Admi­ralty in India in several places, and empowering all the Companies Ships, with Commissions of War, from him­self, who also had particular Power, Order, and Dire­ction from His said Majesty, to seize all Interlopers in In­dia, and compel them by force of Arms, in case of resi­stance, to go up to such places, where the Company had their Residence and Garrisons, that so the English Inte­rest might be no longer divided, which had been the Root of all the Mischief, to the hazzard of the loss of the whole Trade.

Pursuant to whose Direction, and empowered by the Authority of their said Soveraign, (which might very well be by them thought sufficient for their Justifica­tion, it being never yet question'd, but that the Power of making War and Peace was vested in the Crown.) [Page 21]The Company were at very great charges, in sending out divers great Ships fitted with all manner of Warlike Provisions, furnished with Land-Soldiers, in order first to reduce their own Factories of Bombay and St. Helena, which were then in Rebellion; And afterwards by ap­pearing so formidable, it might the better incline the Moors to come to an amicable agreement, with them, by restoring them their former Priviledges, which they had so unjustly deprived them of, and give them some satisfaction, for those Extortions they had exercised up­on them; which they were to endeavour first by all fair means imaginable.

According to which, the Islands of Bombay, and St. Helena were reduced; and setled under the Govern­ment of the Company: Some of the Interlopers seized on by His Majesties Ship the Phoenix, Captain Tyrrel Commander. The Kings Proclamation issued out, and proclaimed for all Englishmen to withdraw themselves out of the Service of Foreign Princes, and to come in­to the Companies Garrisons and Residences, that so the English Interest might no more be divided, and all ami­cable means made use of, to come to a just agreement with the Natives: Nor was there by the Company any Hostile Act committed (though thereunto sufficiently pro­voked, by many great and repeated injuries) until the business which hapned at Hughly, wherein the Moors were the Agressors, as doth appear by a particular Nar­rative of the said Action, extracted out of the Companies Letter, how that begun, which is as followeth.

‘The 28th of October, 1686, At Hughly, in the Bay of Bengal, Three of the Companies Souldiers going into the Buzar, or Market place as usual, to purchase Victuals in the Morning, were not only denyed the same, but were violently set upon by the Governours Peons or [Page 22]Souldiers, were sorely beat and cut (of which, one of them dyed of his wounds then received,) then bound, and carryed Prisoners to Abdul Gunny, the Governour of the place: The News of which, immediately arrived at the English Factory, in the said Town of Hughly, in these terms, That two English men were set upon by the Governours, Peons, or Souldiers, and were desperately cut and wounded, and lay a dying in the Highway, Up­on which Captain Leshly was immediately ordered out with a Party, with Orders to bring in their Bodies dead or alive; but to offer violence to no Man, ex­cept they were assaulted; Which they attempting to do, were upon the way, set upon by a Body of Horse and Foot, in a Hostile manner, whom they received, as Men not willing to be wanting in their own de­fence; and after some skirmish, put them to flight; having in the Engagement killed and wounded seve­ral of them: The whole Town being immediately upon this alarm'd, set fire to those of their own Hou­ses, which were nearest the English Factory, by which many of the Companies Goods were consumed.’ What followeth in the said Narrative, is but a further prose­cution of repeated Acts of War and Hostility, each against the other; And it being not the intent of this Discourse, to give you a full History of the War, (which possibly hereafter may be done by another hand) and the pro­ceedings in it, but only the true occasions of the Rise of it, I thought it needless to carry it on further; so much of it as is here inserted, being sufficient to give you a true account how it began, Whereby it appeareth. That the Moors were the first Aggressors, and the first Blood shed in this War, was by them.

Thus having in as contracted a manner as I could, give you an account of the Origine of the War: Which I do assure the Reader, is done with all faithfulness and [Page 23]truth, so far as I was enabled, by all the Light I could gather out of the Companies Records; either as to their Proceedings here, or their advices from India: I do submit the whole to your perusal and Judgment, and do appeal to the reason of every impartial Man, whither upon the same, these following particulars are not plain­ly, rightly, and truly to be inferred.

First, That the Company did for many years, from its Establishment, until about the Year 1680, enjoy their Trade, by vertue of their Charters at home, and their agreements with the Indians abroad, without any molestation, and with all Peace and good agree­ment, with the Persons with whom they traded.

That the said Company were now necessitated to defend themselves by Arms, from the many Injuries dayly done unto them, and to endeavour thereby the regaining of those Priviledges, which both they, and their Predecessors had so long enjoyed, by vertue of formal Stipulations and Agreements, solemnly made and agreed to, between the Indians and the English.

That the sole occasion of the depriving them of their Priviledges, and putting such exactions upon them, by the Indians, and consequently of the War for regaining them, was the Interlopers breaking in upon them in their Trade, thereby dividing the En­glish Interest in India, which rendred them contempti­ble in the esteem of the Natives, and incouraged them to do them those Injuries; so that some of those Persons, who now so much exclaim against that War, were the sole occasion of it.

That the Encouragements, the Companies Servants received from the Interlopers, and the advantages they made by joyning with them, was the sole occasion of the two Rebellions in the Islands of Bombay, and St. [Page 24] Helena, and consequently of the vast charge the Com­pany was at, and the bloodshed that was spilt in re­gaining of them.

That the Company being so put upon a necessity of defending and righting themselves by Arms, did not do it unadvisedly, but did in all humility address themselves to their then Soveraign, in whose Person it was alwayes believed the right of making War and Peace, was vested, and took not only his Approba­tion, but his Directions and Authority therein, testified by the Instructions for the War, and granting Com­missions of War to all the Captains, which went out in the Companies Service, and sending one of His Royal Ships in that Service.

That notwithstanding the many Injuries received by the Company, the exacting and taking away from them several great Sums of Money, and breaking their solemn agreements made by them, with the present Company, and their Predecessors, in depriving them of their Priviledges enjoyed so long time by vertue of the said agreements: The Company did commit no Act of Hostility, until the Indians had made them­selves the Agressors in shedding the first Bloodshed in this War, in the business of Hughly.

The foregoing particulars being so clearly and ra­tionally to be inferred, from the true account which hath been given above of the Rise of the War, I shall only add, the great and many Endeavours, and Attempts, which the Company hath made, since the first Eruption of the War, to the attainment of a wished for Peace, That so it may appear, That as the Company were by ne­cessity, and not willingly engaged in the said War, so they are most willing and desirous of a Peace; as is evident, by the several attempts they have made thereunto: As [Page 25]first, After the unhappy Eruption at Hughly, there was made a cessation of Arms, in order to an accommodati­on; but it proved ineffectual through the deceitfulness of the Moors; After that, in the said Bay of Bengala, there was a perfect Peace made between the English, and the Moors; The particular Articles thereof being in number Twelve, were sent to the Company; But the Moors as soon as they had attained their ends upon the Company, in getting them to quit their Fort, they most perfidiously receded from their agreements, and broke it.

Since that, There hath been made two several A­greements with the Nabob, or Governour of Surrat; and an assurance by him of the great Mogul's ratificati­on; But when the Council at Surrat, upon Summons, came to receive the Mogul's Ratification, according to the said Agreement, they were made Prisoners, and at the same time, A Detachement of Horse and Foot sent to surprise the General and Council at Swally: And much about the same time, Another Army sent to surprize Bombay, which they apprehended, might easily be done in the Generals absence. So that it was no sham upon the Nation, as by some is suggested, for the Company to give out, that the Peace was made in India; for ac­cording to their Advices they received from thence, which they must govern themselves by, It was really made, and on account of the very Articles upon which it was made, was sent to them: But who could foresee, that the Moors would make no other use of those Agree­ments, than thereby to make the General more secure, and less mindful; while in the mean time, in a most treacherous manner, they plotted his destruction; And when their Plots had not taken those Effects they de­signed, they most perfidiously fell from their Agree­ment.

When the last Letters came from Bombay, which [Page 26]bore date the 9th, and 10th of May, 1689. The Gene­ral had again condescended to a Cessation of Arms, in order to a Peace, which he would with all his Industry endeavour to obtain, and was the better in hopes of it, by reason of an Information, he had just then received from one Sheck Ebraim, that he was coming to him with a Letter, directed to him from the great Mogul himself, (a respect with them most extraordinary) but whether they will be more real in this Treaty, than they were in the former, or only as then, pretend an inclination to Peace with the General, that they may the better de­stroy him by War: Time, and our next Advices from thence must discover. This is true, That in this po­sture, and under a Cessation of Arms, in order to an Accommodation, things stood when our last Advices came from thence, which I pray God may answer the Companies Expectation in a firm and good Peace: For certainly it cannot be supposed, much less believed, even by their Adversaries themselves; That the Company should in the least desire the continuance of the War, and not be willing to make all possible Condescentions, for the obtaining a Peace; Since no one can receive more prejudice by the War, nor none reap greater ad­vantage by the Peace, than the present Company: (and Interest, you know, will not lie.) Though the Ad­versaries of the Company do make use of this amongst other their Calumnies, That the Company do needlesly continue the War, and not use their endeavours for the obtaining of a Peace, and yet, at the same time, by pub­lishing to the World, in the Preamble to their new Sub­scriptions, that the Company should be obliged by Act of Parliament, to purchase a Peace, have done as much as in them lyeth, to render it next door to an impossibi­lity ever to obtain it; which will come to be consider'd, amongst those Observations, which shall be made upon [Page 27]some of the particulars of the said Preamble: And this is what at present I think sufficient to answer to that Ca­lumny, so industriously spread abroad by the Enemies of the present Company, that They did begin the War in India, not out of necessity, but capriciously; and have, and do continue it wilfully.

Having thus (as briefly as I well could) answered the main and most plausible Objections against the pre­sent East-India Company, by which their Adversaries endeavoured to render them so odious to the World, It may not be amiss in the close of this Discourse, to con­sider a little, the Preamble to their new Subscription, by them lately Printed and Published.

Not to enlarge upon the boldness of the Attempt in General, which hath been hinted at already: As for them to Erect, as it were a new Company, before ever the matter was come into either of the Two Houses of Par­liament; Or, That any of them had voted, There should be one: And, Not only so, but to take upon them to dictate to the whole Legislative Power of Eng­land, King, Lord, and Commons, the very terms of an Act to be by them passed, (or else their Subscriptions signifie nothing:) Which is as much as to say, If we may have a new Company upon our own Terms, we will; but if not, we will have none: And that which is yet a further degree of presumption, they do publish to the World. That they have received assurance, That such an Act shall be passed, even before the things are come into the House of Commons, by a report from their own Committee. To come to the Preamble it self: Where­in may be taken notice of the disingenuity of the Pre­face, and the unreasonableness of the Terms by them prescribed to the Parliament: For should the Parlia­ment comply with the Terms by them proposed, or pre­scribed rather, It would be so far from promoting the [Page 28]Peace they seem so much to desire, as that it would in­fallibly obstruct it. In the Preface, they are pleased to say, That the Committee of the Honourable House of Com­mons, did declare their Opinion, That the best way of ma­naging the East-India Trade, is, by a new Company, with a new Joynt Stock to be Established by Act of Parliament. And it is so for Truth, but it is not the whole Truth; For they most disingeniously, leave out the latter part of the said Vote, (which is, That the present Company be continued exclusive to Interlopers, and all Permissive Ships, until the said Act of Parliament be passed,) as not for their Turn, and wholly inconsistent with their present Undertaking; for it being in Terminis, that the present Company should be continued until the said Act of Par­liament was passed, it doth wholly exclude the Erecting of a New Company until that be done. And what is the publishing their Preamble, consisting amongst other things, of the Term of their present Constitution, and future Government of their new Company, and ap­pointing when, and how their Governour and Com­mittees should be Elected; their subscribing several Sums of Moneys, and appointing when, and how their Subscriptions should be paid in, and propounding Inte­rest to such, as shall timely pay in their Money; I say, What is all this, but as much as in them lieth, the Ere­cting a new Company, during the continuance of the Old; and consequently contrary to the Vote of the said Committees; so that in stead of waiting the Issue of the Parliaments Determination: They by way of preven­tion, Erect their New Company to the destruction of the Old, which is quite contrary to the sense of the Vote of the Honourable House of Commons.

The Ʋnreasonableness, if not Injustice of their Terms hereby appear, in that they do require the Parliament to oblige by an Act, the present Company to make good [Page 29]the demands of the Subjects of the great Mogul, and King of Syam, before it be so much as enquir'd into, much less known, of what Nature the said demands are, whe­ther for Debts contracted for Goods bought, or Goods taken by the Company Flagrante Bello, by way of Re­prisal, for the Goods of the Company by them seized in the Companies Factories: But taking it for granted, without any Examination of matter of Fact, that this present Company have bin the Agressors; they would have by Act of Parliament, the Company be obliged to make good, whatever the Subjects of either of these two Princes should demand. If they do reply, they do limit it to Debts and Demands that are just: In that case, I would desire to be informed, Who should adjust the Account? Should the Subjects of the Great Mogul, and King of Syam? it may be presumed, That they would demand enough; especially knowing before hand (as without doubt they would be well inform'd) that the Company are under an Obligation by Act of Parliament, to comply with their Demands. Or should the present Company adjust the Account? that on the other hand would be thought to be done partially for themselves. Or, Should the Account be stated and ad­justed by Commissioners chosen respectively by the said Princes and the Company? How can that well be, when there is no room left for such an indifferent adjustment? that Act being once passed: For how can it be suppo­sed, there can be an equitable Arbitrament, where the one Party is at liberty to demand what they please, and the other Party previously bound up to comply with their Demands: Or, Should the New Company depute Persons to adjust the said Demands? it may reasonably be supposed in that case, That those who without cause, have so industriously endeavoured the ruin of the pre­sent Company, in a matter of that Nature, will not be very favourable to their just Interest.

Nor is it less unjust, That they fix the Dammage (if any such should be due from the Company) as they do, to be made good by the Persons, and out of the Estate of the Managers thereof: Whereas, It is well known to every one that knoweth any thing of the Company, that the Company being a Joynt Stock, and the Court of Committees, who are the Managers thereof; being ge­nerally many of them, as much if not more concerned in the Joynt Stock than others, are annually chosen by the Generalty; and by them intrusted with the ma­nagement thereof, are not lyable, either in Law or Equi­ty in their own Persons and Estates, to any Action for any thing done by them in the management of that their Trust; For if they were, it is not reasonable to be sup­posed, that any one would take upon him such an Em­ployment, where the Hazzard of any Miscarriage should be his; and the profit arising by such success, should ac­crue to the Joynt Stock. Besides the Court of Commit­tees consisteth of divers Men, chosen some one year, and some another; so that after that rate, those who came in one year, may thereby be answerable for the misma­nagement of those, who were in before; a thing altoge­ther unjust and unreasonable: Nor is it to be supposed, that those who are the Erecters of this new Joynt Stock, would themselves think this reasonable to be one of the terms of its Constitution: That their Committees chosen for its management, should be lyable in their own Per­sons and Estates, to answer for all Miscarriages which should accrue to it, during the time of their being of the same; For if they had, they whould have certainly put it in, as as one of their terms in their Preamble, which they have no ways done.

The next thing observable in their Preamble is, That they would have the Parliament to enact, That the pre­sent Stock should defray the Charge of making Peace [Page 31]with the said Indian Princes: And certain it is, That no one who ever desired Peace in India, as they seem to pretend to, took such a preposterous way to the at­tainment of it: Can it otherwise be believed. Then that those Indian Princes (if they should once come to the Knowledge, of such an Obligation laid upon the Com­pany, to buy their Peace with them,) would set a vast Price upon it? They are little acquainted with India, and the avaritious temper of their Princes in general, that think otherwayes. And the present Stock, and their new Stock added to it, would not be able to buy a Peace with them; they knowing (as certainly they would even by the Information, of some of the new Company,) that the Company were previously obli­ged to purchase it of them; nor could they have taken a more certain way to prevent it, than they have done by publishing such a Proposition to the World: And it is to be wished, That the publishing such a Notion, though it never take effect, do not become a great ob­struction to the making of it, or if already made, be not an encouragement to the Moors to break it.

It is certain, Thta no Persons have greater reason to desire a Peace in India,) as whose Interest doth more lead them to it,) than the present Company: And it is as cer­tain, That they will do what becometh Prudent Men and Persons so much concern'd for the attainment of it, even to the parting with much of their right: But the quickest and most effectual way for the obtaining such a Blessing, is, That the present Company be supported, and not discountenanced by the present Government; for without that, all their Endeavours will prove ineffe­ctual.

What remaineth in the Preamble, relateth more im­mediately to their own New Establishment; in which, Tho' many things may justly be objected against, yet not [Page 32]concerning the present Company, cometh not within the intention of this Discourse; Only the design of their whole Project, by its several Circumstances, may clear­ly appear to all such, as shall but seriously consider it, to be, to oblige the Parliament, as much as in them lay, by the Encouragement of a New Subscription to destroy the present Company, otherwayes their Subscriptions would not have bin so conditionally annexed to Terms; which they themselves could not expect, That the Wis­dom and Justice of the Nation assembled in Parlia­ment, would ever assent to: And so at the same time, they hoped to attain their End; which was to to preju­dice the present Company, without running any Haz­zard of parting with their Money: But the present Com­pany have other Thoughts of the Wisdom of the Nation, assembled in Parliament: And as they have, so they will alwayes be ready to submit themselves to the Wisdom and Justice of that August Assembly; not doubting, but when they come to weigh things seriously in their De­bates, they shall receive such Encouragement from them, as the neeessity of preserving so Important a Trade to the Nation, doth require.