Chapter PEPPER to PERGUNNAHS of P by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

i. 273.

1535.—“Item, from the three praguanas, viz., Anzor, Cairena, Panchenaa 133,260 fedeas.”—S. Botelho, Tombo, 139.

[1614.—“I wrote him to stay in the Pregonas near Agra.”—Foster, Letters, ii. 106.]

[1617.—“For that Muckshud had also newly answered he had mist his prigany.”—Sir T. Roe, Hak. Soc. ii. 415.]

1753.—“Masulipatnam … est capitale de ce qu’on appelle dans l’Inde un Sercar (see SIRCAR), qui comprend plusieurs Perganés, ou districts particuliers.”—D’Anville, 132.

1812.—“A certain number of villages with a society thus organised, formed a pergunnah.”—Fifth Report, 16.

PERGUNNAHS, THE TWENTY-FOUR, n.p. The official name of the District immediately adjoining and inclosing, though not administratively including, Calcutta. The name is one of a character very ancient in India and the East. It was the original ‘Zemindary of Calcutta’ granted to the English Company by a ‘Subadar’s Perwana’ in 1757–58. This grant was subsequently confirmed by the Great Mogul as an unconditional and rent-free jagheer (q.v.). The quotation from Sir Richard Phillips’ Million of Facts, illustrates the development of ‘facts’ out of the moral consciousness. The book contains many of equal value. An approximate parallel to this statement would be that London is divided into Seven Dials.

1765.—“The lands of the twenty-four Purgunnahs, ceded to the Company by the treaty of 1757, which subsequently became Colonel Clive’s jagghier, were rated on the King’s books at 2 lac and 22,000 rupees.”—Holwell, Hist. Events, 2nd ed., p. 217.

1812.—“The number of convicts confined at the six stations of this division (independent of Zillah Twenty-four pergunnahs, is about 4,000. Of them probably nine-tenths are dacoits.”—Fifth Report, 559.

c. 1831.—“Bengal is divided in 24 Pergunnahs, each with its judge and magistrate, registrar, &c.”—Sir R. Phillips, Million of Facts, stereot. ed. 1843, 927.

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