, esq. LL.D. and F.A.S. eldest son and heir of the preceding, succeeded by virtue of the grant
, esq. LL.D. and F.A.S. eldest son and heir of the preceding, succeeded by virtue of the grant passed in 1727. He had been educated as a gentleman commoner at Corpus Christi college in Oxford. At the revival of the order of the Bath he was made genealogist and registrar. He was presented by Dr. Brookes, regius professor of civil law in Oxford, with the degree of LL.D. April 22, 1749, being the opening of the Radcliffe Library. July 21, 1736, he had been elected a member of the Society of Antiquaries. The margrave of Anspach, when invested with the order of the garter, presented him with 300 ducats, the gold-hilted sword his highness then wore, and gave him 100 ducats in lieu of his upper robe, which Garter claimed as belonging to him, by virtue of his office. He spent most of his time at Mortlake, where, indulging himself too freely with wine, it shortened his life, dying there December 5, 1754, aged only forty-six. He was undoubtedly a man of abilities, but harsh in his temper, especially towards the members of the college. Never having married, his brother, the Rev. George Anstis, became his heir. The manuscripts and well-chosen collection of books which had been possessed by his father were disposed of at his death.
, eldest son and heir of the preceding, became his successor, and no
, eldest son and heir of the preceding, became his successor, and notwithstanding the sufferings of his father, his estate was under sequestration; but
at the restoration, he was, by Charles II. advanced to the
title and dignity of viscount Maiden, and earl of Essex,
on April 20, 1661. He also was constituted lord lieutenant and custos rotulorum of the county of Hertford, on
July 7, 1660; and lord lieutenant of the county of Wilts,
during the minority of the duke of Somerset, on April 2,
1668. In the year 1670, he was sent ambassador to Christian V. king of Denmark, whence he returned with high,
favour for having vindicated the honour of the British flag:
and upon testimonies of his courage, prudence, and
abilities, was sworn of the privy- council in 1672, and
made lord-lieutenant of the kingdom of Ireland which
high office he exercised in that kingdom to the general
satisfaction of the people. After his return, he, in 1678,
with Halifax, and the duke of Buckingham, had the chief
political influence among the lords; yet, when they moved
an address to the king to send the duke of York from
court, the majority was against them. In 1679, he was
appointed first and chief commissioner of the treasury:
and his majesty choosing a new council, he ordered sir
William Temple to propose it to the lord chancellor Finch,
the earl of Sunderland, and the earl of Essex, but to one
after another; on which, when he communicated it to the
earl of Essex, he said, “It would leave the parliament
and nation in the dispositions to the king, that he found at
his coming in.
” Accordingly he was sworn of that privycouncil on April 21, 1679, being then first lord commissioner of the treasury; and his majesty valued himself on
it so, that the next day he communicated it by a speech
to the parliament, which was agreeable to both houses:
but not concurring with the duke of York in his measures,
his majesty, on November 19 following, declared in council, that he had given leave to the earl of Essex to resign
his place of first commissioner of the treasury; yet intended that he should continue of his privy-council. Nevertheless, soon after, being a great opposer of the court
measures, and on Jan. 25, 1680-1, delivering a petition
against the parliament’s sitting at Oxford, he was accused,
with the lord Russel, of the fanatic plot, and sent prisoner to the Tower in the beginning of July, 1683. Bishop Burnet says, that a party of horse was sent to bring
him up from his seat in Hertfordshire, where he had been
for some time, and seemed so little apprehensive of danger, that his lady did not imagine he had any concern
on his mind. He' was offered to be conveyed away, but
he would not stir: his tenderness for lord Russel was the
cause of this, thinking his disappearing might incline the
jury to believe the evidence the more. Soon after his
commitment, he was found with his throat cut, on July
13, 1683. The cause of this is variously represented,
some imputing it to himself in a fit of despondency, and
some to the contrivance of his enemies. From the evidence examined in the Biog. Britannica, a decision seems
difficult. See “Bp. Burnet’s late History charged with
great partiality,
” by Mr. Braddon,