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[Page 20]
World May 27, 1788 [in margin]
LETTER
From SIMPKIN the SECOND to his Dear BROTHER in WALES;
With a humble Description of the present Trial.
DEAR BROTHER -
- The Letter I formerly sent you,
I hope was descriptive enough to content you -
With respect to PROCESSION, and taking of Places,
By Masters and Judges, by Lordships and Graces:-
According to promise, I now shall describe
The PROCESSION of BURKE, and his Eloquent Tribe -
First, EDMUND walks in at the head of the Groupe,
That powerful Chief of that powerful Troop -
What awful solemnity's seen in his gait,
Whilst the Nod of his Head beats due time to his Feet! -
CHARLES FOX is the second, and close on his right;
Whose waddle declares he will never go straight.
The rubicund SHERIDAN enters the third,
The Opposer of PITT, and the Treasury Board -
His attention, 'tis said, has so long been directed
To the National Debts, that his own are neglected -
And in Public Affairs, when such management's shewn,
No wonder a Man cannot think of his own.
Next ADAM comes in, with a Spit by his side,
And struts like a Turkey Cock, swelling with pride:
Then ANSTRUTHER follows, that Weather-Cock Elf,
Who shews how a Man may dissent from - HIMSELF -
To the Governor HASTINGS, his praise was profuse;
On Prisoner HASTINGS, he pours forth abuse -
Then follows Young GREY, an exact imitator
Of the scurrilous BURKE; a most promising Prater:
Tho' all must lament that he's under such Banners,
"As Evil Community spoils our Good Manners."
Then PELHAM, FITZPATRICK, and WINDHAM came forth
With MONTAGUE, MAITLAND, with BURGOYNE and NORTH,
CHICK TAYLOR, and ERSKINE, are join'd in the Vote,
And as MANAGERS known, by - a Bag and dress'd Coat.
Then FRANCIS comes sneaking, with grief in his heart,
At not being indulg'd with a MANAGER'S part -
Tho' he now and then steals to the Managers' Box,
To suggest a Shrewd Question to BURKE and CHARLES FOX.
The COMMONS, from Riding who have any leisure,
In order come in, and go out at their pleasure -
Now the Court is assembled, in form to begin,
And SHERRY begs leave to call Middleton in,
That name, at whose sound there's a general grin -
Five days has Poor MIDDLETON sweated and stew'd;
Their Questions were artful, his Answers were shrewd -
He was ask'd, "If the Eunuch ALMASS had a Child?"
LORD THURLOW look'd black, and the Ladies all smil'd;
The Witness made answer, "I really can't say;"
The powers of his Mem'ry were melted away. -
Q. "Have you ere seen the BEGUMS? - He answer'd I've not:
Q. Pray mention their persons? - A. Indeed I've forgot.
Q. What may in Rebellion your principles be,
Or can you the probable consequence see
Of Men rising in Arms, and o'er-running the Nation?"
He reply'd, " 'Tis a Question of deep speculation."
Q. When the Eunuchs were fetter'd, pray what did they feel?
Were they thinking of Poison, the Rack. or the Wheel?
Or what do you think might have been their intentions?
A. I concern'd not myself about their apprehensions.
Q. How many young Damsels were in the Khord Mbal?
A. I do not believe, I can recollect all.
Q. Say - What were their wishes, or what was their view?
A. I cannot remember, that ever I knew.
Q. When they threaten'd to throw themselves over the Wall,
What induc'd them to hazard the getting a fall?
A. I do not remember they did so at all.
Q. Why did GORDON address to the Begum that Letter?
A. HE himself is in Court, and can answer you better.
Q. You were at Lucknow in the year Eighty-two?
A. I'm inclin'd to believe what you say may be true.
Q. Have you any doubts of it? - And if so, how many?
A. I believe not; I think that I cannot have any.
Q. The PRISONER'S Defence; did you pen part or not?
A. I had some conversation with Major JOHN SCOTT.
Q. With the Counsel of HASTINGS were you at the Hall?*
A. I might accidentally give them a call.
Q. What: went accidentally with Major SCOTT?
A. I really don't know; if I did, I've forgot.
*Draper's all.
[column 2]
Q. Do Children in India their Parents esteem?
Do they love their Mamas? or how strong do you deem
Their affection may be? or, pray can you tell,
If Papa and Mama are lov'd equally well?
A. Some perhaps love their Father, and some love their Mother,
And some Children like neither one nor the other.
Q. Does the Son, by the laws of the Koran, succeed
To the Father's Estate? - A. Yes, the eldest indeed.
Q. May the Mother that Property legally keep,
Lodg'd where she and her Husband do usually sleep?
A. I am rather inclin'd to be led, I confess,
To believe that the Wife no such right does possess.
When SHERRY had finish'd this Examination,
He their Lordships address'd with this florid Oration:
"My LORDS! to your Lordships, it needs must appear,
That the Charges are founded on evidence clear.
My Lords, pray attend, whilst I speak more at large,
And apply what we've heard, to establish the Charge.
ALMASS had a Son, whom the Prisoner destroy'd;
The Begums were Dames, who rich jointures enjoy'd:
Large extensive Jaghires, and for that only reason,
The Prisoner declared they were guilty of Treason. -
We have prov'd, no Rebellion was stir'd up by them;
And that HASTINGS was not authorised to condemn,
The Eunuchs to suffer the Rack and the Wheel; -
- For Eunuchs, tho' such, many know, they can feel -
That two thousand Young Damsels lived in the Khord Mbal,
Who threw themselves headlong just over the wall,
That the SEAPOYS might catch them - and so break their fall: -
That their views and intentions were but to escape
The danger of HASTINGS committing a Rape;
The BEGUMS themselves, were afraid lest his pleasures,
Should extend to their Persons as well as their Treasures. -
How licentious, how wicked, how base are the men,
Who would ravish old women of three score and ten!
Oh! Great GOD of Justice! Can'st thou think it fitting,
To look down from thy Throne, while such Rapes are committing!
Why delay then to fix some perpetual mark,
At once to disable this infamous Spark;
Who set off from CALCUTTA, determined to rob
Some fat ZEMINDAR, or some wealthy NABOB. -
No prey found this Tyger in reach of his spring,
Save the BEGUMS of Oude, and the Rajah Cheyt Sing!
Like a Robber, whose choice is restricted to two;
No place, except Bagshot and Hounslow, will do.
I have prov'd that the Prisoner is all over guilt;
That hogsheads of innocent blood he has spilt;
I have prov'd he was guilty, of Fraud and Abuse,
And Robbery too, for the Company's use -
Then by our RELIGION, which he has disgrac'd;
By our CONSTITUTION, which he has defac'd;
By Nature's best rights, I your Lordships invoke,
Those rights to whose heart he has given a POKE -
By the Chastity pure, of the BEGUMS of Oude;
By millions of dead men, now crying aloud;
Those dead men whose deaths, all to murder were owing,
Whilst tears from their wives were in rivulets flowing:
By those poor distrest damsels, who fractur'd their bones,
By hastily throwing their bodies on stones -
YE BISHOPS! ARCHBISHOPS! a sanctified band,
Who all holy mysteries well understand!
Ye Judges of England, of wisdom profound,
Who can find out the Law, and can lose it - when found:
Ye Nobles, in Ermin, so spotless a train,
Whose Honour can suffer by no blot or stain;
Ye ROYAL YOUNG PRINCES, for Chastity fam'd,
For clear understandings, which need not be nam'd -
To you, all Indostan looks up for relief,
And Vengeance demands on that Robber and Thief! -
Unless by your justice his blood shall be spilt,
The World will affirm you partake of his guilt;
Shed his blood then, I say! - No, the hanging of one,
For the Slaughter of MILLIONS, can never atone. -
He ought to be tortur'd, with racks, gripes, and pinches,
Be dying for years - he should perish by inches!
And when from his body his spirit shall sever,
He ought to be damn'd to damnation for ever!!!"
Such horrors presented themselves to his view,
That SHERRY took fright at the picture he drew;
He had something, 'twas thought still more horrid to say,
When his tongue lost it's powers, and he fainted away.