John Asgill
Encyclopedia
John Asgill was an eccentric English
writer and politician.
, 1686, and was called to the bar
in 1692. He founded the first land bank
in 1695 with Nicholas Barbon
, which, after proving to be a profitable venture, merged with the land bank of John Briscoe
in 1696. However, after profits dropped, the bank closed in 1699. He was then elected that year as Member of Parliament for Bramber
.
In 1700 Asgill had published An Argument Proving, that … Man may be Translated, a pamphlet
aiming to prove that death
was not obligatory upon Christian
s, which, much to his surprise, caused a public outcry and led to his expulsion from the Irish House of Commons
in 1703, only a short time after he had stood successfully for Enniscorthy
. He fell on hard times, and passed the rest of his life between the Fleet prison
and the King's Bench
, but his zeal as a pamphleteer continued unabated.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
writer and politician.
Life
He studied law at the Middle TempleMiddle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
, 1686, and was called to the bar
Bar (law)
Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...
in 1692. He founded the first land bank
Land Bank
A land bank is a bank that issues long-term loans on real estate in return for mortgages. This term could also apply to:*The Land Bank of Taiwan, a wholly state-owned bank of the Republic of China...
in 1695 with Nicholas Barbon
Nicholas Barbon
Nicholas If-Jesus-Christ-Had-Not-Died-For-Thee-Thou-Hadst-Been-Damned Barebon who traded as Nicholas Barbon was an English economist, physician and financial speculator. He is counted among the critics of mercantilism and was one of the first proponents of the free market...
, which, after proving to be a profitable venture, merged with the land bank of John Briscoe
John Briscoe
John Eric Briscoe is a former Major League Baseball player. A pitcher, Briscoe played for the Oakland Athletics from to .Briscoe attended Lloyd V. Berkner High School and Texas Christian University....
in 1696. However, after profits dropped, the bank closed in 1699. He was then elected that year as Member of Parliament for Bramber
Bramber (UK Parliament constituency)
Bramber was a parliamentary borough in Sussex, one of the most notorious of all the rotten boroughs. It elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in 1295, and again from 1472 until 1832, when the constituency was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-History:The borough consisted of...
.
In 1700 Asgill had published An Argument Proving, that … Man may be Translated, a pamphlet
Pamphlet
A pamphlet is an unbound booklet . It may consist of a single sheet of paper that is printed on both sides and folded in half, in thirds, or in fourths , or it may consist of a few pages that are folded in half and saddle stapled at the crease to make a simple book...
aiming to prove that death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
was not obligatory upon Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
s, which, much to his surprise, caused a public outcry and led to his expulsion from the Irish House of Commons
Irish House of Commons
The Irish House of Commons was the lower house of the Parliament of Ireland, that existed from 1297 until 1800. The upper house was the House of Lords...
in 1703, only a short time after he had stood successfully for Enniscorthy
Enniscorthy (Parliament of Ireland constituency)
Enniscorthy was a constituency represented in the Irish House of Commons to 1800.-History:In the Patriot Parliament of 1689 summoned by King James II, Enniscorthy was represented with two members.-1689–1801:...
. He fell on hard times, and passed the rest of his life between the Fleet prison
Fleet Prison
Fleet Prison was a notorious London prison by the side of the Fleet River in London. The prison was built in 1197 and was in use until 1844. It was demolished in 1846.- History :...
and the King's Bench
King's Bench
The Queen's Bench is the superior court in a number of jurisdictions within some of the Commonwealth realms...
, but his zeal as a pamphleteer continued unabated.