William Strode
Encyclopedia
William Strode was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons of England
variously between 1624 and 1645. He was one of the five members impeached by King Charles and fought on the Parliamentarian
side in the English Civil War
.
, of Newnham, Devon
and his wife Mary Southcote, daughter of Thomas Southcote of Bovey Tracey
in Devon. He was admitted as a student of the Inner Temple
in 1614, matriculated at Exeter College, Oxford
, in 1617, and took the degree of BA in 1619.
In 1624, Strode was elected Member of Parliament
for Bere Alston
, and was re-elected MP for Bere Alston in 1625, 1626 and 1628. He opposed Charles I
from the start, and took a leading part in the disorderly scene of 2 March 1629, when the speaker
, Sir John Finch, was held down in the chair after refusing to put the resolution of Sir John Eliot against arbitrary taxation and innovations in religion (see Denzil Holles). Strode was prosecuted before the star chamber, but refused "to answer anything done in the House of Parliament but in that House." On 7 May a fresh warrant was issued, and a month later, to prevent his release on bail, he was sent by Charles with two of his fellow members to the Tower
. Refusing to give a bond for his good behaviour, he was sentenced to imprisonment during the king's pleasure, and was kept in confinement in various prisons for eleven years. During those eleven years, King Charles ruled without parliament.
In January 1640, in accordance with the king's new policy of moderation, Strode was released and on 13 April took his seat as MP for Bere Alston in the Short Parliament
. He was re-elected for the Long Parliament
, which met on 3 November 1640. He was the first to propose parliaentary control over ministerial appointments, the militia, and its own duration, He supported the Grand Remonstrance of 7 November 1641. He zealously pursued the prosecution of Strafford
, and actually proposed that all who appeared as the prisoner's counsel should be charged as conspirators in the same treason. As a result he was included among the five members impeached by Charles of high treason
on 3 January 1642.
Strode opposed all suggestions of compromise with Charles and urged on the preparations for war. He was present at the battle of Edgehill
on 23 October 1642. He was as relentless in the prosecution of Laud
as he had been in that of Strafford. It was he who carried up the message from the Commons
to the Lords
on 28 November 1644 which desired them to hasten on the ordinance for the archbishop's execution. Strode did not long survive his victim. He is mentioned as having been elected a member of the Westminster Assembly
on 31 January 1645. He died on 9 September the same year, and by order of parliament was accorded a public funeral in Westminster Abbey
. The body was exhumed after the Restoration
.
, also parliamentarian and M.P., who died in 1666; and from William Strode
(1602-1645), the orator, poet and dramatist.
House of Commons of England
The House of Commons of England was the lower house of the Parliament of England from its development in the 14th century to the union of England and Scotland in 1707, when it was replaced by the House of Commons of Great Britain...
variously between 1624 and 1645. He was one of the five members impeached by King Charles and fought on the Parliamentarian
Roundhead
"Roundhead" was the nickname given to the supporters of the Parliament during the English Civil War. Also known as Parliamentarians, they fought against King Charles I and his supporters, the Cavaliers , who claimed absolute power and the divine right of kings...
side in the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
.
Life
Strode was the second son of Sir William StrodeWilliam Strode (died 1637)
Sir William Strode was an English landowner, military engineer and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1597 and 1626....
, of Newnham, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
and his wife Mary Southcote, daughter of Thomas Southcote of Bovey Tracey
Bovey Tracey
Bovey Tracey is a small town in Devon, England, on the edge of Dartmoor, its proximity to which gives rise to the "slogan" used on the town's boundary signs, "The Gateway to the Moor". The locals just call the town "Bovey" ....
in Devon. He was admitted as a student of the Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
in 1614, matriculated at Exeter College, Oxford
Exeter College, Oxford
Exeter College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England and the fourth oldest college of the University. The main entrance is on the east side of Turl Street...
, in 1617, and took the degree of BA in 1619.
In 1624, Strode was elected Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Bere Alston
Bere Alston (UK Parliament constituency)
Bere Alston or Beeralston was a parliamentary borough in Devon, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1584 until 1832, when the constituency was abolished by the Great Reform Act as a rotten borough.-History:...
, and was re-elected MP for Bere Alston in 1625, 1626 and 1628. He opposed Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
from the start, and took a leading part in the disorderly scene of 2 March 1629, when the speaker
Speaker of the House of Commons
Speaker of the House of Commons can refer to:*Speaker of the House of Commons *Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada*Speaker of the Northern Ireland House of Commons...
, Sir John Finch, was held down in the chair after refusing to put the resolution of Sir John Eliot against arbitrary taxation and innovations in religion (see Denzil Holles). Strode was prosecuted before the star chamber, but refused "to answer anything done in the House of Parliament but in that House." On 7 May a fresh warrant was issued, and a month later, to prevent his release on bail, he was sent by Charles with two of his fellow members to the Tower
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
. Refusing to give a bond for his good behaviour, he was sentenced to imprisonment during the king's pleasure, and was kept in confinement in various prisons for eleven years. During those eleven years, King Charles ruled without parliament.
In January 1640, in accordance with the king's new policy of moderation, Strode was released and on 13 April took his seat as MP for Bere Alston in the Short Parliament
Short Parliament
The Short Parliament was a Parliament of England that sat from 13 April to 5 May 1640 during the reign of King Charles I of England, so called because it lasted only three weeks....
. He was re-elected for the Long Parliament
Long Parliament
The Long Parliament was made on 3 November 1640, following the Bishops' Wars. It received its name from the fact that through an Act of Parliament, it could only be dissolved with the agreement of the members, and those members did not agree to its dissolution until after the English Civil War and...
, which met on 3 November 1640. He was the first to propose parliaentary control over ministerial appointments, the militia, and its own duration, He supported the Grand Remonstrance of 7 November 1641. He zealously pursued the prosecution of Strafford
Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford
Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford was an English statesman and a major figure in the period leading up to the English Civil War. He served in Parliament and was a supporter of King Charles I. From 1632 to 1639 he instituted a harsh rule as Lord Deputy of Ireland...
, and actually proposed that all who appeared as the prisoner's counsel should be charged as conspirators in the same treason. As a result he was included among the five members impeached by Charles of high treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
on 3 January 1642.
Strode opposed all suggestions of compromise with Charles and urged on the preparations for war. He was present at the battle of Edgehill
Battle of Edgehill
The Battle of Edgehill was the first pitched battle of the First English Civil War. It was fought near Edge Hill and Kineton in southern Warwickshire on Sunday, 23 October 1642....
on 23 October 1642. He was as relentless in the prosecution of Laud
William Laud
William Laud was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1633 to 1645. One of the High Church Caroline divines, he opposed radical forms of Puritanism...
as he had been in that of Strafford. It was he who carried up the message from the Commons
House of Commons of England
The House of Commons of England was the lower house of the Parliament of England from its development in the 14th century to the union of England and Scotland in 1707, when it was replaced by the House of Commons of Great Britain...
to the Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
on 28 November 1644 which desired them to hasten on the ordinance for the archbishop's execution. Strode did not long survive his victim. He is mentioned as having been elected a member of the Westminster Assembly
Westminster Assembly
The Westminster Assembly of Divines was appointed by the Long Parliament to restructure the Church of England. It also included representatives of religious leaders from Scotland...
on 31 January 1645. He died on 9 September the same year, and by order of parliament was accorded a public funeral in Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
. The body was exhumed after the Restoration
English Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
.
Identification
The identity of the W. Strode imprisoned in 1628 and of the W. Strode impeached in 1642 has been questioned, but is now established. On the other hand he is to be distinguished from Colonel William Strode (of Barrington)William Strode (of Barrington)
William Strode , called "of Barrington" to distinguish him from contemporaries of the same name, was an English Parliamentarian officer and Member of Parliament.-Life:...
, also parliamentarian and M.P., who died in 1666; and from William Strode
William Strode (poet)
William Strode was an English poet. He was born in Devon, the only son of Philip Strode, and educated at Westminster School and Christ Church College, Oxford. Strode took holy orders and became a proctor of Oxford University. He began writing English and Latin verse at an early age; his first...
(1602-1645), the orator, poet and dramatist.