John de Stratford
Encyclopedia
John de Stratford was Archbishop of Canterbury
and Treasurer and Chancellor of England.
, afterwards entering the service of Edward II
.
He served as archdeacon of Lincoln, canon of York
and dean of the court of arches
before 20 June 1323, when he became bishop of Winchester
, an appointment which was made during his visit to Pope John XXII
at Avignon
and which was very much disliked by Edward II. In 1327 the bishop joined Queen Isabella
's partisans; he drew up the six articles against Edward II, and was one of those who visited the captive king at Kenilworth
to urge him to abdicate in favour of his son. On 26 November 1326 he was appointed Lord Treasurer of England, a post he held until 28 January 1327.
Under Edward III
he became a member of the royal council, but his high political importance dates from the autumn of 1330, the time when Roger Mortimer lost his power. In November of that year Stratford became chancellor
, and for the next ten years he was actively engaged in public business, being the king's most prominent adviser and being politically, says Stubbs, the "head of the Lancastrian or constitutional party."
On 3 November 1333 he was appointed archbishop of Canterbury and he resigned the chancellorship in the following year; however, he held this office again from 1335 to 1337 and for about two months in 1340. In November of 1340 Edward III, humiliated, impecunious and angry, returned suddenly to England from Flanders
and vented his wrath upon the archbishop's brother, the chancellor, Robert de Stratford. Fearing arrest John de Stratford fled to Canterbury
, and entered upon a violent war of words with the king, and by his firm conduct led to the establishment of the principle that peers were only to be tried in full parliament before their own order (en pleyn parlement et devant les piers). But good relations were soon restored between the two, and the archbishop acted as president of the council during Edward's absence from England in 1345 and 1346, although he never regained his former position of influence. His concluding years were mainly spent in the discharge of his spiritual duties, and he died at Mayfield, Sussex on 23 August 1348.
Robert de Stratford
and Ralph de Stratford
, bishop of London
from 1340 until his death at Stepney on 7 April 1354, were members of the same family. All three prelates were benefactors to Stratford-on-Avon.
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
and Treasurer and Chancellor of England.
Life
John was born at Stratford-on-Avon and educated at Merton College, OxfordMerton College, Oxford
Merton College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, chancellor to Henry III and later to Edward I, first drew up statutes for an independent academic community and established endowments to...
, afterwards entering the service of Edward II
Edward II of England
Edward II , called Edward of Caernarfon, was King of England from 1307 until he was deposed by his wife Isabella in January 1327. He was the sixth Plantagenet king, in a line that began with the reign of Henry II...
.
He served as archdeacon of Lincoln, canon of York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
and dean of the court of arches
Dean of Arches
The Dean of Arches is the judge who sits at the ecclesiastical court of the Archbishop of Canterbury in England. This appeal court is commonly called the Arches Court....
before 20 June 1323, when he became bishop of Winchester
Bishop of Winchester
The Bishop of Winchester is the head of the Church of England diocese of Winchester, with his cathedra at Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire.The bishop is one of five Church of England bishops to be among the Lords Spiritual regardless of their length of service. His diocese is one of the oldest and...
, an appointment which was made during his visit to Pope John XXII
Pope John XXII
Pope John XXII , born Jacques Duèze , was pope from 1316 to 1334. He was the second Pope of the Avignon Papacy , elected by a conclave in Lyon assembled by Philip V of France...
at Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
and which was very much disliked by Edward II. In 1327 the bishop joined Queen Isabella
Isabella of France
Isabella of France , sometimes described as the She-wolf of France, was Queen consort of England as the wife of Edward II of England. She was the youngest surviving child and only surviving daughter of Philip IV of France and Joan I of Navarre...
's partisans; he drew up the six articles against Edward II, and was one of those who visited the captive king at Kenilworth
Kenilworth Castle
Kenilworth Castle is located in the town of the same name in Warwickshire, England. Constructed from Norman through to Tudor times, the castle has been described by architectural historian Anthony Emery as "the finest surviving example of a semi-royal palace of the later middle ages, significant...
to urge him to abdicate in favour of his son. On 26 November 1326 he was appointed Lord Treasurer of England, a post he held until 28 January 1327.
Under Edward III
Edward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
he became a member of the royal council, but his high political importance dates from the autumn of 1330, the time when Roger Mortimer lost his power. In November of that year Stratford became chancellor
Lord Chancellor
The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
, and for the next ten years he was actively engaged in public business, being the king's most prominent adviser and being politically, says Stubbs, the "head of the Lancastrian or constitutional party."
On 3 November 1333 he was appointed archbishop of Canterbury and he resigned the chancellorship in the following year; however, he held this office again from 1335 to 1337 and for about two months in 1340. In November of 1340 Edward III, humiliated, impecunious and angry, returned suddenly to England from Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
and vented his wrath upon the archbishop's brother, the chancellor, Robert de Stratford. Fearing arrest John de Stratford fled to Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
, and entered upon a violent war of words with the king, and by his firm conduct led to the establishment of the principle that peers were only to be tried in full parliament before their own order (en pleyn parlement et devant les piers). But good relations were soon restored between the two, and the archbishop acted as president of the council during Edward's absence from England in 1345 and 1346, although he never regained his former position of influence. His concluding years were mainly spent in the discharge of his spiritual duties, and he died at Mayfield, Sussex on 23 August 1348.
Robert de Stratford
Robert de Stratford
Robert de Stratford was an English bishop, and was one of Edward III of England's principal ministers.Stratford served for a time as deputy to his brother, John de Stratford, and in 1337 became chancellor and bishop of Chichester. He was elected bishop about 24 August 1337, and was consecrated...
and Ralph de Stratford
Ralph Stratford
Ralph Stratford was a medieval Bishop of London.Stratford was elected 26 January 1340 and consecrated on 12 March 1340. He died on 17 April 1354.-References:...
, bishop of London
Bishop of London
The Bishop of London is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of London in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers 458 km² of 17 boroughs of Greater London north of the River Thames and a small part of the County of Surrey...
from 1340 until his death at Stepney on 7 April 1354, were members of the same family. All three prelates were benefactors to Stratford-on-Avon.
Further reading
- Haines, Roy Martin, Archbishop John Stratford, Political Revolutionary and Champion of the Liberties of the English Church, ca.1275/80-1348 Toronto 1986