A.D. 1687
military stores. Thus unprovided with the means of defence, the president saw no safety for it except in negotiation. With this view he opened a communication with the Mogul, and by means of various flimsy excuses for the hostilities
in Bengal, humbly deprecated his displeasure, and prayed for a confirmation of the privileges which Madras had so long enjoyed.
Bombay and Madras formed into regencies.
The court at home, never dreaming of the gloomy aspect which affairs had assumed, continued to busy themselves with their schemes of aggrandizement, and the various changes which might become necessary by the accomplishment of them. In imitation of the Dutch at Batavia and Colombo, they raised Bombay to the rank of a regency, and declared their wish that it should be fortified "as strong as art and money could make it." As the seat of government, Sir John Child, who presided at it, was to have unlimited power over all the Company's settlements in India. Madras, too, though subordinate to Bombay, was also raised to the rank of a regency, and at the same time (1687) received a charter of incorporation. Before this charter was granted the governor and deputy- governor of the Company were commanded to attend his majesty at the cabinet council. The subject of the intended charter was then largely debated, though the only question which appears to have excited much interest was—whether the charter should pass immediately by the king, under the great seal, or whether it should pass under the common seal of the Company. One member of council argued in favour of the former method, but the governor, when the king asked his opinion, replied as follows:-"What his majesty thought best the Company would always think so; but if his majesty expected the governor's private opinion, he had ever been of opinion, that no person in India should be employed by immediate commission from his majesty, because if they were they would be prejudicial to our service by their arrogancy, and prejudicial to themselves, because the wind of extraordinary honour in their heads would probably make them so haughty and overbearing that we should be forced to remove them."
