COOPER (Anthony-Ashley), first earl of Shaftesbury, a most able statesman, was the son of Sir John Cooper, Bart. of Rockborn in Hampshire, and was born in 1621. He was elected member for Tewkesbury at 19 years of age, in the short parliament that met April 13. 1640. He seems to have been well affected to the king's service at the beginning of the civil wars; for he repaired to the king at Oxford with offers of assistance: but prince Maurice breaking articles to a town in Dorsetshire that he had got to receive him, furnished him with a pretence for going over to the parliament, from which he accepted a commission. When Richard Cromwell was deposed, and the Rump come again into power, they nominated Sir Anthony one of their council of state, and a commissioner for managing the army. At that very time he had engaged in a secret correspondence for restoring Charles II. and, upon the king's coming over, was sworn of his privy council. He was one of the commissioners for the trial of the regicides; was soon after made chancellor of the exchequer, then a commissioner of the treasury; in 1672 was created earl of Shaftesbury; and soon after was raised to the post of lord chancellor.
Cooper. lor. He filled this office with great ability and integrity; and though the short time he was at the helm was in a tempestuous season, it is doing him justice to say, nothing could either distract or affright him. The great seal was taken from him in 1673, 12 months after his receiving it; but, though out of office, he still made a distinguished figure in parliament, for it was not in his nature to remain inactive. He drew upon himself the implacable hatred of the duke of York, by steadily promoting, if not originally inventing, the famous project of an exclusion-bill. When his enemies came into power, he found it necessary to consult his safety by retiring into Holland, where he died six weeks after his arrival, in 1683. While his great abilities are confessed by all, it has been his misfortune to have his history recorded by his enemies, who studied to render him odious. Butler has given a very severe character of him in his Hudibras.