Page:A Comprehensive History of India Vol 1.djvu/396

 362

HISTORY OF INDIA.

[Book II.

A.U. 1C9S

Cooke's disclosures.

Depositions of parties examined.

Sir Josiah CbUd.

Sir Basil Firebrace.

not engaging liimself with the interloping ships." An additional surn of X'30,00 was set down as having been paid "to the said Sir Ba.sil for i^^oO per cent, loss on stock 1 was obliged to accept of him at ,£'150 per cent, on the Companys account." On being interrogated with reference to the above statement, Sir Thomas Cooke declared "that the fir.st sum of X'l 0,000 alcove mentioned was given in expectation to have the charter of the East India Company confirmed, and new regulations thereto made," and that "it was intended for the king, but he could not say the king had it," though "he believes Mr. Tyssen told him that he delivered it to Sir Josiah Child, wlio delivered it to the king." He added that "it was a customary present, and that in King Charles's and other former reigns, the like had been done for several years." With regard to the of 10,000 paid to Mr. Acton, he declared that he had given it with the privity of Sir Josiah Child, "who recommended Acton as a person capable of doing the Company service, having great acquaintance with parliament men, and others who had interest with them;" that "he could not particularize who they were, but the end aimed at was to get an act of parliament." The sums paid to Sir Basil Firebrace were stated to be in implement of an agreement, by which the Company became bound, in case the charter pa.ssed, to take dPGO.OOO stock of Sir Basil at iC'loO per cent. As the stock was then only i^lOO per cent., the Company lost =£^30,000 by the transaction. By another agreement of a similar nature, they would have been bound to accept a transfer of £^40.000 stock on the same terms, if an act of parliament in favour of the Company had been obtained.

In following up the inquiry, various other persons were examined. Sir Josiah Child affected general ignorance of the matter, and said that "he never disposed of £10 of the Company's money to his remembrance." He admitted, however, that " he did recommend Mr. Acton as being an honest man, and thought he might do service to the Company in parliament, because of his acquaintances." He also recommended " that a present of i?50,000 should be made to the king, if his majesty would so far waive his prerogative that an act of parliament might be passed for settling the Company ; but Mr. Tyssen told him the king would not meddle in that matter." He "knew nothing of the i?'40,000 paid to Sir Basil Firebrace, but there was a kind of a company of twenty-five persons, that sat de die in diem, to destroy the Company, and he told Sir Thomas Cooke that he thought Sir Basil the fittest person to divide them."

Sir Basil Firebrace, when first examined, admitted the payments as stated by Sir Thomas Cooke, viz, — <£* 10,000 as a gratuity for losses, and £^30,000 in terms of contract. Both sums " were directly for himself, and for the use of no other person whatsoever; he paid no part of the same towards procuring a charter or act of parliament, nor made any promises to do so, but he had several discourses with Sir Thomas Cooke about using his endeavours to procure a new charter." Being asked " what particular services he did or was to do for