BULLER, Benjamin (d. 1702), of Exeter and St. Margaret’s, Westminster

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1690-1715, ed. D. Hayton, E. Cruickshanks, S. Handley, 2002
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

5 Feb. - 19 Dec. 1702

Family and Education

Poss. 2nd s. of Richard Buller (d.1691), Portuguese merchant, by 1st w. Leonor.1

Offices Held

Capt. of ft. Northcote’s regt. 1696–7, 31 Ft. Mar. 1702–d.2

Biography

Buller may have been the 2nd son of a Lisbon merchant, who left 1.5 million Reis to him, his elder brother, also Richard, continuing in the trade. Buller joined the army, but was placed on half pay in 1697 when his regiment was disbanded. He was probably a kinsman of John Buller I* and James Buller*, who were presumably responsible for his candidature at the Saltash by-election in 1702. His one parliamentary action of note was to vote on 26 Feb. for the resolution vindicating the Commons’ proceedings of the previous year over the impeachment of William’s Whig ministers. In March 1702 he was given a new commission in a marine regiment. He was returned for Saltash unopposed at the general election of 1702, whereupon according to one contemporary, ‘he attended diligently the service of the House, when it was sitting, but in the little recess they made for the better celebration of Christmas’ he died. This was not the exact truth for Parliament did not adjourn until 23 Dec. and his ‘much lamented’ death had occurred on the 19th. He was replaced in his regiment on the 21st. Sentence was taken out on his will in February 1704.3

Ref Volumes: 1690-1715

Authors: Eveline Cruickshanks / Stuart Handley

Notes

  • 1. PCC 94 Vere.
  • 2. CSP Dom. 1696, pp. 1–2; 1702–3, pp. 364, 388.
  • 3. Cal. Treas. Bks. xv. 450; Add. 27440, f. 141; Post Boy, 22–24 Dec. 1702; PCC 218 Ash.