Anthony Ashley Cooper

Baronet, Son of Sir John Cooper of Rockbourne in Wilts. Kt. and Bt, by Anne his Wife Dau. and sole Heir of Sir Anth. Ashley of Wimbourne S. Giles in Dorsetshire, was born at Wimbourne on the 22. of July 1621, (19. Jac. 1.) became a Fellow Commoner of Exeter Coll. in Lent term 1636 under the tuition of Dr. Prideaux the Rector thereof, and continued there about two years. Afterwards he went to Lincolns Inn to study the municipal Law, and in the latter end of 1639, he was elected one of the Burgesses for Tewksbury in Glocestershire to serve in that Parliament that began at Westm. 13. Apr. 1640. In 1642 he sided with his Majesty, being then, as ’tis said, High Sherriff of Dorsetshire, became Governour of Weymouth, and raised some forces for his use. But the mind of this person being mutable, he left the royal cause, went in to the Parliament and served them, was made Colonel of a Regiment of Horse and took the Covenant. But when the Presbyterians thought themselves sure of him, “whip, he was gone (as one ((*))((*)) The author of the First pacquet of Advices and Animad. to the men of Shaftesbury, &c. p. 19. saith) and in a trice commenced a Brother Independent: which was a wise part, and no trick of a changling, to shift principles like shirts, and quit an unlucky side, in a fright, at the noise of a new prevailing party, with whom he staid, till he grew up to the size of a great Commonwealths man, and made hay in the Sun shine, until the Commonwealth, and Cromwell were brought to bed of a strange new kind of Monarchy in the House of Commons; a three or four hundred-headed Monarchy called The Fifth Monarchy; and in those days it was also called, Cromwells little Parliament: in which his little Lordship became one of the Princes among a Drove of Changlings, &c.” In 1645 he was elected Sherriff of Norfolk, and the next year Sherriff of Wilts, both approved of, and consented to, by the members of Parliament. In Jan. 1651, he having before taken the Engagement, he was one of those 21 persons who were appointed by Parliament to sit as a Committee, to consider of the inconveniences which were in the Law, &c. and soon after he was chose one of the Council of State to Oliver: in which high office he continued till that person was Protector. In June 1653 he was constituted Knight for Wilts. to serve in the said Little Parliament that began at Westm. on the 4. of July the same year; but therein having spied out Olivers purpose of matching to another sort of Monarchy of his own, Sir Anthony then resolved, like a constant steady man to his own main point, to trepan his fellow members and strike in with him, and lent him thereupon a helping hand towards the confounding of Fifth Monarchy, to make way for a new one under the name of Protector; in which seene of affairs he was made a Protectorian Privy-counsellour. In Aug. 1654 he was appointed by ordinance one of the Commissioners for Wilts, Dorsetshire and Pool for the ejection of such whom the Godly Party then called scandalous, ignorant and insufficient Ministers and Schoolmasters, and about the same time he was elected a. Burgess for Pool before mention’d, and for Tewkesbury in Glocestershire, to serve in that Parl. (called by Oliver, then Protector) that began at Westm. 3. of Sept. the same year. At which time he aspiring to become the Protectors Son-in-Law, Cromwell (who well enough understood him) either disdaining, or not daring to take him so near into his bosome, took occasion also to quit him out of his Council. So that being out of such publick employs, he was at leisure to make court to all private Malecontents against the Protector; and wheresoever he found a sore, there he rub’d hardest till the end of the Raign of Richard. In 1656 he was elected a Parliament man for Wilts. to serve in that convention that met at Westminster 17 of Sept. the same year, and in 1658 he was elected again for that which began at the same place 27. of January: In both which the friends and favourites of Sir Anthony say that he endeavoured to cross the designs of Oliver and Richard. But the last being soon after laid aside, Sir Anthony thought it high time of necessity, to turn back to the old honest point of the compass, and get in again, to be thought a new man of his Majesties party. To this end, notwithstanding he had been nominated one of the Council of State after the deposing of Richard, (May 15 1659) he joyned partly with the Presbyterians, and privately engaged with Sir George Booth, was of the Cabal, kept intelligence with him, and had a party in Dorsetshire, which should be ready to assist him, if little success should crown his beginnings. But Sir Geor. party being dispers’d in Aug. 1659 in the County of Chester, where he first appeared, the Rump Beagles did trace the scent of the Abettors of that rising so closely, that Sir Anth. being shrewdly suspected to have a most considerable hand in it, and to have kept intelligence with the King then in exile, was publickly accused of it in the Rump Parliament then sitting. So that being called to the bar of the House, he made answer so dexterously to their objections, that he stopt the mouthes of his Accusers, and most of the Members, having a great opinion of his fidelity, did then dismiss him. After this, he perceiving full well that in short time Monarchy would be restored, he studied all the ways imaginable (especially when it could not be hindred) to promote it. He corresponded with Monk, then in Scotland, when he took discontent that the Rump Parliament (which was invited to sit again by the Army on the 6. of May 1659) was thrust out of doors on the 13 of Oct. following. So that he being very forward in that affair, he was on the 2 of Jan. following (the Rump having been a little before readmitted to sit) nominated one of the Council of State, and about 9 days after had the Regiment of Horse, then very lately belonging to Charles Fleetwood (commonly called the Lord Fleetwood) given to him to be Colonel thereof. Soon after Monks coming to Westminster, he became very great with him, and was, for his sake, not only made Governour of the Isle of Wight, but one of the Council of State, by the Rump, and secluded members then newly added to them, on the 16. of March 1659; on which day they dissolved themselves. In the beginning of 1660 he was chosen one of the Knights of Wilts. to serve in that Parliament called the Healing Parliament, began at Westm. 25. of Apr. the same year, at which time the authority of the Council of State ceased. In the latter end of May following he went with General George Monk to Dover to meet the King then about to take possession of his Kingdoms, after 12 years absence thence. The next day, being May 26, he was sworn a Privy Counsellour to his Majesty, being at that time at Canterbury, in his way to London, to be received by his Subjects there. at which time Sir Anthony took one or more Oathes. In the beginning of Oct. following when his Majesty was pleased to issue out the grand commission of Oyer and Terminer for the Trial of the Regicides, directed to several noble persons, choice was made of Sir Anthony to be one: So that he sitting upon the Bench first at Hickshall and afterwards at the Old Baylie, with others that had been deeply engaged in the then late grand rebellion, caused Adrian Scrope Esq. one of the Regicides that then was tried, to say ((†))((†)) In the Exact and most impartial accompt of the indictment, arraignment, &c. of 29. Regicides, the murtherers of K. Ch. 1. &c. Lond. 1660. qu. p. 69. of himself and them thus, his words being directed to Sir Orl. Bridgman Lord Chief Baron of the Exchecquer, the chief Judge then in that affair—But my Lord I say this, if I have been misled, I am not a single person that have been misled. My Lord I could say (but I think it doth not become me to say so) that I see a great many faces at this time, that were misled as well as my self; but that I will not insist upon, &c. As for the faces which he meant, that then sate as Judges on him, were taken at that time to be those of Sir Anthony Ash. Cooper, Edward Earl of Manchester, Will. Visc. Say and Seal, John Lord Roberts, Denzil Hollis Esq. afterwards Lord Hollis, Arthur Annesley Esq. afterwards Earl of Anglesey, &c. But to return: Sir Anth. Ash. Cooper being put into the road to gain honour and riches, he was in the year following, on the 20. of Apr. (three days before his Majesties Coronation) advanced to the degree and dignity of a Baron of this Realm, by the title of Lord Ashley of Wimbourne S. Giles. Afterwards he was made Chancellour and Under-Treasurer of the Exchecquer (in which places he was succeeded by Sir John Duncombe, about the 20 of Nov. 1672) and upon the death of Thomas Earl of Southampton Lord Treasurer, he was made one of the five Commissioners by his Majesty, for the executing the said office, on the first of June, an. 1667. About that time he was Lieutenant of Dorsetshire, and a person in great favour with the K. and Court. In Dec. 1671 he, with Sir Thomas Clifford, were the principal advisers of his Majesty to shut up the Exchecquer, (which was accordingly effected on the first of January following) and in granting injunctions in the case of Bankers. In the beginning of March following, he, with the said Sir Thomas, were great promoters of the indulgence for liberty of Conscience; effected also by the Kings Proclamation for that purpose, dat. 15. of the same month, 1671; which was the source of all misfortunes that followed, even to the Popish Plot, an. 1678. But that Indulgence or Toleration was happily annull’d by the Parliament, which did begin to re-sit, 4. Feb. 1672. On the 27. of Apr. 1672, he was by Letters Pat. then bearing date, created Lord Cooper of Paulet and Earl of Shaftesbury, and at that time tugging hard for the Lord Treasurers place, his Majesty was pleased to advance him higher, that is to be Lord Chancellour of England, 17. Nov. the same year, and on the 28 of the same month, he gave the office of Lord Treasurer to the said Sir Thomas, then Lord Clifford. ’Tis reported by a ((a))((a)) In his Memoires and just vindication of the Earl of Shaftesbury, &c. printed at Lond. in 8. sheets in fol. p. 8. nameless author, but of no great credit, that when his Majesty (upon an occasional hearing of this Lords (Shaftesbury) publick sagacity in discussing publickly some profound points) did as in a rapture of admiration say, that his Chancellour was as well able to vye (if not out-vye) all the Bishops in point of Divinity, and all his Judges in point of Law; and as for a Statesman, the whole world in forreign Nations, will be an evident witness, &c. Before I go any farther it must be known that altho his Majesty did publish his Declaration of War against Holland, with a manifesto of its causes, on the 17. of Mar. 1671, seconded by the French Kings Declaration of War by Sea and Land against the States, dat. 27. of the same month, in pursuance of which the English and French had a sharp engagement with the Dutch, 28. May 1672, off of Southwould-bay, (the D. of York being then Admiral) yet this War was not communicated to the Parliament till they did re sit 4. Feb. 1672: In the opening of which Session, I say that Shaftesbury did, in a speech the next day, promote and much forward the said War, and enforced it moreover with a Rhetorical flourish Delenda est Carthago, that a Dutch Commonwealth was too near a Neighbour to an English Monarch, &c. By which advice the Triple-League which had been made between us, the Dutch and the Sweed, in the latter end of the year 1667 (at which time William Albert Count of Dona Embassador from Sweedland was here in England) was broken, and thereupon an alliance was made with France: In which act we are to thank Henry Coventry Secretary of State, for his pains, if his own affirmation may be credited, when he went into Sweedland, 1671. In the same Session of Parliament, Shaftesbury had a principal hand in promoting and establishing the Test, to render Papists uncapable of publick employments: And this he did (as ’tis thought) because he perceiving the Court to be sick of him, provided himself, by having a hand therein, with a retreat to the favour and applause of the populacy. On the 9. of Nov. 1673 (he being then President of his Majesties Council for trade and plantations) the Great Seal was taken from him by the endeavours of James Duke of York, who found him untractable, and not fit, according to moderation, for that high place (or as another tells ((b))((b)) The author of The th [•] rd part of [〈◊〉] Protestant Plot. p. 56. us for his zeal and activity in promoting the Bill for the aforesaid Test) and thereupon he grew much discontented, and endeavoured several times to make a disturbance. On the 16. of Feb. 1676, he, with George Duke of Buckingham, James Earl of Salisbury and Philip Lord Wharton were sentenced by the H. of Lords to be committed Prisoners to the Tower, under the notion of contempt, for that they refused a recantation for what the day before was spoken by them, viz. that Buckingham (just after the King had ended his Speech to both Houses at their then meeting) endeavouring to argue from Law and reason that the long prorogation was null’d and that the Parliament was consequently dissolved, was seconded by Salisbury, Shaftesbury and Wharton. For which reason, I say, and for endeavouring to raise sedition, they were sent to the Tower. Buckingham, Salisbury and Wharton were, by petition to his Majesty, freed thence in the beginning of May following, but Shaftesbury remained there till the beginning of Dec. next ensuing, notwithstanding he before (Jun. 22. an. 1677) had moved for a Habeas Corpus to the Kings Bench, which was granted, yet the Judges declared they could not release him. In Sept. 1678 upon the breaking out of the Popish Plot, he became head of the factious party, who making it more terrible than ’twas, endeavoured all ways imaginable to promote their interest thereby. To stop Shaftesbury’s mouth therefore, and so consequently please his party, his Majesty vouchsafed to constitute him Lord President of his Privy Council (consisting then but of 30) 21. Apr. 1679, but he shewing himself too busie and forward, and little, or not at all, to keep pace with the Kings moderate humour, he was laid aside on the 5 of Octob. following, and was succeeded in that honorable office by John Lord Roberts, who behaving himself much like a Gentleman, was soon after created Earl of Radnor. After this Shaftesbury plays his old game by recurring to the People, remov’d into the City, and, to vent his spleen, became the most bitter enemy in the H. of Lords against the Duke of York, especially at that time (15. of Nov. 1680) when William Lord Russell, eldest Son of William Earl of Bedford, did, in the head of more than 200 of the House of Commons, carry up a Bill to the House of Lords for the disinheriting the said Duke of the Imperial Crown of Britaine. Then and there, I say, he was so heated with passion (being excellently well opposed in what he then said by George Earl of Halyfax) that he talked almost all the time, being ten of the Clock at night before they gave over. But all that he then and afterwards said effecting nothing, he wrot, or caused to be written abusive Pamphlets, and endeavoured, with others by an Association, to depose the King in case he, and his Parliament held at Oxon in Mar. 168 [•] should disagree, which he fully expected. But his trayterous designs being discovered, he was seized on in his House in London by one of his Majesties Serjeants at armes, on the 2. Jul. 1681, examined by the Council, (the K. being then present) and forthwith was committed close Prisoner to the Tower for High Treason, in compassing and imagining the death of the King, and endeavouring to depose him from his Crown and Dignity, and to raise armes to that purpose. On the 24. of Nov. following there was a Bill of indictment of High Treason against him, read before his Majesties Commissioners of Oyer and Terminer in the Sessions-house in the Old Baylie, London, and afterwards ((c))((c)) See The Proceedings at the Sessions-house in the Old Baylie, &c. upon the indictment for high treason against Anthony Earl of Shaftesbury. Lond. 1681. in 13. sheets in fol. proved by several sufficient Witnesses; but the fanatical Jury pack’d on purpose by the then fanatical Sheriffs Tho. Pilkington and Sam. Shute, they returned the Bill Ignoramus, and so forthwith Shaftesbury was set at liberty. Upon which deliverance, the seditious party made Bonefires and caused a medal to be cast: of which medal Dryden the Poet Laureat made a witty Poem. In Octob. 1682 when Dudley North and Pet. Rich the loyal Sheriffs of London were sworn, a Warrant was issued out against, to apprehend, him: Whereupon he sculk’d for a time till an opportunity wafted him over the Seas to Holland, where he remained to the time of his death. He hath written divers things of which these are some.

The fundamental constitutions of Carolina. Lond. in 7. sh. in fol. These constitutions are in number 120, and at the end are eleven rules of precedence to be observed in Carolina. When these constitutions were printed, it appears not, either in the title, or at the end of the book. They are dated on the first of March 1669, and so I presume they were soon after printed.

Several Speeches as (1) Speech at the Lord Treasurers (Clifford) taking his Oath in the Exchecquer, 5. Dec. 1672. Printed in one sh. in fol. 1672. (2) Several Speeches to both Houses at the opening of the Parliament, 4. and 5. of Feb. 1672. Printed in fol. papers 1672. (3) Speech to Serj. Edw. Thurland in the Exchecquer Chamber, when he was made one of the Barons of the Exchecquer, 24. January 1672. Pr. in one sh. in fol. Reprinted afterwards in half a sheet in fol. at Lond. 1681 because it was much for the Kings Prerogative, and contained therein, as ’tis said, a good character of the Duke of York, shewing thereby the great mutability in opinion of this our author, who then (1681) was a severe enemy against both. (4) Speech to both Houses of Parliament, 27. oct. 1673. pr. in a fol. sheet. (5) Speech in the House of Lords, 20. Octob. 1675. upon the debate of appointing a day for the hearing Dr. Thom. Sherley’s ease. Lond. 1675. qu. This case of Dr. Sherley was against Sir John Fagge who detained a large Estate from him in Sussex. With the said Speech was printed that of George Duke of Bucks, spoken in the House of Lords, on the 16. of Nov. the same year, for leave to bring in a Bill for Indulgence to all Protestant Dissenters; together with the protestation and reasons of several Lords for the dissolution of that Parliament, &c. These two Speeches are said to be printed at Amsterdam, but were not. (6) Speech in the H. of Lords 25. Mar. 1679. upon occasion of the Houses resolving it self into a grand Committee to consider of the state of England. (7) Speech lately made by a noble Peer of the Realm. Printed in half a sheet of paper in fol. like a Gazette, in the latter end of Nov. 1680: The beginning of which is this, My Lord in the great debate concerning the Kings Speech, &c. pretended to have been spoken in Parliament, but ’twas not. Which Speech being full of rascallities, was, by order of the House of Lords burnt by the hand of the common Hangman before the Royal Exchange, and in the Pallace-yard at West. on the 4. of Dec. following. Therein, in the Shuboleth of factions, which he could truly pronounce, he had cajoled the Brethren of Scotland: But in the latter end of Jan. following, came out an answer to it by Anon. intit. A Letter from Scotland, written occasionally upon the Speech made by a noble Peer of this Realm: written by a better Protestant than the author of it, tho a servant to his Royal Highness the Duke of York.

Two seasonable discourses concerning this present Parliament. Oxon (alias Lond.) 1675. qu. The first discourse is thus entit. The debate or arguments for dissolving this present Parliament, and the calling frequent and new Parliaments. The other discourse is A Letter from a Parliament man to his friend concerning the proceedings of the H. of Com: this last Sessions, began 13. Oct. 1675. The first discourse contains 10 pages, the other seaven: And tho no name is set to them, yet it was very well known to all, that Shaftesbury wrot them; who tells us in the said Letter that the said Parliament consists of old Cavaliers, old Roundheads, indigent Cavaliers and true Country Gentlemen. The first of which discourses, if not both, together with the Speech before mention’d on the 20. of Oct. 1675, and the protestation and reasons aforesaid, are all answer’d in the body of a book which I shall anon mention, entit. A pacquet of Advices, &c. part. 1.

A Letter from a person of quality to his friend in the Country—Printed 1675. qu. It contains 32 pages, and speaks much in the praise of some of the temporal Lords, but gibes at the spiritual bench, particularly at Ward of Salisbury, whom he makes a very rogue. It is also chiefly, as I remember, against the Test, and was published after the Parl. had been prorogued 22. of Nov. the same year. It was answer’d by March. Nedham in his pamphlet entit. A pacquet of Advices and Animadversions sent from London to the men of Shaftesbury, &c. part. 1. As for the Test it self, which was the same with the corporation oath and part of the Declaration required to be subscribed in the Act of Uniformity, only with this additional clause, I do swear that I will not at any time endeavour an alteration of the government either in Church or State, was brought into the House by Robert Earl of Lindsey, but violently opposed by Shaftesbury, altho this very clause too had passed the Parliament long before, meeting with little opposition, in a particular Bill, which concerned only Nonconformist Preachers, known by the name of The Oxford or The five-mile Act, which hath been ever since so loudly clamoured against by that party.

His case at the Kings bench on his confinement to the Tower Lond. 1679 in 4. sh. in fol.

Expedient for the setling of the nation, discoursed with his Majesty in the House of Peers at Oxford, 24. March 1680. Lond. 1681 in one sh. in qu. The expedient was for setling the Crown on James Duke of Monmouth.

No Protestant Plot: or the present pretended conspiracy of Protestants against the Kings Government, discovered to be a conspiracy of the Papists against the King and his Protestant Subjects. Lond. 1680 in 4 sh. and an half in qu. Tho no name is put to this, yet the general report was that the Earl of Shaftesbury was the author, or at least found materials for it, and that his servant who put it in the Printers hands, was committed to prison. Not long after the publication thereof (which was partly answer’d in a pamphlet intit. A plea for succession in opposition to popular exclusion, &c. Lond. 1682 in 5 sh. in folio) came out by the same hand, The second part of no Protest. Plot, &c. Lond. 1682 in 4. sh. and an half in qu. great part of which is concerning the duty and power of Grand Juries, with reference still to the Earl of Shaftesbury. Afterwards came out a third part in qu. containing about 20 sheets (written as ’twas vulgarly said by Rob. Ferguson a Scot by the appointment and consent of Shaftesbury) which mostly reflects on the printed ((d))((d)) Lond. 1681. in 13. sh. in fol. proceedings against Shaftesbury, when the indictment of High. Treason was charged against him. It endeavours also at large to lessen the credit, and invalidate the Testimony of those several witnesses, which appeared against the said Earl, when the before mention’d indictment was charged against him, by representing them singly in the blackest and most malicious characters that can be. It doth more than ordinarily reflect ((e))((e)) See pag. 58.503. upon Edmund Warcup a Justice of Peace in Middlesex, as if he had corrupted and managed most of the evidences against the said Count. He is also touched upon in the ((f))((f)) See the first part, p. 21.22. first and second part, which I shall now for brevity sake omit, and only tell you that all three parts contain chiefly a vindication of Shaftesbury, as to his not being in the least concern’d in any plotting design against the King, and that they are taken to task by Roger L’estrange in some of his Observators. They were written as well as the bad subject of them could bear; and the third part which is very libellous was answer’d by a pamphlet entit. A letter to a friend containing certain observations upon some passages, which have been published in a late libell entit. The third part of no Protestant Plot. Lond. 1682. in 3 sh. in qu. Written chiefly in vindication of James Duke of Ormonde and his administration of affairs and government in Ireland.

A modest account of the present posture of affairs in England, with particular reference to the Earl of Shaftesbury’s case. And a vindication of him from two pretended Letters of a noble Peer. Lond. 1682 in 5. sh. in fol. Which two letters supposed to belong to George Earl of Halyfax, were doubtless forged and [•] eigned, only purposely to give Shaftesbury a greater liberty and scope of railing at, and libelling, the said Count. But this the reader must know, that tho there is no name to this Modest account, and therefore it cannot be reasonably fastned upon our author, yet the general report was, at its publication, that ’twas his, and at that time it was judged to be so by Rog. L’estrange in two or three of his Observators (weekly intelligences) that then came out, in which he reflected on the falseness of it; as ’twas also in a smart and ingenious answer to it, pen’d by John Northleigh of Exeter Coll. Besides also, I conceive that scarcely any body besides Shaftesbury would have adventured on such insolent and bold arraignments of some chief Ministers of State, not sparing the Government it self. He also made the little ((g))((g)) So the Seasonable Address to both Houses of Parliament. Lond. 1681. qu. p 13. short Speech intit. The Earl of Essex’s Speech at the delivery of the petition to the King 25. of Jan. 1680; which petition was, that the King would change his mind from the setting of the Parl. at Oxon, to be at Westminster: Answer’d in a letter sent to him by Anon. in half a sh. in fol. as big as the speech and petition. He was also deeply supposed to have written A vindication of the Association, which was seized on in the hands of his servant (Stringer) as he was going to the Press with it in the beginning of Dec. 1682: who being examined about it confessed that it was written by Rob. Ferguson a Nonconformist Minister, author of, as he added, The second part of the growth of Popery . Whereupon soon after a Messenger was sent to Brill in Holland to demand the body of him the said Ferguson and of Shaftesbury, but the States refused so to do, as the common Letters dat. 13 January following told us. Much about the same time I was informed by Letters also that since the said Earls retirement to Amsterdam, he printed and published a book there, in which he endeavoured to free himself from all cause of Jealousie, and aspersions cast on him: upon which a back friend of his immediatly dispers’d a satyrical reply in opposition thereunto. Which coming early to his Lordships hands, he printed a second book, justifying the validity of the first, but he did so much confound himself therein, that the States had then a jealousie, that he came among them for some other intent, than barely his Majesties displeasure with him. At length dying at Amsterdam of the Gout,1682/3. on the 21. of January in sixteen hundred eighty and two, his body was conveyed into England and buried at Wimbourne S. Giles in Dorsetshire beforemention’d. What Epitaph there is over his grave, I know not, and therefore in its place take this character of him, given by a most ingenious ((h))((h)) John Dryden in his Poem called Absalom and Achitophel. Lond. 1682 5. edit, p. 5. author.