me to treat with the parliament-garrisons, to grant them a full and general pardon, with an assurance that a general amnesty (arms being laid down on both sides) shall reinstate all things in the same posture they were before the war, and that then a free parliament shall do what more remains to be done for the settlement of the nation;' in that case, I will begin and try the experiment in my own country: and I doubt not but the good success, I shall have there, will open the gates of other adjoining garrisons, by bringing them the news of peace and security on laying down their arms." The Monarch appearing to accede to these propositions, and Sir Antony according to his desire being furnished with full powers, he repaired to Dorsetshire, and there negotiated with the garrisons of Poole, Weymouth, Dorchester, and others so successfully, that one of them was actually put into his hands; when Prince Maurice, who commanded some of the royal forces in those parts, took immediate possession of the place, and gave the pillage of it to his soldiers.

Upon this, hot words passed between Sir Antony and the offending General: but the violence was committed, and the design in consequence rendered abortive. All that he could now do was, to warn the other garrisons with whom he had been in treaty, to stand upon their guard, as he could not insure the performance of the articles stipulated.'

He soon afterward, it is said, in conjunction with Serjeant Fountain projected another scheme to terminate the war; which was, that the country-gentlemen throughout England should arm the peasantry with a view to suppress both parties. This plan,

being imperfectly carried into execution, gave rise to a third army called 'the Club-men,' who struck so much terror into the followers both of the King and of the parliament, that the former never forgave him. If all the leaders had been true to their engagements, and had risen at the appointed time, it is supposed they would have accomplished their object; but some of them failing, it miscarried.

Sir Antony was subsequently invited to Oxford by a letter from his Majesty; but perceiving that he had lost the royal confidence, and that his person was in danger, he retired to the parliament-quarters; and soon afterward accepting a commission from that party,* and raising forces in Dorsetshire, took Wareham by storm.in 1644, which was speedily followed by the reduction of all the adjacent districts.

In 1646, he was appointed Sheriff of Wiltshire; and in 1651, one of the Committee of Twenty, appointed to consider of ways and means for reforming the law. He was, also, one of the members of the Convention, which met after Cromwell had expelled the Long Parliament in 1653. He was again returned to parliament in 1654, and was one of the principal persons who signed the celebrated Protestation, charging the Protector with tyranny and arbitrary government.

When Richard was deposed, and the Rump came again into power, Sir Antony was nominated one of their Council of State, and a Commissioner for managing the army. But at that very time he had engaged in a secret correspondence with the friends of

* He“ gave himself up" to them, indeed, says the royalist historian of the rebellion, "body and soul;" and "became an implacable enemy to the royal family."

Charles II., and was eminently instrumental in promoting his return.

From this may be inferred the opinion, which he entertained of the illegal proceedings of Cromwell, and how much of the sufferings of the royalists would have been prevented, had the point of a free parliament, for which he always contended, been fortunately conceded. His Majesty's restoration must have been it's immediate consequence. The constant correspondence which he kept up with the royal party, to the hazard of his life and fortune, is a sufficient proof that he maintained his loyalty, as far as it was at all consistent with the rights and interests the people.

From his vigorous hostility indeed to the two successive Protectors, we find him accused together with Whitlocke before the parliament, in 1659, of having provided forces in Dorsetshire, to join with Sir George Booth in attempting to bring back the Stuarts. This charge however, through his great influence, and by strenuous asseverations of his innocence, he successfully repelled. After the resignation of Richard Cromwell, he was one of the nine of the Old Council of State, who encouraged General Monk by letter to persevere in his design of accomplishing the Restoration.

He was likewise in the list of the Council of Thirty Nine, for whom an oath was prepared, pledging them to the abjuration of the royal line; but by the interposition chiefly of himself and of General Monk, it was successfully opposed, as a snare upon their consciences.

He was elected representative for Dorsetshire in the Healing Parliament, which met upon the twenty

fifth of April, 1660: and a resolution being taken to restore the constitution, he was appointed one of the twelve members delegated by the Lower House to carry their invitation to the King. In performing this service, he was overturned in his carriage upon a Dutch road, and received a dangerous wound between the ribs.

But though Sir Antony was thus instrumental in forwarding the Restoration, it ought to be remembered to his honour, that he wished to prescribe conditions to the returning Monarch, and even proposed that he should be obliged to sign the treaty offered to his father in the Isle of Wight. In this, however, he was over-ruled by Monk.

Upon the arrival of his Majesty, he was sworn of the Privy Council, and appointed one of the Commissioners for the trial of the regicides:* in 1661 created Baron Ashley, of Winborne St. Giles; in rapid succession made Chancellor and Under Treasurer of the Exchequer, one of the Lords Commissioners for executing the office of High Treasurer,† and Lord Lieutenant of the County of Dorset; and,

For his acceptance of this office, he has been heavily censured.

† His conduct as a minister at this time has been a subject of considerable animadversion, because he was one of the junto known by the name of the Cabal' (so stiled from the initial letters of their titles; C,lifford, A,shley, B,uckingham, A,rlington, and L,auderdale) "characters so unprincipled," says one of the greatest authorities, Mr. Fox, "as justly to deserve the severity, with which they have been treated by all writers who have mentioned them." He admits, however, that the King "kept from them the real state of his connexion with France, and from some of them at least the secret of what he was pleased to callhis religion." But Ashley had no concern, it is generally believed, in some of their most iniquitous measures. More par

in 1672,* Baron Cooper of Pawlet in the county of Somerset, and Earl of Shaftesbury.

In the month of November, the same year, he was raised to the dignity of Lord Chancellor. For this office he was eminently qualified, as well by his knowledge of the laws and constitution of his country, as by his natural powers, which enabled him to make a distinguished figure in it's discharge. His more particular brilliance arose from his speeches in parliament; and if we judge only from those which he delivered upon swearing in the Treasurer Clifford, his successor Sir Thomas Osborne, and Baron Thurland, we must conclude him to have been an accomplished orator. The short time, during which he sat at the helm, was a time of tempest; but it did not either dismay, or distract him. At

ticularly, with respect to Charles' disgraceful treaty in 1670 with Louis XIV. (the object of which was, to render the English Sovereign a paltry pensioner of France, on the condition of his endeavouring to subject his own subjects to the Pope and the rest of Europe to the House of Bourbon) it seems to be allowed, that his Lordship was never consulted upon the subject: and it is equally admitted, that he neither then nor afterward received bribes from France, as so many of both parties in that humiliating reign are known to have done. Yet he undoubtedly supported the measure of a Dutch war, and made his celebrated speech, applying to Holland the Delenda est Carthago of Cato, on that memorable occasion. He was, also, guilty of the illegal measure of issuing writs for the election of members of parliament during a recess, and abusing the influence of the crown to procure returns in favour of the court.

* In 1670, he interceded with Dr. Fell (by a letter, which is still extant) that 'his friend Mr. Locke might receive from Oxford the degree of M.D.,' on the Prince of Orange's visit to that University; but in vain. A similar favour had been fruitlessly requested in 1666, for the same illustrious individual, even by their Chancellor the Earl of Clarendon.