Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Colepeper, William
COLEPEPER, WILLIAM (d. 1726), poet and politician, was the eldest son of Sir Thomas Colepeper, knight, of Hollingbourn, Kent. On account of a quarrel with Sir George Rook an attempt, at the instance he affirmed of Hook, was made upon his life, and after trial before Lord-justice Holt. 14 Feb. 1701, certain persons were fined for attempts to do him injury. He was one of five gentlemen who on 8 May 1701 delivered a petition to the House of Commons from the deputy-lieutenants, justices, and grand jurors of Kent, desiring that the house would turn their loyal addresses into bill of supply, &c. which petition being voted insolent and seditious they were ordered into the custody of the serjeant-at-arms, and thence sent as prisoners to the Gatehouse, where they remained till the end of the session. Colepeper was chairman of the quarter sessions at Maidstone and drew up the petition. He intermeddled with poetry as well as with politics, and was the author of a 'Heroick Poem upon the King,' 1694, and a 'Poem to the Lady Duty,' and 'Poem to the Rev. John Brandreth,' in 'Miscellaneous Poems and Translations by several Hands,' published by Richard Savage, son of Earl Rivers, 1726. He died in 1726. By his wife, Elizabeth Gill, he had three sons and three daughters.
[Hasted's Kent; Parliamentary History, v. 1247-67; History of the Kentish Petition in 1701 in Somers Tracts.]