A reliable Whig, and supporter of Robert Walpole, in 1720, he was given a seat on the Board of Trade, which he retained until 1746.

He died on 22 May 1748; he had no children from his marriage to Frances Luttrell, and his estate was inherited by his nephew, William Ashe, 1714 to 1750.

The borough returned two MPs, and an Ashe family member, or connection, occupied these continuously from 1640 to 1770. with only 26 voters, only one election from 1690 to 1754 was contested.

[2] Most of Wiltshire supported Parliament in the First English Civil War, while his father was a religious Independent.

[2] The Ashes were a large family; in the early 1700s, Edward and another seven direct relatives were MPs.