FRENCH, NICHOLAS (1604-1678), bishop of Ferns, Ire land, was an Irish political pamphleteer, born at Wexford. He was educated at Louvain, and before 1646 was appointed bishop of Ferns. His political activities made it prudent for him to leave Ireland in 1651. He acted as coadjutor to the archbishops of Santiago de Compostella and Paris, and to the bishop of Ghent, and died at Ghent on Aug. 23, 1678.
The Historical Works of Bishop French, comprising three pamphlets and some letters, were published by S. H. Bindon at Dublin in 1846. See T. D. McGee, Irish Writers of the 17th Century (Dublin, 1846) ; Sir J. T. Gilbert, Contemporary History of Affairs in Ireland, 1641 1652 (Dublin, 1879-1880) ; and T. Carte, Life of James, Duke of Ormond (new ed., Oxford, 1851).