until 1783, the four boroughs belonging to the bishops, irishtown, clogher, old leighlin, and armagh, had been regarded as crown property, and as providing opportunities for bringing into the house of commons men connected with the government. the idea that these boroughs were the property of the bishops, to be used as other borough proprietors used their boroughs, dated from lord northington's administration. the constitution of 1782 increased the independence of the irish parliament, and at the general election of 1783, on the usual application being made to the bishops for the nominations for their boroughs, three of them answered the lord lieutenant that their seats were already disposed of. northington wrote for instructions from london in this emergency. "was he," he asked, " to signify to these prelates his majesty's disapprobation of their conduct?" lord north, the british prime minister, replied: "the king [ george iii ] is unwilling to interfere, but he agrees with your excellency, that it is extremely improper conduct." walter cope, who as bishop of ferns and leighlin controlled the borough of old leighlin, was the only bishop who at this general election gave his two seats to the government. cope was rewarded by the promotion of his brother-in-law archibald acheson from baron to viscount gosford.