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Sir William Waller (c.1639 – 18 July 1699) was a Middlesex justice and politician. He was active against Roman Catholics during the alleged Popish Plot 1678-1679 and was removed from the commission of the peace in April 1680 for his over zealousness. He sat in the House of Commons between 1680 and 1682 when he fled to Holland although he retained the seat until 1685. He returned to England with Prince of Orange in November 1688. ==Biography== Waller was son of Sir William Waller (1597?–1668), the famous Parliamentary Civil War general, and his second wife, Anne Finch. He was educated at Leiden University and afterwards travelled abroad. He inherited Osterley Park on the death of his father and sold it in 1670. Waller distinguished himself during the period of the Popish Plot by his activity as a Middlesex justice in catching priests, burning Roman Catholic books and vestments, and getting up evidence. He was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1679, and early 1680 he was the discoverer of the meal-tub plot and one of the witnesses against Edward Fitzharris.〔 cites: North, ''Examen'', pp. 262, 277, 290; Luttrell, ''Diary'', i. 7, 29, 69.〕 In April 1680 the king put him out of the commission of the peace.〔 cites: Luttrell, ''Diary'', i. 39.〕 Waller was elected Member of Parliament for Westminster in 1680 and 1681. During the reaction which followed he fled to Amsterdam, of which city he was admitted a burgher.〔 cites: Christie, ''Life of Shaftesbury'', ii. 452, 455.〕 In 1683 and the following year he was at Bremen, of which place Lord Preston, the English ambassador at Paris, describes him as governor. Other political exiles gathered round him, and it became the nest of all the persons accused of the last conspiracy, i.e. the Rye House Plot. "They style Waller, by way of commendation, a second Cromwell", adds Preston.〔 cites: ''Hist. MSS. Comm''. 7th Rep. pp. 296, 311, 347, 386.〕 In 1685 wrote an anti-catholic pamphlet, ''The Tragical History of Jetzer''. When the Prince of Orange invaded England in 1688 (during the Glorious Revolution), Waller accompanied him, and he was with the prince at Exeter.〔 cites: ''Hist. MSS. Comm''. 7th Rep. pp. 417, 423; Reresby, ''Diary'', p. 410.〕 William, however, would give him no employment.〔 cites: Foxcroft, ''Life of Halifax'', ii. 215, 224.〕 He died in poverty on 18 July 1699.〔 cites: Luttrell, iv. 538.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「William Waller (informer)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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