Chap. VIII.] IMPEACHMENT OF THE DUKE OF LEEDS. 365
the East Indies, having either forfeited their clmrter, or being under an appre- a.d. 1095. liension that they had forfeited the same, and having made their humble appli- cation to their majesties in council for obtaining a cliarter of confirmation : the said Duke of Leeds, being then pi'esident of their majestie.s' most honom-able privy council, and sworn to give their majesties true and faithful advice, did, contrary to his oath, office, and duty to then- majesties, and in breach of the great trust reposed in him, by himself, his agents, or servants, coiTuptly and ille- gally treat, contract, and agree with the said merchants or their agents, for 5500 guineas, to procure the said charter of confirmation, and also a charter of regu- lations, or to use his endeavours to obtain the same."
By some strange oversight the duke's servant, M. Robert, whom the previous suspicious deposition had shown to be a most important witness, had not been examined, anceofau and when the necessary steps for the purpose were about to be taken, it was ""'".^IJ"' found that he had disappeared. A tardy proclamaticin for securing him was issued, but it proved unavailing; and thus an essential link in the chain of evi- dence could not be supplied. The Duke of Leeds, now feeling confident that the impeachment could not be made good, began to use the language of injured innocence, and to com})lain of the hardship and injustice of having a charge hanging over his head, while no attempt was made to prove, and no opportunity was given him to disprove it. The state of matters was, however, well under- stood, and his shufi^ling only served to confirm the conviction generally enter- tained of his guilt. Meanwhile parliament seemed resolved to do its duty ; and as the leading witnesses were justly suspected of prevarication or concealment, an act was passed for imprisoning them, and for restraining them from alien- ating their estates. Unfortunately, the zeal manifested by parliament was not seconded at court. At a very eai-ly period of the inquiry, the king, after giving the royal assent to several bills, addressed both houses as follows: — "My lords Tiie king* and gentlemen, I take this occasion to tell you that the season of the year is so i.arii,iineut. far advanced, and tiie circmnstances of affairs are so pressing, that I very ear- nestly recommend to you the speedy despatching such business as you think of most importance for the public good, because I must put an end to this session in a few days." From this significant hint, it was well understood that there was a strong feeling in high quarters against the exposure to which the parlia- mentary inquiry into bribery and coiTuption threatened to lead ; and in fact, on the 3d of May, within a ft)rtnight after the iiint was given, and while the issue of the inquiry was still in suspense, ])arliament was prorogued. According to Burnet, " It was intended to hang up the matter to another session ; but an act of grace came in at the end of this, with an exception, indeed, as to coiTuption; yet this whole discovery was let fall, and it was believed too many of all sides were concerned in it ; for, by a common consent, it was never revived."
There cannot be a doubt that the Company suffered severely in ])ublic esti- mation by the disclosure, so far as it had gone. A distinction, however, ought
