Romilly, Samuel (1757–1818)

British lawyer, politician, and reformer. Called to the Bar in 1783, he became a King's Counsel 17 years later. He entered Parliament in 1806 and in that year was solicitor-general in the Ministry of All the Talents. He effected many legal reforms, helping to mitigate the severity of the criminal laws; it was Romilly who secured the abolition of the death penalty for many classes of petty crime. He joined in the antislavery agitation, and opposed the suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act. Romilly was born in London, England. He killed himself shortly after the death of his wife.