Indian Antiquary Vol 45

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

Page 71

APRIL, 1918) SOME ANGLO-INDIAN WOZTHIES OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY 63
Before this report of Harding s mis doings reached the Court, they had written to Bengal, ordering that, if found deserving of their favour, he should be given another chance to serve the Company30.-" If you find Mr James Harding (who hath for sovrall vears p288'd been in our service) diligent, able and faith full in our concerns, We woull have you give him incouragement as he shall be found to deserve." This change in the Court's attitude towards Harding may be due to an appeal on his behalf from their valued and trusted servant, Job Charnock. But as all the time-servers then in Bengal were directly antagonistic to Charnock, anyone under his protection was sure to be singled out for attack, whether innocent or guilty. Agent William Hedges, who was appointed supervisor of affairs in Bengal in 1682, was especially inimical to Charnock. He was at Kasimbazar in October 168231 and again in April 1683, when his Diary for the 17th of that month contains the following entry :-32 "Harding accused. Upon information given me by most of the factory that James Harling, now entertained by Mr Charnock as his servant, had formerly bin dismist the Honble. Company's Service for Blasphemy and Athisticall tenetts, and trat he was a person notoriously scandalous both in life and conversation (George Pitman, a Throwster, offering to de pose that he saw sa il Harding lye with Mr Elliotts woman slave), I ordred him not to eat at the Company's tible, and reproved Mr Charaock for entertaining so vitious a person ; to which he gave me the hearing with little or no reply, resolving, I suppose, to satisfie me for the present, and admitt him again as soon as I leave the factory."
Three days later a petitio. against Harding was presented to the Agent. This was signed by all those who were in opposition to Charnock.
"This day [20th April 1683] was presented a Petition of Allen Catchpoole, John Threder, Samuell Langley, George Pitman and George Stone, complaining of one James Harding, a mot Turbulent, violent-spirited fellow, in the following words, vizt.
"She weth That in the factory of Cassumbuzar there is one James Harding, a person who was formerly dismist the Hon ble. Company's service for Blasphemy and Athisticall tonetts, and since he hath buen here, hath evidenced himself to be a person of a most unquiett turbulent Spiritt, having all along bin a great disturber of the peace and quiet of this factory, and hath often bred differences amongst us ; and for the future we can hope no better from a Person of his irreligious and scandalous principles, he having lately bin taken in fornication with a slave wanch of John Elliotts, as is attested and ready to be deposed on oath by George Pitman, one of your petitioners, and divers other misdemeanors the said James Harding hath committed. We do therefore humbly request your Worship &ca. to take the premises into consideration, and ease us of this inconveniency: and that this our Petition may be entred into your Dyary. And your Petitioners shall pray &ca."
218t April 1683. "Mr Catchpoole's &os. Petition was taken into consideration, and after full examination, and hearing all parties, James Harding was found guilty of all that was alledged in the Petition, and ordred forthwith to be dismist the Honble. Conipany's Factory, but intercessioa being made by Mr Charnock for his continuance with him some time, to help him draw out and transcribe his Account, liberty was given him the said Harding to rumuia in tho Factory till the 28th instant."34
30 Letter to "The Bay" of 27th October 1692, Litter Book, Vol. VII, p. 103. 31 Diary of William Hedges, Factory Records, Miscellaneous, Vol. XV, p. 27. 32 Ibid, p. 55. 33 Ibid, pp. 56-57. 34 Ibid. p. 67.