STRATFORD, JOHN DE (d. 1348), archbishop of Canter bury, was born at Stratford-on-Avon and educated at Merton College, Oxford, afterwards entering the service of Edward II. He served as archdeacon of Lincoln, canon of York and dean of the court of arches before 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 parti sans; 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. Under Edward III. he became a member of the royal council, but his political importance dates from the fall of Roger Mortimer. In November 1330 Stratford became chancellor, and for the next ten years he was the king's most prominent adviser and the "head of the Lancastrian or constitutional party" (Stubbs). In 1333 he was appointed arch
bishop of Canterbury, and he resigned the chancellorship in He was again chancellor from 1335 to 1337 and for about two months in 1340. In November 1340 Edward III., humiliated, impecunious and angry, returned suddenly to England from Flan ders and vented his wrath upon the archbishop's brother, the chancellor, Robert de Stratford. Fearing arrest John de Strat ford fled to Canterbury, but after a violent dispute the prin ciple was established that peers were only to be tried in full parliament before their own order (en pleyn parlement et devant les piers). The archbishop acted as president of the council dur ing Edward's absence from England in 1345 and 1346, although he never regained his former position of influence. He died at Mayfield in Sussex on Aug. 23, 1348.