 Accordingly, by a commission dated 20 February 1661–2, Winter (who had been knighted at Whitehall on the 13th of that month) was appointed the eighth agent at Fort St. George on an agreement to serve for three years from the date of his arrival (22 September 1662).During his tenure, he obtained permanent agreement regarding the English rights over Madras.However, soon he aroused the ire of the local factors by allegedly adopting a threatening attitude against the Sultan of Golconda in response to the extravagant duties imposed by the former.