Ferguson, Robert

Ferguson, Robert

▪ British conspirator
born c. 1637, , Aberdeenshire, Scot.
died 1714, London, Eng.

      Scottish conspirator and pamphleteer known as “the Plotter,” who gave indiscriminate support to the opponents of Charles II and James II and then to the Jacobites against William III.

      Educated for the Presbyterian ministry, Ferguson went to England in the 1650s and received the living of Godmersham, Kent, only to be ejected in 1662. As a Protestant dissenter of known literary ability, he was later taken up by Anthony Ashley Cooper, 1st earl of Shaftesbury, and published in 1680 two notorious pamphlets purporting to demonstrate the legitimacy of James, duke of Monmouth, Charles II's illegitimate son. In the next two years he published at least six more exclusionist pamphlets and claimed the authorship of many more. He fled to The Netherlands with Shaftesbury in 1682, and he was outlawed after the discovery of the Rye House Plot (1683).

      Ferguson was one of Monmouth's right-hand men in the rising of 1685, but he enjoyed a less prominent position in William III's expedition in 1688. Whether out of resentment or simply a chronic itch for conspiracy, he now became an active Jacobite, and in his last notable work, The History of the Revolution (1706), he argued that this event was a Roman Catholic plot. Both sides, however, regarded him with understandable suspicion, and he died in deep poverty in London.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • FERGUSON, ROBERT —    a notorious plotter, who took part in Monmouth s invasion in 1685 and was prominent in the various plots against Charles II. and James II., but after the Revolution turned Jacobite; published a history of the Revolution in 1706; died in… …   The Nuttall Encyclopaedia

  • Robert Ferguson — (c. 1637 1714), Scottish conspirator and pamphleteer, called the Plotter was a religious minister, Scottish conspirator and political writer. He was a son of William Ferguson (d. 1699) of Badifurrow, Aberdeenshire, Scotland and after receiving a… …   Wikipedia

  • Ferguson [2] — Ferguson, Robert, geb. 1750 zu Edinburgh, gest. 1774 im Irrenhause zu Bedlam, ein schott. Dichter, dessen in der Mundart von Edinburgh und der Umgegend gehaltene Idyllen, Lieder u.s.f. sehr gerühmt, u. dessen sämmtliche Dichtungen von Dav. Irving …   Herders Conversations-Lexikon

  • Robert Fergusson — For other uses, see Bob Ferguson Robert Fergusson (September 5, 1750 October 16, 1774), Scottish poet, son of William Fergusson, a clerk in the British Linen Company, was born in Edinburgh.LifeRobert, one of Edinburgh s most gifted but least… …   Wikipedia

  • Robert Fergusson (store) — For other uses, see Bob Ferguson Robert Fergusson is a chain of stores in Tasmania, Australia, that deal in plumbing and electrical supplies.It was founded in the 1950s by Launceston businessman Robert Frederick Fergusson, a descendant of the… …   Wikipedia

  • Ferguson (Familienname) — Ferguson ist ein Familienname. Bekannte Namensträger Inhaltsverzeichnis A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Robert Ferguson (disambiguation) — Robert Ferguson may refer to: *Robert Ferguson, conspirator *Robert Ferguson (American football) *Robert Ferguson (Ontario MPP) *Robert Ferguson (footballer) *Robert Alexander Ferguson (1795 1860), Irish MP for Londonderry *Robert Munro Ferguson …   Wikipedia

  • Robert Ferguson — ist der Name folgender Personen: Robert Ferguson (Verschwörer) ( 1637–1714), britischer Geistlicher, an Verschwörungen beteiligt Robert Ferguson (Physiker) (1799–1865), schottischer Physiker Robert Ferguson (Blues Musiker) (1929–2006), US… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Ferguson Shipbuilders — Limited ist eine Werft in Port Glasgow am Clyde in Schottland. Ferguson ist der letzte Schiffbauer am Unterlauf des Clyde und die letzte Handelsschiffswerft am ganzen Fluss. Bekannte Erzeugnisse der Werft waren Schwimmbagger und Autofähren.… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Ferguson Shipbuilders — Limited is a shipyard located in Port Glasgow on the River Clyde in Scotland. It is the last remaining shipbuilder on the lower Clyde, and the only builder of non military vessels on the river the company s mainstay has long been car… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”