282 THE GREAT DIAMONDS OF THE WORLD.
certain
members of his own council. He appealed to Sir Edward Hughes, the
admiral commanding the squadron in the roads, for protection, and the
admiral demanded that safe conduct to the ships should be given him.
The ruling body inquired whether Sir Edward would be responsible for
Lord Pigott if the request was complied with. The admiral answered that
he tendered the requisition in the king's name, and would make no
terms. The acting council replied that they had no proof that the
Crown empowered its officers to require the removal of any servant of
the Company, in such a situation as that of Lord Pigott, from under the
authority of the Company's government, and the admiral rejoined that
the case was unexampled, that he had done his duty in making the
requisition, and must leave those who had resisted it to meet the
consequences. One of these consequences was lamentable. The
constitution of Lord Pigott, impaired by age and an Indian climate,
sank under the irritation to which he had been exposed, and the
restraint to which he was subjected, and he died, the prisoner of those
over whom he had been appointed to preside."
This
was in the year 1777, and as his death took place in India, if the
stone was brought to England by Lord Pigott himself, it must have been
on the occasion of his return to Europe a short time previously.
