William Atwood facts for kids

William Atwood (born around 1650 – died 1712) was an English lawyer. He was also known for writing about politics and history.

Early Life and Legal Career

William Atwood was the son of John Atwood from Broomfield, Essex. He went to Queens' College, Cambridge. Later, he studied law at Inner Temple and Gray's Inn, becoming a lawyer in 1674.

Defending Lord Delamere

In 1685-1686, Atwood helped defend Henry Booth, Lord Delamere in a very serious trial. Lord Delamere was accused of being involved in a rebellion. The judge in the case was a very strict one, Judge Jeffreys. But Atwood and the defense team did a great job, and Lord Delamere was found not guilty.

Working in New York

In 1701, William Atwood became the Chief Justice of New York. A few years before, in 1697, a group in London called the Privy Council decided to create special courts in the colonies. These courts, called vice-admiralty courts, could quickly deal with things like piracy and shipwrecks. Piracy was a big problem in New York at that time.

Challenges in New York

Atwood was removed from his job just one year later by Lord Cornbury. He was accused of wrongdoing. Atwood's job was actually very difficult because of the political groups in New York. These groups were fighting after the death of Jacob Leisler.

Atwood had been the judge in a trial for Nicholas Bayard, who was the mayor and part of a group that was against Leisler's supporters. This happened when Richard Coote, 1st Earl of Bellomont was governor. Governor Bellomont had supported a famous person named William Kidd, who was later accused of piracy. Bellomont was also a supporter of Leisler. When Bellomont died in 1701, Lord Cornbury became governor. This change completely flipped the political situation in New York and made Atwood's position very weak.

After losing his job, Atwood tried to explain himself, but it didn't help much. He later wrote a critical piece about the poet Matthew Prior. This was not just a political disagreement between two different parties. It also had a small connection to why Atwood lost his job. Prior was part of a group that had supported Lord Cornbury's decision to remove Atwood.

His Writings and Ideas

Atwood wrote a book called Fundamental Constitution of the English Government in 1690. In this book, he argued that the Parliament had the right to choose a new ruler if the throne became empty. He also disagreed with John Locke's idea that the people should decide who rules in such a situation. Atwood's book is seen as a clear statement of what many moderate politicians believed after the Glorious Revolution. This was a big change in power in England in 1689.

Arguments with Scotland

Atwood also wrote about Scotland. His writings made the Scottish Parliament so angry that they ordered his books to be burned by the public executioner. This happened because of his books The Superiority and Direct Dominion of the Imperial Crown of England (1704) and The Scots Patriot Unmasked. These books argued that England had more power over Scotland.

The books were burned in August 1705 in Edinburgh. Another writer's book, James Drake's Historia Anglo-Scotica, was also burned that same month. A lawyer named James Anderson was paid well to write a response to Atwood in 1705, arguing for Scottish independence. Atwood then wrote another book, The Superiority and Direct Dominion of the Imperial Crown of England ... Reasserted (1705). James Dalrymple also disagreed with Atwood, arguing that the Scottish church had always been independent.