According to information passed on to me by Ian Caldwell, Sir Anthony Cope was Vice Chamberlain to Catherine Parr (sixth wife of King Henry VIII). He was one of the most learned men in the era in which he lived. He was knighted by King Edward VI and served the office of Sheriff for Oxfordshire and Berkshire the next year. He married Jane, daughter of Matthew Crewe (sic) of Pynne in Devon and had a daughter, Anne, who married Kinelm Digby Esq., of Drystoke, Rutland and an only son, his successor in 1551, Edward Cope Esq., of Hanwell.

Sir Anthony Cope was an author and member of Oriel College, Oxford. After leaving Oxford he travelled in France, Germany and Italy, visiting various universities. He became an "accomplished gentleman", writing "several things beyond the seas", which Wood says are spoken of in an epigram by Spagnoli, or as he was called, Johannes Baptista Mantuanus. This epigram was seen by Bale but appears now to be lost. At the age of 26 he succeeded to his father¹s estates, inheriting an mold manor house near Banbury called Hardwick, and the mansion of Hanwell, left incomplete by his father, which he finished, and was described by Leyland as "a very pleasant and gallant house". In 1536 he had a grant of Boork Priory in Rutlandshire, which he afterwards sold and bought considerable property on Oxfordshire. He was engaged in a dispute with the vicar of Banbury in 1540 and received the commendation of the Council for his conduct. He was first Vice Chamberlain and then Principal Chamberlain to Catherine Parr, and was knighted by Edward VI on 24th November 1547, being appointed the same year as one of the visitors of Canterbury and other dioceses. In 1548 he served as Sheriff of Oxfordshire and Berkshire. He died at Hanwell on 5th January 1551 and was buried in the chancel of the Parish church.

He wrote:

1. "The Historie of the two most noble Capitaines in the Worlde, Anniball and Scipio....gathered and translated into English out of T.Livius and other authorities". (black letter), T.Berthelet, London 1544, 4 tomes, also in 8 volumes in 1561, 4 tomes 1568 with date colophon 1548, 8 vol 1590 (all in the British Library) with three stanzas prefixed by Bertholet, and dedicatory preface to the king, in which reference is made to "you're most famous subuyinge of the Roman monster, Hydra".

2. "A Godly Meditacion upon XX select and chosen Psalms of the Prophet David....by Sir Anthony Cope, Knight" (black letter), J.Day, 1547, 4 tomes, reprinted with biographical preface and notes 1848, by William H.Cope. Among the manuscripts of Bramshill are two ascribed to Cope:- an abbreviated chronology and a commentary on the first two gospels, dedicated to Edward VI.