countenancing "forgeries and
perjuries," which last, continues the veracious archbishop, he nearly
effected, without putting them to the trouble of repealing the Acts of
Settlement. King staggers from the assertion that Fitton denied justice
to Protestants, into saying it was got from him with difficulty.

Thomas Nugent, Baron Riverstown, second son of the Earl of Westmeath,
was chosen chairman of committees. King, who is the only authority at
present accessible to us, states that Nugent had been "out" in 1641,
but considering that he did not die till 1715, he must have been a mere
boy in '41, if born at all; and, at any rate, as his family, including
his grandfather, Lord Delvin (first Earl of Westmeath), and his father,
carried arms against the Irish up to 1648, and suffered severely, it is
most improbable that he was, as a child, in the opposite ranks.

The Irish had never ceased to agitate against the Acts of Settlement
and Explanation. Thus Sir Nicholas Plunket had done legal battle
against the first, till an express resolution excluded him by name from
appearing at the bar of the council. Then Colonel Talbot (Tyrconnell)
led the opposition effort for their repeal or mild administration. In
1686, Sir Richard Nagle went to England, as agent of the Irish, to seek
their repeal. But the greatest effort was made in 1688. Nugent and Rice
were sent expressly to London to press the repeal. Rice is said to have
shown great tact and eloquence, but Nugent to have been rash and
confused. Certain it is, they were unsuccessful with the council, and
were brutally insulted by the London mob, set on by the very decent
chiefs of the Williamite party.

Of the eighteen prelates, ten were Englishmen, one Welsh, and only
seven Irish. Several had been chaplains to the different lords
lieutenant. Eleven out of the eighteen were in England during the
session. Of these, some were habitual absentees, such as Thomas
Hackett, bishop of Down, deprived in 1691 by Williamite commissioners
for an absence of twenty years. Others had got leave of absence during
'87 and '88. Some, like Archbishop John Vesey of Tuam, and Bishop
Richard Tennison of Killala, fled in good earnest, and accepted
lecturerships and cures in London.

There was one man among them who deserves more notice, Anthony Dopping,
lord bishop of Meath. He was born in Dublin, 28th March, 1643, and died
24th April, 1697. He was educated in St. Patrick's schools, and won his
fellowshi