damaging the Company's interests and lowering the Company's authority. All
who were in the Company's bad books found a patron and protector in
Matthews; so, when in September, 1722, the flagship appeared in the
Hooghly, Mrs. Gyfford was quick to grasp the opportunity, that presented
itself, of bidding defiance to her pursuers. She at once opened
communication with Matthews, and besought his protection. She was an
unfortunate widow who had lost two husbands by violent deaths in the
Company's service, and, now that she was unprotected, the Company was
trying to wring from her the little money she had brought away from
Anjengo, while she herself had large claims against the Company. This was
quite enough for Matthews. Here was a young and pretty woman with a good
sum of money, shamefully persecuted by the Company, to which he felt
nothing but hostility. At one stroke he could gratify his dislike of the
Company and succour a badly treated young woman, whose hard fate should
arouse sympathy in every generous mind; so the Bengal Council were told
that Mrs. Gyfford was now under the protection of the Crown, and was not
to be molested.

In the hope of securing some portion of the money due to the Company, the
Council attached the brigantine _Thomas_, commanded by Mrs. Gyfford's
brother. A letter was at once forthcoming from Matthews to say that he had
purchased Mrs. Gyfford's interest in the vessel. Finding themselves thus
forestalled, the Council begged Matthews not to take her away from
Calcutta till she had furnished security for the Company's claim of
Rs.50,000, Matthews replied that he should take her to Bombay, where she
would answer anything that might be alleged against her. As soon as he had
completed his trading in Bengal, Mrs. Gyfford, with her effects, embarked
on board the _Lyon_, and so returned to Bombay. There, in January, 1723,
we find her living under Matthews' roof, much to the wrath of the Council
and the scandal of her former acquaintances. By this time, the Council had