Bartholomew Shower (1658 – 19 June 1709) was an English lawyer, writer, and Whig politician. He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for several constituencies during the late 17th and early 18th centuries and was known for his involvement in legal reform and pamphleteering.
Early life and education
- Born in 1658, likely in London, England.
- Educated at the Inner Temple, one of the four Inns of Court, where he was called to the bar.
Legal career
- Gained a reputation as a skilled advocate in the courts of England.
- Appointed a Bencher of the Inner Temple in 1700.
- Authored legal treatises and pamphlets, including The Case of the Crown v. James Macgregor (1698), which discussed issues of treason and the rights of the accused.
Political career
- Entered Parliament as a Whig MP for the borough of Minehead in 1698.
- Subsequently represented the constituencies of Yarmouth (Isle of Wight) and Great Marlow in later Parliaments.
- Advocated for the naturalization of foreign Protestants, the protection of Protestant succession, and the limitation of monarchical prerogative.
- Supported the 1701 Act of Settlement, which secured the succession of the Hanoverian line.
Publications and pamphleteering
- Produced a series of pamphlets under the pseudonym “Junius” that criticized the policies of the Tory administration and defended Whig principles.
- His writings contributed to contemporary debates on religious tolerance, liberty of the press, and the balance of power between Parliament and the Crown.
Later life and death
- Continued to practice law while remaining active in political circles.
- Died on 19 June 1709 in London. He was buried at St Mary's Church, Lambeth.
Legacy
Bartholomew Shower is remembered as an influential figure in the development of early modern English legal thought and as a partisan Whig voice in the political discourse of his era. His legal writings and parliamentary speeches provide insight into the constitutional challenges of late Stuart England.
