The second earl of Shaftesbury (styled Lord Ashley until he succeeded to the earldom) was a disappointment to his illustrious father, being physically and mentally frail. Indeed, shortly before he succeeded to the earldom the unfortunate young man was described by Dryden as a ‘shapeless lump, like anarchy’.
Shaftesbury took his seat as the earl of Shaftesbury in the Lords on 19 May 1685, the first day of the new king’s Parliament, but his career in the upper House was brief and unremarkable. He sat on only 27 sitting days and was named to just four select committees. Despite his father’s political record he was forecast in 1687 as being in favour of the repeal of the Test Act. At eight separate calls of the House his absence was noted; on three occasions, 28 Oct. 1689, 31 Mar. 1690 and 14 Nov. 1693, he was excused attendance. By the call of the House on 26 Nov. 1694 his absence from illness seems to have been a given. The family ensured the return of his sons at Poole and Weymouth in 1695.
On 2 Nov. 1699, at the age of only 47, Shaftesbury died at Wimborne St. Giles. His will named his son and heir also named Anthony Ashley Cooper, who succeeded him as 3rd earl Shaftesbury, as both main beneficiary and executor. The second earl was buried in the family vault at Wimborne.