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SEPTEMBER, 1911.) G. BOUGHTON AND TRADING PRIVILEGES
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GABRIEL BOUGHTON AND THE GRANT OF TRADING PRIVILEGES TO THE ENGLISH IN BENGAL.
BY W. FOSTER. Most writers on the early history of British trade in Bengal have repeated with more or less reserve) the picturesque story according to which the concessions, that enabled the East Indis Company's servants to establish factories and to trade duty-free in that province, were obtained through the magnanimity of a surgeon named Boughton, who, having cured, first an imperial princess, and then one of the consorts of Prince Shujâ, the Viceroy of Bengal, declined to receive any personal remuneration, but begged that in lieu thereof his fellow countrymen might be granted the commercial privileges they had long desired. The story has been traced by Sir Henry Yule (Hedges' Diary, Vol. III, p. 167) to Major Charles Stewart's History of Bengal (1813), where it is given as follows (p. 251) :
"In the year of the Hegira 1046 [A. D. 1636 in margin) a daughter of the Emperor Shah
Jehan having been dreadfully burnt, by her clothes catching fire, an express was sent to Surat, through the recommendation of the vizier Assud Khan, to desire the assistance of an European surgeon. For this service the Council at Surat nominated Mr. Gabriel Boughton, surgeon of the ship Hopewell, who immediately proceeded to the Emperor's camp, then in the Dekkan, and had the good fortune to cure the young Princess of the effects of her accident. Mr. Boughton, in consequence, became a great favourite at Court; and, having been desired to name his reward, le, with that liberality which characterizes Britons, sought not for any private emolument, but solicited that his nation might have liberty to trade, free of all duties, to Bengal, and to establish factories in that country. His request was complied with, and he was furnished with the means of travelling across the country to Bengal, Upon his arrival in that province, he proceeded to Pipley; and, in the year 1048 [A. D. 1638 in margin] an English ship happening to arrive in that port, he, in virtue of the Emperor's firman', and the privileges granted to him, negociated the whole of the concerns of that vessel without the payment of any duties. In the following year, the Prince Shujas having taken possession of the government, Mr. Boughton proceeded to Rajemahel, to pay his respects to his Royal Highness : he was most graciously received ; and one of the ladies of the haram being then indisposed with a complaint in her side, the English surgeon was again employed, and had the good fortune to accelerate her recovery. Owing to this event, Mr. Boughton was held in high estimation at the Court of Rajernahel; and, by his influence with the Prince, was enabled to carry into effect the orders of the Emperor, which might otherwise have been cavilled at, o, by some underhand method, have been rendered nugatory. In the year 1050 [A. D. 1640 in margin] the same ship returned from England and brought out a Mr. Bridgeman and some other persons, for the purpose of establishing factories in Bengal. Mr. Boughton, having represented the circumstance to the Prince, was ordered to send for Mr. Bridgeman : that gentleman, in consequence, went to Rajemahel, was introduced to the Prince, and obtained an order to establish, in addition to that at Pipley, factories at Ballasore and Hoogly. Some time after this event, Mr. Boughton died; but the Prince still continued his liberality and kindness to the English."
Stewart explains that this was the farmin received at Surat in February, 1631, giving the English permi. sion to trado in Bengal, using Pippli as their port of entry. (Soe The English Factories in India. 1634-86, P. XXXV.)
1 Stowar here appenda : goo Et India Records, Vol. XIV. p. 32' reference which no one has succeeded in explaining. There is no sob series now at the India Office, nor is there any evidence of its having existed at the East India House; anl it caboot be linked in any way with the Memoran lun mentioacl on the next page.
