William Popple 1638-1708
William POPPLE 1638-1708
Biographical Note
Born in Hull, son of Edmund Popple, sheriff of Hull and brother in law of the poet Andrew Marvell. Educated privately before moving to London in the 1660s, where he began a mercantile career, living in Bordeaux between 1670 and 1688. He was secretary of the Board of Trade, 1696-1707. His English translation of John Locke's Epistola de tolerantia (Letter concerning toleration) was published in 1689, and he wrote a number of works himself on related issues (including Two treatises of rational religion, 1692, A letter to Mr Penn, 1688). BL Add MS 8888 comprises a collection of translations, a play and manuscript verses by him.
Books
Popple's will has no mention of books, but is primarily concerned with the distribution of estates and property in and around Hull to his children; all the residue of his goods was left to his wife Mary. His library was sold in London by retail sale, beginning 2 March 1711; no catalogue survives, but the sale was advertised in The Daily Courant.
Characteristic Markings
None of Popple's books have been identified.
Sources
- Alston, R. C. Inventory of sale catalogues 1676-1800. St Philip, 2010.
- Seccombe, Thomas, and C. S. Rogers. "Popple, William (1700/01–1764), government official and writer." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.