SHAFTESBURY, EARLS OF. A noble English family. ANTHONY ASIILEY COOPER. the first Earl (1621-S3), was born at Wimborne Saint Giles, Dorsetshire, July 22, 1621. His father was John Cooper and his mother was Anne Ash ley, daughter and sole heiress of Sir Anthony Ashley. Young Anthony entered Exeter College, Oxford, in 1637. but took no degree. He had a seat in the Short Parliament, though he was not yet of age, and at first espoused the cause of royalty: he then became one of the most nent of the Parliamentary leaders and not the least active in the field. When he saw that the Restoration was inevitable he took so prominent a part in bringing back Charles II. that he was raised to the peerage as Baron Ashley. He was a member of the Ministry. and in 1672 was made Earl of Shaftesbury and Lord Chan cellor. The next year he supported the Test Act in favor of Protestantism, and lost his office. delivering up the Great Seal with a threat: "It is only laying down my gown and putting on my sword." The King soon tried to get him to re sume his office. hut he politely declined, and in stead placed himself at the head of the Parlia mentary opposition. In 1677 he protested against the prorogation of Parliament and was impris oned in the Tower for a year. Upon his release he took unscrupulous advantage of the false affi davit of Titus Oates and made use of the panic thus caused to initiate a persecution against the Catholics. He had live Catholic peers sent to
the Tower charged with implication in a Jesuit conspiracy and had 2000 other persons impris oned. This was but the beginning of a "series of judicial murders" (Green), of which Stafford was later a victim (1680). Upon the fall of Hanby, Shaftesbury became president of the Council and introduced an exclusion bill in Par liament. When it became known that he wished to give the succession to the King's bastard son, the Duke of Monmouth. be was deserted by his colleagues and Parliament was prorogued. It was in this session that be secured the passage of the Habeas Corpus Act. Shaftesbury was dis missed from the Council (1670). In 1681 he was arrested and thrown into the Tower on a charge of high treason. The charge was thrown out by the grand jury and be was released. lie threw himself further into the conspiracies until in December, 1682, be had to flee to Holland, where be died in a months. Consult his Life, by Christie (London, 1871), and by Train in the series of "English Worthies" (London. 18,86).