Indian Antiquary Vol 45

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 66

THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
(APRIL, 1916
eighth on the list of writers, and he was " to be disposed of " as the Council at Fort St. George should "thinck fitt."2 News had reached the Court of irregularities among their youthful servants, and they therefore wrote to the authorities at Fort St. George as follows:
** Wee are informed that some of your youthes with you, upon pretence that they have not allow.nce of suppers and other Conveniences provided for them in the Fort, take liberty to go to Punch Howses and other places, and spend their time therein deboiching themselves, which wee cannot allow off. Therefore wee require that a competent provision and accommodation be made for them within our Fort, and that you restrayne all persons from this practice, and take care good howers and orders Care kept]."
The Court also made a fresh regulation with regard to the munificent salaries paid to their writers._" And that all our writers under your Agency, whose sallaries are 10 li. per annum may be the better enabled to furnish themselves with Clothes and other Xecessaries, Wee doe now order that their full gallaries be quarterly paid unto them. both of those already with you, with the Arrears of their said sallaries, And likewise to such as come in these ships."
The fleet sailing to India in 1671-1672 consisted of the Berkeley Castle, Johanna, Loyall Subject, Rebeccah and Anne, and on these five slips the factors and writers were disposed. The Anne reachoci Fort St. George on the 13th June 1672," the other four Vessels arriving ten days later, when the Company's new servants took up their duties.
There is no mention of Harding for two years. Then, in March 1674, the Court wrote, "Wee doo order that Mr. James Harding, now at the Fort St. George, who was bred a silkeman, be sent to assambazzar [Kasim bazar] to be imployed about sorting our silk." It is probable that Hercules Bridson, silk dyer, mentioned as one of Harding's securities, was responsible for his training in the silk trade. Accordingly, immediately on receipt of the Company's orders, the Council at Fort St. George proceeded to carry them out. On th, 28th September 1674 they 'wrote to Walter Clavell and Council at Balasor, announcing that James Harding should " in few daies" proceed to * C'assum buzar to be Inploved in the Honble. Companies affareg." On his arrival at Balasor, Harcling was therefore sent on to Kasimbazar in the “Ganges " and it was suggested t) Matthias Vincent, then chief of that factory, that he should be employed "as an assistance to the warehousekeeper."
For nearly three years from this date the Records are silent regarding Harding. He should have been out of his writership at the end of 1676, but in the settlement made by the Court of their servants in Bengal, on the 12th December 1677, his name appears as "17th in the Bay" and first of the three writers at Kasimbazar. Harding, who had arrived in India imbued with the teaching of the then notorious sectarian Muggleton, found ample time to absorb the doctrines of his spiritual leader, and to avow them openly in the little English community at Kasim bazar. But, however scandalized his superiors were, or affected to be, by his inorthodox opinions, they hesitated to bring a charge against him, unless assured of support from their employers. In 1677 th is support was given
: Letter to Fort St. George of the 18th December 1671, Letter Book, Vol. IV, pp. 493 ff. 3 Leiter Book, Vol. IV, p. 500.
Letter Book, Vol. IV, p. 500. 50. C. (Original Correspondence), No. 3721.
Letter to Fort St. Georgo of the 13th March 1674, Letter Book, Vol. V, p. 98. 1 Factory Records, Hugli, Vol. IV. Letter of 6th October 1674, Factory Records, Hugli, Vol. IV. Letter Book, Vol. V, p. 500.