Warren Hastings (1732-1818), the first governor-general of Bengal (1772-1785), was impeached in 1787 following allegations of corruption and extortion during his term of office. The prosecution was led by Edmund Burke and the case took ten years to reach its conclusion, leaving Hastings acquitted but impoverished.

‘Hear Sheridan’: Sheridan demonstrated his considerable oratorical power in the prosecution of Hastings by a speech which began on June 3 1788 and lasted for several days, concluding with Sheridan swooning into Burke’s arms with the words, ‘My Lords, I have done’.

See DNB.