OXFORD, ROBERT HARLEY, 1ST EARL OF (1661 1724), English statesman, commonly known by his surname of HARLEY, eldest son of Sir Edward Harley (1624-170o), a Here fordshire land-owner, was born in Bow street, London, on Dec. 5, 1661. His school days were passed at Shilton, near Burford, in Oxfordshire, in a small school which produced at the same time a lord high treasurer (Harley), a lord high chancellor (Simon Har court) and a lord chief justice of the common pleas (Thomas Trevor). The principles of Whiggism and Nonconformity were in stilled into his mind at an early age, and if he changed the politics of his ancestors he never formally abandoned their religious opin ions. At the Revolution of 1688 Sir Edward and his son raised a troop of horse in support of the cause of William III., and took possession of the city of Worcester in his interest. Young Harley then (1689) entered parliament for the "pocket" borough of Tre gony. Later he sat for New Radnor, a seat which he held until his elevation to the peerage in 1711.
From the first Harley gave great attention to the conduct of public business, and from the general election of Feb. 1701 until the dissolution of 1705 he held the office of speaker. In 1704 he became a principal secretary of State for the northern department. In 1703 Harley first made use of Defoe's talents as a political writer, and this alliance with the press proved so successful that he afterwards called the genius of Swift to his aid in many pam phlets against his political opponents. While he was secretary of State the union with Scotland was effected. At the time of his appointment as secretary of State Harley had given no outward sign of dissatisfaction with the Whigs, and it was mainly through Marlborough's good opinion of his abilities that he was admitted to the ministry. For some time Harley acted loyally with his colleagues. But in the summer of 1707 it became evident to Godolphin that some secret influence behind the throne was shak ing the confidence of the queen in her ministers. Abigail Hill, who
was secure in the queen's confidence, was Harley's cousin, and his instrument in influencing the queen against her ministers. These bided their time, until an opportunity for Harley's over throw was provided. A clerk in Harley's department divulged the contents of secret documents in his office, which should have been inaccessible to anyone but the chief, and the queen was thereupon informed that Godolphin and Marlborough could no longer serve in concert with him. They did not attend her next council (Feb. 8, 1708), and the queen found herself forced (Feb. I I) to accept the resignations of both Harley and St. John.
Harley went out of office, but his cousin, who had now become Mrs. Masham, remained at court to further his interests. The cost of the protracted war with France, and the danger to the national church, the chief proof of which lay in the prosecution of Sache verell, were the weapons which he used to influence the masses of the people. Marlborough himself could not be dispensed with, but his relations were dismissed from their posts in turn. When the greatest of these, Lord Godolphin, was ejected from office, five commissioners to the treasury were appointed (Aug. io, 171o), and among them figured Harley as chancellor of the exchequer. It was the aim of the new chancellor to frame an administration from the moderate members of both parties, and to adopt with hut slight changes the policy of his predecessors; but he failed. By an unexpected event, his popularity was restored at a bound. A French refugee, the ex-abbe de la Bourlie (better known by the name of the marquis de Guiscard), was being examined before the privy council on a charge of treachery, when he stabbed Harley in the breast with a penknife (March 8, i71r). On May 23, the minister became Baron Harley of Wigmore and earl of Oxford and Mortimer; and immediately afterwards lord treasurer and a Knight of the Garter.