also the old charge that Reynell was excessively tolerant of Catholics, and on this flimsy basis, hysterical accusations were made by a Colonel FitzGerald that he was involved in a conspiracy to kill William III. In December 1693 Reynell spoke in the English House of Commons in his own defence with great eloquence. Influential friends of his like Sir Edward Seymour defended his integrity with vigour, pointing to the absurdity of the idea that Reynell would plot to kill the King to whom he owed everything ("a man would have to be an idiot" to act so, Seymour remarked), and praising him as "an honest and prudent man". Reynell was completely vindicated. It is said that he found the attacks on him so painful that he never attended the House of Commons again. However, he continued to attend meetings of the Privy Council of England. Reynell was also subject to complaints that he drew an allowance for going on assize, as was customary, but that he did not actually hold sessions in any of the assize towns. Reynell, in his own defence, referred to the double burden of being Lord Chief Justice of Ireland while also having duties to attend to in England. Old age and death More substantial than accusations of treason was the claim that he was in failing physical and mental health. As noted, he clearly found the burden of assize work too great to bear. In 1695 Henry Capell, 1st Baron Capell of Tewkesbury, the Lord Justice of Ireland, said that Reynell was on the point of death and "not likely to live a month longer" (in fact he had four more years to live, and was still well enough to occasionally attend Council meetings) and past any sense or minding any business. He was dismissed from the Bench the same year, on the ground of his mental incapacity, although he successfully petitioned for a half years salary of £300. He died in London in 1699. He was given something close to a State funeral: an impressive procession passed through London, and brought his body back to Devonshire for burial at East Ogwell. Family Reynell married Hester Beckett, daughter of Randall Beckett of Dublin, in a ceremony at the King's Inn, of which her father was the lessee, in 1660. They had two sons, Richard and Henry, and four daughters, including Elizabeth and Hester. The elder