Trumbull withdrew from active life in 1698. He was offered in May 1702, but declined, to be one of the lord high admiral's council, and at a later date he excused himself ‘upon the score of age and infirmities’ from again accepting the seals (Hist. MSS. Comm. 12th Rep. App. iii. 35–6). Elm Grove, on the edge of Ealing Common, had formerly been his residence, but he now settled himself at Easthampstead.
Trumbull's name is associated with two great literary undertakings. Dryden records in the postscript to his translation of Virgil that ‘if the last Æneid shine amongst its fellows, it is owing to the commands of Sir William Trumbull, who recommended it as his favourite to my care.’ Pope made Trumbull's acquaintance about 1705. They ‘used to take a ride out together three or four days a week and at last almost every day’ (Spence, Anecdotes, p. 194), and their talk was of the classics. Pope showed him his translation of the ‘Epistle of Sarpedon from the 12th and 16th books of the Iliads,’ and Trumbull, in his admiration, urged the young poet to translate the whole of Homer's works. The advice at last bore fruit.
Pope read his pastorals to the old statesman, and ‘Spring’ was dedicated to him. In the published work Trumbull is characterised as ‘too wise for pride, too good for pow'r,’ and as carrying into retirement ‘all the world can boast.’ Trumbull had suggested ‘Windsor Forest,’ of which he was verderer, as a subject for Pope; had given him several hints and made some little alterations; but the credit was given by Pope to Granville, lord Lansdowne, and Trumbull complained of the ‘slippery trick.’ Lines 237 to 258, however, are in praise of the man who retired from court to glades like those of Windsor, the man ‘whom Nature charms and whom the muse inspires,’ and it ends with ‘Thus Atticus, and Trumbull thus retired.’ Pope evidently had a sincere liking for the old man. In his private memorandum of departed relatives and friends occurs his name with the words ‘amicus meus humanissimus a juvenilibus annis’ (see Pope, Works, ed. Elwin and Courthope, vi. 1–11, where are printed several communications that passed between Trumbull and the poet).
Trumbull died on 14 Dec. 1716, and on 21 Dec. was buried in Easthampstead church; a handsome monument was placed to his memory in the south transept. In 1670 he married his first wife, Katherine, daughter of Sir Charles Cotterell, master of the ceremonies, ‘a very beautiful and accomplished woman,’ whereupon his father settled upon him an income of 350l. a year; she died without issue on 8 July 1704. He married in Scotland, in October 1706, as his second wife, Judith (d. 1724), second daughter of Henry Alexander, fourth Earl of Stirling. They had two children, Judith (1707–1708) and William (1708–1760), from whose only daughter and heiress, the wife of Martyn, fourth son of the first Baron Sandys, are descended the present Marquis of Downshire and Lord Sandys. Elijah Fenton was the tutor of the young Trumbull from early in 1723–4, and died at Easthampstead in 1730. ‘Lines by Sir Henry Sheers,’ written to Sir William Trumbull's three nieces, are in ‘Poems on several Occasions’ appended to Prior's ‘Poems’ (1742, ii. 89–90).
Trumbull's character of Archbishop Dolben is printed in the ‘History of Rochester’ (2nd ed. 1817, pp. 160–2), and in the second edition of the ‘Biographia Britannica’ (v. 330–1). Many letters by him are in print or in manuscript, especially in the Record Office, the British Museum, and in the library at Easthampstead Park.
Jervas was engaged to paint a family picture of the Trumbulls; it is probably the group now at Easthampstead. Sir William's portrait was also painted by Kneller, and a print of it by Vertue is dated 1724. Trumbull's bust, by Henry Cheere, is, with those of many other distinguished fellows of the college, in the library of All Souls'.
The politician's younger brother, Dr. Charles Trumbull (1646–1724), graduated B.A. from Christ Church, Oxford, in 1667, and D.C.L. from All Souls' in 1677. Two years later he became rector of Hadleigh in Suffolk, and rector of Stisted in Essex; was chaplain to Sancroft, and followed his example in resigning his benefices upon the Revolution. He died on 3 Jan. 1724 (Hist. Reg. Chron. Diary, p. 5).
[Foster's Alumni Oxon.; Le Neve's Knights (Harl. Soc. viii.), pp. 391–2; Ashmole's Visit. of Berks in Genealogist, vi. 100; Gent. Mag. 1790, i. 4–5; Pearson's Levant Chaplains, pp. 40, 42; Gyll's Wraysbury, pp. 70–1; Burrows's All Souls' College, pp. 195, 390; Pigot's Hadleigh, pp. 189–200; Coote's Civilians, pp. 91–3; Wood's Fasti, ed. Bliss, ii. 219, 299; Luttrell's Hist. Relation, i. 599, ii. 21, 33, 354–5, 599, iii. 101, 300, 459, 467–9, 540, v. 176–7, vi. 101; Shrewsbury Corresp. (1821), pp. 504–5; Vernon's Letters (1841), i. 432–3; Lloyd's Fenton and Friends, pp. 82–3; Gigas's Corresp. inédite de Bayle, pp. 491–505, 697–8; Pope, ed. Elwin and Courthope, i. pp. ix, 45, 233, 265–7, 324, iv. 382, v. 26–7, 122, 395, vi. pp. xxiv, 1, viii. 4, 73, 157; information from Sir W. R. Anson, warden of All Souls' College, and Rev. Herbert Salwey, rector of Easthampstead.]
