to the Com-
b<SS llISTOliY OF IMHA. [Took III.
- . u. i7i
- i resistance would please the emperor more than rea/ly submission. The rajah,
however, was too acute to play the game of Farokshir's favourites ; and, find- ing Hosen willing to grant him terras by which his own interests were secured, liastened to conclude a peace. hnixrtant One of the stipulations of this peace was that the rajah should give his
Faioksiiii (laughter in marriage to the emperor. What the attractions of the lady were is not mentioned, but Faroksiiir seems to have felt all the ardour and im- patience of a lover. There was, however, a serioas obstacle in the way. The di«^ sipated course of life which he led had undermined Ms health, and he was labour- ing under a disease which did not permit him to marry. Fortunately, at this very period the Company had sent a formal emba.s.sy to Delhi to complain of the extortion and oppression practised upon them at their different factories, and more especially in Bengal. They had been induced to take this step in conse- quence of the favour which Farokshir had shown them while holding the government of this province, and their consequent hope that he would protec-t them against the harsh treatment which they were receiving from Jafiier Khan, his successor. The embassy carried with them presents to the value of about £30,000, intended partly for the emperor himself, and partly for the favourites by whom he was surrounded. It is not to be doubted that at a com-t where intrigue prevailed and all things had become venal, these presents must have smoothed down many difficulties ; but the idtimate success of the embassy was owing not to them but to a cause on which they had not calculated. ^Ir. Hamilton, the phy- sician to the embassy, had been called to court to give his professional aid, and succeeded so well, that the disease of the emperor, whicb had refused to yield to native treatment, was removed, and his marriage, which had been vexa- tiously delayed, was celebrated with unprecedented splendour. There was in consequence no limit to the favour which Mr. Hamilton enjoyed. The emperor publicly attested his gratitude by bestowing rich presents upon him in the pre- sence of all his courtiers, and was afterwards easily induced to comply with the petition which the embassy had presented, by issuing a firman which invested the Company with new and extensive priAoleges. Besides the three ^'illages which they aheady possessed in the vicinity of Fort WiUiam, authority was given them to acquire other thirty-seven on the same terms and in the same locality. For a time, in consequence of the hostility of Jafiier Khan, this grant was rendered inoperative ; but at last full effect was given to it, and the Com- pany, though not without serious misgivings of allowing themselves to be "encumbered with much territory," acquired right to a tract extending nearly ten miles along both sides of the Hooghly, and completely commanding its navi- gation. Among the other more important privileges confeiTed by the fii-man were the conversion of the duties previously payable at Siuat into a fixed annual sum, beyond which no charge of any kind was to be made ; and above all, the removal of one of the greatest impediments which trade had experienced,
