William Trumbull
Encyclopedia
Sir William Trumbull was an English statesman who held high office as a member of the First Whig Junto
.
in Berkshire, the son and heir of William Trumbull (1594–1668) and grandson of William Trumbull
the Jacobean period diplomat. He was educated at Wokingham School and St John's College, Oxford
. In 1667 he was awarded a Doctorate of Civil Law and elected to a fellowship at All Souls. In the same year he was entered at the Middle Temple
, and was admitted an advocate in Doctors' Commons
on 28 April 1668. He began practising in the ecclesiastical and admiralty courts.
In 1683 he was appointed Judge Advocate of the Fleet and sailed in Lord Dartmouth’s
expedition to evacuate the British colony at Tangier
, where he was to act as commissioner for settling the leases of the houses between the King and the inhabitants. Samuel Pepys
, who was also on the expedition, was unimpressed — “Strange to see how surprised and troubled Dr. Trumbull shows himself at this new work put on him of a judge-advocate; how he cons over the law-martial and what weak questions he asks me about it.” Later Pepys calls him “a man of the meanest mind as to courage that ever was born.”
In 1684, the King
considered Trumbull as a possible Secretary of State, but he was eventually offered the office of Secretary of War in Ireland, which he turned down. Nevertheless, he was knighted on 21 November 1684, and the following February was made Clerk of the Deliveries of the Ordnance
; he entered Parliament as MP for East Looe
1685–1687. However, Charles II died a few days later and Trumbull had to relinquish the clerkship when he was sent by James II, unwillingly, as envoy extraordinary to France. Trumbull was an odd choice for the post, being a zealous opponent of Roman Catholicism, and did much to benefit the condition of the English Protestants in France after Edict of Fontainebleau
. In 1686 he was recalled from Paris, but was instead appointed Ambassador at Constantinople, where he remained until 1691. He was also made a Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company
.
On 3 May 1694 he was appointed a Commissioner of the Treasury, and a year later was made a Privy Counsellor and appointed Secretary of State for the Northern Department
. However, he was unhappy in the post, and resigned it on 2 December 1697. He then retired from public life.
Trumbull was a friend of both John Dryden
and Alexander Pope
. Dryden records, in the postscript to his translation of Virgil
, that “if the last Aeneid shine amongst its fellows, it is owing to the commands of Sir William Trumbull, who recommended it as his favourite to my care.” It was Trumbull who, admiring Pope’s translation of the “Epistle of Sarpedon” from the Iliad
urged him to translate the whole of Homer's
works, and Pope’s “Spring” was dedicated to him.
In 1670, Trumbull married Elizabeth (or Katherine), daughter of Sir Charles Cotterell, Master of the Ceremonies
; she died in 1704, they having had no children. In 1706, he married Judith Alexander, daughter of the Earl of Stirling. They had two children, Judith (1707–1708) and William (1708–1760).
Trumbull died in 1716, and is buried at Easthampstead.
His son William had an only daughter, who became the wife of the Hon. Martin Sandys. She was thus the ancestress of the later marquesses of Downshire
.
and in the Record Office, London. Trumbull was on friendly terms with Pierre Bayle
and was a mentor to the young Henry St. John, later Viscount Bolingbroke
, who may have met his great friend, Pope, through Trumbull.
First Whig Junto
The First Whig Junto controlled the government of England from 1694 to 1699.Having slowly increased their presence in government under Lord Danby, the Whig Junto established dominance in 1694 with the appointment of Charles Montagu as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Danby remained in office, but the...
.
Biography
Trumbull was born at Easthampstead ParkEasthampstead Park
Easthampstead Park is a Victorian mansion in the civil parish of Bracknell in the English county of Berkshire. It is currently a conference centre.-Location:...
in Berkshire, the son and heir of William Trumbull (1594–1668) and grandson of William Trumbull
William Trumbull (diplomat)
William Trumbull was an English diplomat, administrator and politician.-Life:He was son of John Trumbull of Craven, Yorkshire, and his wife, Elizabeth Brogden or Briggden. He seems to have been introduced at court by Sir Thomas Edmondes...
the Jacobean period diplomat. He was educated at Wokingham School and St John's College, Oxford
St John's College, Oxford
__FORCETOC__St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford, one of the larger Oxford colleges with approximately 390 undergraduates, 200 postgraduates and over 100 academic staff. It was founded by Sir Thomas White, a merchant, in 1555, whose heart is buried in the chapel of...
. In 1667 he was awarded a Doctorate of Civil Law and elected to a fellowship at All Souls. In the same year he was entered at the Middle Temple
Middle 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...
, and was admitted an advocate in Doctors' Commons
Doctors' Commons
Doctors' Commons, also called the College of Civilians, was a society of lawyers practising civil law in London. Like the Inns of Court of the common lawyers, the society had buildings with rooms where its members lived and worked, and a large library...
on 28 April 1668. He began practising in the ecclesiastical and admiralty courts.
In 1683 he was appointed Judge Advocate of the Fleet and sailed in Lord Dartmouth’s
George Legge, 1st Baron Dartmouth
Admiral George Legge, 1st Baron Dartmouth PC was an English naval commander who gave distinguished service to both Charles II and James II.-Biography:...
expedition to evacuate the British colony at Tangier
Tangier
Tangier, also Tangiers is a city in northern Morocco with a population of about 700,000 . It lies on the North African coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel...
, where he was to act as commissioner for settling the leases of the houses between the King and the inhabitants. Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys FRS, MP, JP, was an English naval administrator and Member of Parliament who is now most famous for the diary he kept for a decade while still a relatively young man...
, who was also on the expedition, was unimpressed — “Strange to see how surprised and troubled Dr. Trumbull shows himself at this new work put on him of a judge-advocate; how he cons over the law-martial and what weak questions he asks me about it.” Later Pepys calls him “a man of the meanest mind as to courage that ever was born.”
In 1684, the King
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
considered Trumbull as a possible Secretary of State, but he was eventually offered the office of Secretary of War in Ireland, which he turned down. Nevertheless, he was knighted on 21 November 1684, and the following February was made Clerk of the Deliveries of the Ordnance
Clerk of the Deliveries of the Ordnance
The Clerk of the Deliveries of the Ordnance was a subordinate of the Master-General of the Ordnance and a member of the Board of Ordnance from its constitution in 1597. He was responsible for keeping record of the number and kind of stores issued from the stocks of ordnance...
; he entered Parliament as MP for East Looe
East Looe (UK Parliament constituency)
East Looe was a parliamentary borough represented in the House of Commons of England from 1571 to 1707, in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1797 to 1800, and finally in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 until its abolition in 1832. It elected two Members of Parliament ...
1685–1687. However, Charles II died a few days later and Trumbull had to relinquish the clerkship when he was sent by James II, unwillingly, as envoy extraordinary to France. Trumbull was an odd choice for the post, being a zealous opponent of Roman Catholicism, and did much to benefit the condition of the English Protestants in France after Edict of Fontainebleau
Edict of Fontainebleau
The Edict of Fontainebleau was an edict issued by Louis XIV of France, also known as the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes. The Edict of Nantes of 1598, had granted the Huguenots the right to practice their religion without persecution from the state...
. In 1686 he was recalled from Paris, but was instead appointed Ambassador at Constantinople, where he remained until 1691. He was also made a Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
.
On 3 May 1694 he was appointed a Commissioner of the Treasury, and a year later was made a Privy Counsellor and appointed Secretary of State for the Northern Department
Secretary of State for the Northern Department
The Secretary of State for the Northern Department was a position in the Cabinet of the government of Great Britain up to 1782. Before the Act of Union, 1707, the Secretary of State's responsibilities were in relation to the English government, not the British. Even after the Union, there was...
. However, he was unhappy in the post, and resigned it on 2 December 1697. He then retired from public life.
Trumbull was a friend of both John Dryden
John Dryden
John Dryden was an influential English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who dominated the literary life of Restoration England to such a point that the period came to be known in literary circles as the Age of Dryden.Walter Scott called him "Glorious John." He was made Poet...
and Alexander Pope
Alexander Pope
Alexander Pope was an 18th-century English poet, best known for his satirical verse and for his translation of Homer. He is the third-most frequently quoted writer in The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, after Shakespeare and Tennyson...
. Dryden records, in the postscript to his translation of Virgil
Virgil
Publius Vergilius Maro, usually called Virgil or Vergil in English , was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He is known for three major works of Latin literature, the Eclogues , the Georgics, and the epic Aeneid...
, that “if the last Aeneid shine amongst its fellows, it is owing to the commands of Sir William Trumbull, who recommended it as his favourite to my care.” It was Trumbull who, admiring Pope’s translation of the “Epistle of Sarpedon” from the Iliad
Iliad
The Iliad is an epic poem in dactylic hexameters, traditionally attributed to Homer. Set during the Trojan War, the ten-year siege of the city of Troy by a coalition of Greek states, it tells of the battles and events during the weeks of a quarrel between King Agamemnon and the warrior Achilles...
urged him to translate the whole of Homer's
Homer
In the Western classical tradition Homer , is the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, and is revered as the greatest ancient Greek epic poet. These epics lie at the beginning of the Western canon of literature, and have had an enormous influence on the history of literature.When he lived is...
works, and Pope’s “Spring” was dedicated to him.
In 1670, Trumbull married Elizabeth (or Katherine), daughter of Sir Charles Cotterell, Master of the Ceremonies
Master of the Ceremonies
The office of Master of the Ceremonies was established by King James I/VI. The master's duties were to receive foreign dignitaries and present them to the monarch at court...
; she died in 1704, they having had no children. In 1706, he married Judith Alexander, daughter of the Earl of Stirling. They had two children, Judith (1707–1708) and William (1708–1760).
Trumbull died in 1716, and is buried at Easthampstead.
His son William had an only daughter, who became the wife of the Hon. Martin Sandys. She was thus the ancestress of the later marquesses of Downshire
Marquess of Downshire
Marquess of Downshire is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1789 for Wills Hill, 1st Earl of Hillsborough, a former Secretary of State....
.
Letters
Many of Trumbull's letters are in the British MuseumBritish Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
and in the Record Office, London. Trumbull was on friendly terms with Pierre Bayle
Pierre Bayle
Pierre Bayle was a French philosopher and writer best known for his seminal work the Historical and Critical Dictionary, published beginning in 1695....
and was a mentor to the young Henry St. John, later Viscount Bolingbroke
Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke
Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke was an English politician, government official and political philosopher. He was a leader of the Tories, and supported the Church of England politically despite his atheism. In 1715 he supported the Jacobite rebellion of 1715 which sought to overthrow the...
, who may have met his great friend, Pope, through Trumbull.