William Colepeper facts for kids
William Colepeper (died 1726) was an English poet and politician. He was known for his writings and for being involved in an important event called the Kentish Petition.
Contents
Life of William Colepeper
Early Life and Family
William Colepeper was the oldest son of Sir Thomas Colepeper. His family lived in a place called Hollingbourne in Kent, England. William Colepeper was married to Elizabeth Gill, and they had three sons and three daughters together.
The Kentish Petition
In 1701, William Colepeper was one of five gentlemen who delivered a special request called the Kentish Petition to the House of Commons of England. The House of Commons is a part of the British government where laws are made.
Colepeper was in charge of a meeting in Maidstone where this petition was created. It was a request from important people in Kent, asking the government to make certain changes. However, the House of Commons thought the petition was rude and causing trouble. Because of this, Colepeper and the others were held for a short time.
Public Disputes and Trials
After the Kentish Petition, William Colepeper had a disagreement with a person named Sir George Rooke. Colepeper said that someone tried to hurt him because of this argument.
Later, in 1703, Colepeper was involved in another incident at Windsor Castle. This happened when he was delivering a request for Daniel Defoe, who was in prison. After this, there was a court case in 1704. Three people were found guilty of trying to cause him harm and had to pay fines. The disagreements continued, and Sir George Rooke later sued Colepeper in 1706.
William Colepeper's Writings
William Colepeper was a writer and a poet. He wrote several poems during his life. Some of his known works include:
- Heroick Poem upon the King (published in 1694)
- Poem to the Lady Duty
- Poem to the Rev. John Brandreth
These last two poems were part of a collection called Miscellaneous Poems and Translations by Several Hands, which was published in 1726 by Richard Savage.
