17 JANUARY 1998, Page 26

Chippy chappie

Sir: Count Tolstoy has prudently aban- doned his attempted defence of James II and the 'Bloody Assizes' (Letters, 10 Jan- uary). If he will now consult the best authorities — Clifton, Earle, Dunning, Wigfield or, from slightly further back, Ogg — he will find that he is also mistaken about the battle of Sedgemoor.

In any case there is no need for the Count to be so chippy. Everyone is delight- ed, I am sure, that he is now extending his studies to 'earlier historical eras' — espe- cially as they may help him to start paying some of his libel debts — but they would like him to get his facts right.

Ian Gilmour

House of Lords, London SW1