Robert Wallop

Robert Wallop (20 July 1601 – 19 November 1667) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times from 1621 to 1660. He supported the Parliamentary cause in the English Civil War and was one of the regicides of King Charles I of England.

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.

In 1621, Wallop was elected Member of Parliament for Andover and re-elected in 1624. In 1625, he was elected MP for Hampshire and re-elected in 1626. He was elected MP for Andover again 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 of 1639–40 out of antipathy to the king. In April 1640, he was elected MP for Andover for the Short Parliament and was re-elected for the Long Parliament in November 1640. 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 and 22 January and in Westminster Hall 22 and 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. 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 Kingston upon Hull and Bristol, though it was said Vane had the majority of votes in those two cities. Wallop supported Vane and used his influence to have Vane 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. The letter stated that if Wallop continued to support Vane, they would oppose Wallop's attempt to become an MP. Wallop ignored them, assisted Vane and was elected MP for Hampshire in 1654 in spite of the opposition of the justices of the peace. Wallop was re-elected in 1656 and 1659. His body was returned to Farleigh Wallop to be interred with his ancestors.

His only son Henry Wallop was the MP for Whitchurch from 1660-74. On 11 June 1720, King George I created Wallop's grandson, John, who became heir to the great estates of the family, Baron Wallop of Farley Wallop and Viscount Lymington, both in the county of Southampton.