Robert Wallop

Early life

Wallop was the only son of Sir Henry Wallop of Farleigh Wallop, Hampshire and his wife Elizabeth Corbet, daughter of Robert Corbet, of Moreton Corbet, Shropshire.

Career

In 1621, Wallop was elected Member of Parliament for Andover and was re-elected for the seat in 1624. In 1625 he was elected MP for Hampshire and was re-elected for the seat again in 1626. He was re-elected MP for Andover in 1628 and sat until 1629, when King Charles decided to rule without parliament for eleven years.

Wallop refused to contribute towards the Bishops' War in 1639 and 1640 out of antipathy to the King. In April 1640 he was elected MP for Andover for the Short Parliament and was re-elected MP for Andover for the Long Parliament in November 1640. He supported parliament in the Civil War, joining in all the subsequent votes against King Charles.

Nevertheless, the King had such confidence in Wallop's honour, that in 1645 he said to Parliament he should be willing to put the militia into Wallop's hands, with many noblemen, and others, upon such terms as his commissioners at Uxbridge had agreed upon. However this proposal was rejected. Wallop survived Pride's Purge to sit in the Rump Parliament and was named by the army grandees as one of the 59 Commissioners who sat in judgement at the trial of Charles I. He attended the trial and sat in the Painted Chamber 15 January and on 22 January, and in Westminster Hall the same day and on 23 January, but he did not sign the death warrant.

Under the Commonwealth, Wallop was elected one of the Council of State in 1649 and 1650. However he submitted to Cromwell's government with very great reluctance, having a determined preference for a republic, and he was willing to work against the Cromwellian interest, to restore his preferred parliament, as a proof of his sentiments and courage. For example, when Cromwell wished to form the First Protectorate Parliament to help in the government of the Protectorate, Cromwell wished to keep Sir Henry Vane out of the parliament. He prevented Vane being returned at Hull and Bristol, though it was said he had the majority of votes in those two cities. Wallop supported Vane, and used his influence to have him chosen by the borough of Whitchurch, Hampshire, which, so enraged the Cromwellian faction, that they sent a menacing letter to Wallop, which was signed by most of the justices of the peace for the county. This stated that if Wallop continued to support Vane they would oppose Wallop's attempt to become an MP. Wallop ignored them and assisted Sir Henry Vane, and was elected MP for Hampshire in 1654 in spite of the opposition of the justices of the peace. Wallop was elected MP for Hampshire again in 1656 and in 1659.

After the fall of the Cromwellian interest, Wallop showed his sincere zeal for that of the Long Parliament, as the support of the republic, and they procured him a seat in 1659, in their council of state. In the following December, having assisted, with others, in securing Portsmouth, he received their thanks for the good and important services he had rendered them. In April 1660 he was elected MP for Whitchurch in the Convention Parliament but did not take part in its proceedings and was disabled from sitting on 11 June 1660.

At the restoration of the monarchy he was excepted him from receiving any benefit of his estate under the Act of Indemnity, and subjected to further punishment. He was brought up to the bar of the House of Commons, with Lord Monson and Sir Henry Mildmay, after being required to confess his guilt, he was sentenced to be degraded from his gentility, drawn upon a sledge to and under the gallows at Tyburn, with a halter round his neck, and to be imprisoned for life. This sentence was solemnly executed upon him on 30 January 1662, which was the anniversary of the king's execution. He died on 19 November 1667, and his body was sent down to Farleigh Wallop, to be interred with his ancestors.

Family life

Wallop married Ann Wriothesley, daughter of Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton by whom he a son, Henry Wallop, his only child, who through the interest of the then Lord High Treasurer, his maternal uncle Thomas Wriothesley, was permitted to enjoy those estates which his father's treason had forfeited. The biographer Mark Noble suggests that it was most probable on account of his family connection to Wallop that Thomas Wriothesley was so extremely strenuous in favour of those regicides who had surrendered.

Henry married Dorothy Bluet, youngest daughter of John Bluet, had four sons: Robert, who died in his father's life-time; Henry, who became heir to his father, but died unmarried; and John Wallop, who next enjoyed the estate; and the youngest, Charles, who died before his father, unmarried. His grandson John, who became heir to the great estates of the family, was created by King George I 11 June 1720, Baron Wallop, of Farley Wallop, and Viscount Lymington, both in the county of Southampton.