94 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN MEDICAL SERVICE
and it is stated that he had behaved well since his trial three years before. The Cons. of 3rd March, 1700/01, mention that he is dead, and order the payment to his wife of 97 ryals standing to his credit at Fort York (Bencoolen). The original papers in this curious case are given below.
"At a Consultation Extraordinary, Wednesday, 31st.* Present: The Hon ble Nath Higginson, Esqre, President & Govern', John Dolben, Esqre, Judge Advocate, Mr William Fraser. Mr Cuthbert haveing the last night discoursed to the President some transactions which had passed between Doctor Blackwall and Arsemonague at the Camp, concerning Doctor Blackwall's being made Governor of Porto Novo, and that he had heard at the Camp, when there, that there were some designs on foot for the Plundering of Cuddaloor, when the army passed by that way to Tanjore. The President imediatly wrote a Letter to Mr Hatsell adviseing him thereof that he might not come hither as before ordered till this matter was over and upon perusall of the papers delivered by Mr Cuthbert among which is a letter to him from Blackwall, darkly intimating hee had some great designes on foot; a generall letter was thereupon written to Mr Hatsell, and another to him and Councill, with the necessary advices and directions, as entred in the Coppy Booke of Letters." †
"Cons., Friday, 9th Feb. 1693/94. The generall Lettrs from Mr Hartsell and from him and Councill dated ye 7th Inst. p. shipp Northampton being perused with the inclosed Paper of ye examination of Doct Blackwall's servants, and also one lett' from Doct' Blackwall to his wife, wch gives an accout of his haveing Receiv'd a Phirmaund for Porto Novo whereof he and his Heires are to be Governors where he is to maintaine one or two hundred Horse and as many Europeans as he can gett. Doct Blackwall be sent for and examin'd, hee Confess'd it and delivered in a narrative of his Transactions wth the Nabob and Arsamanague, but does utterley disowne anny designe relateing to Fort St. David, or Cuddaloor, and alledges in his owne Justification that after he was acquainted that Mr Hartsell &ca had seized his papers, he notwithstanding came to them as he intended to disclose the whole Matter, and have theire approbation, before he did ingage in it, but it being a matter of dangerous consequence requires further enquiry and consideration, in the meantime Doct' Blackwall is comitted to ye charge of ye Levtt of ye Gard, to be kept in a chamber in the Fort under a Centinell and none to speake to him till further order."
Cons., Tuesday, 13th Feb. 1693/94. Doct Blackwall haveing sent ye Presidt a paper on ye 11 and 12 instant, by ye former declareing his entering into and concludeing a treaty wth ye Nabob & Arsemonague for ye Governt of Porto Novo to him and his Heirs under Arsemonague and by yeowneingyt he has entered into an obligaton for ye Payment off one hundred thousand Pagodoes to the Mogull att certain times and conditions and
- Wednesday, 31st Jan., 1693/94.
† The first Consultation of 31st Jan. is included in the Colin Mackenzie MSS., Vol. LVI, last page; the others in Factory Records, Fort St. George, Vols. VII and VIII.
