HARLEY, EDWARD (1664–1735), auditor of the imprest, born at Brampton-Bryan, Herefordshire, on 7 June 1664, was the second son of Sir Edward Harley, K.B. [q. v.], by his second wife, Abigail, daughter of Nathaniel Stephens of Essington, Gloucestershire. He was educated at Westminster School, and was called to the bar at the Middle Temple. He took an active part in the transactions which preceded and accompanied the landing of the Prince of Orange in England. With. Colonel John Birch he met the prince at Salisbury. At Harley's suggestion the passage over the Thames at Wallingford Bridge was secured (Townsend, Leominster, pp. 172-4). In 1692 he was appointed recorder of Leominster, an office which he resigned in 1732 in favour of his son Robert. On 29 July 1698 he became M.P. for Leominster, and continued to represent the borough until 1722, when he lost the election. In 1702 he obtained the lucrative office of auditor of the imprest, which he held during life. In parliament he vigorously defended his brother, Robert Harley, earl of Oxford [q. v.], against the attacks of Lord Coningsby in 1715. A charge was produced and pressed against him in 1717 of having embezzled the funds of the state. Harley proved that while in that year thirty-six millions of money were paid into his hands, yet his accounts were correct within three shillings and fourpence, which had been mischarged through the inadvertency of a clerk. During this investigation he retired into private life, and employed his time in literary pursuits, in studying social questions and the interests of the tenantry on his various estates. When Lord Coningsby during 1718-24 endeavoured to wrest from the corporation of Leominster the privileges of its charter, Harley, at much cost to himself, successfully vindicated their rights. He was chosen chairman, of the trustees for the charity schools in London in 1725. He died on 30 Aug. 1735 at his chambers in New Square, Lincoln's Inn (Probate Act Book, P.C.C. 1735), and was buried in Titley churchyard. By his wife Sarah, third daughter of Thomas Foley of Witley Court, Worcestershire, he had three sons and one daughter. Edward, the eldest son, succeeded his cousin Edward (1689-1741) [q. v.] as third earl of Oxford, and was father of Thomas Harley [q. v.] Harley was author of: 1. 'An Essay for composing a Harmony between the Psalms and other parts of the Scripture . . .; wherein the supplicatory and prophetick part of this Sacred Book are disposed under proper heads' (anon.), 4to, London, 1724. 2. 'An Abstract of the Historical Part of the Old Testament, with References to other Parts of the Scripture,' &c. (introduction signed E. Harley), 8vo, London, 1730 (another edition, with the author's 'Essay' and 'The Harmony of the Four Gospels,' 2 vols. 8vo, London, 1735-33). 3. 'The Harmony of the Four Gospels, wherein the different manner of relating the facts by each Evangelist is exemplify'd. . . . With the History of the Acts of the Apostles' (anon.), 8vo, London, 1733. Harley's portrait by J. Richardson was engraved by G. Vertue. He maintained charity schools at Brampton-Bryan, Titley, and in Monmouthshire.
[Collins's Collections of Noble Families, pp. 205-207; Nichols's Lit. Anecd. i. 431-4; Townsend's Leominster; Welch's Alumni Westmon. 1852, p. 544; Chester's London Marriage Licenses (Foster), col. 626; will in P.C. C. 188, Ducie.]
HARLEY, EDWARD, second Earl of Oxford (1689–1741), born on 2 June 1689, was the only son of Robert Harley, first earl of Oxford (1661–1724) [q. v.], by his first wife, Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Foley of Witley Court, Worcestershire (Chester, Registers of Westminster Abbey, p. 358). He was educated at Westminster School, and succeeded as second earl on 21 May 1724. Habitual indolence, rather than incapacity, prevented him from taking part in public affairs; nor did he care for general society. He preferred to surround himself with the more distinguished poets and men of letters of the day. Pope was his especial idol, and they regularly corresponded with each other between 1721 and 1739. Swift was his frequent guest. Prior died in his house at Wimpole. He was always ready to lend his amanuensis for the purpose of copying the manuscripts of Pope and Swift, and Pope made the freest use of his great library. He contrived to circulate the second edition of the 'Dunciad' in March and April 1729. In the following November, Pope having brought out another edition of the poem assigned it to Lord Burlington, Harley, and Lord Bathurst, and they assigned it to the publisher Lawton Gilliver. Pope was thus
