STRAFFORD, stre&rd, Thomas Went worth, 1st EARL. OF, English statesman: b. Lon don, 13 April 1593; d. by execution Tower Hill, 11 May 1641. Entered at Saint John's College, Cambridge, in 1607 he became a student of the Inner Temple, and in 1611 received the honor of knighthood. He was returned for York shire to the Parliament which met 5 April 1614, and in 1621 he was again chosen. On the convening of the new Parliament he was one of the six popular members who were prevented serving their country in that as sembly by being appointed sheriffs for their respective counties. When Charles, among other expedients for raising money, had re course to a forced general loan, Wentworth refused to pay his contribution, and was first imprisoned in the Marshalsea. In 1628 he took his seat for Yorkshire, and became one of the most conspicuous advocates of the petition of right. In 1628 he was created Baron Went worth, and some months afterward a viscount and privy-councillor, and on the resignation of Lord Scrope, nominated President of the North. The assassination of Buckingham soon after re moved an obstacle to his further promotion, and he became so influential in the king's council that his powers in the four counties over which he presided were enormous. The legality of some of the powers of the Council of the North, created by Henry VIII, had been questioned by judges in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and these powers had been greatly increased at the instance of Went worth. He was selected by Laud to proceed to Ireland as lord-deputy in 1632. He greatly im proved the state of the country, both as re garded law, revenue and trade. By a con siderable outlay at his own risk he introduced the growth of flax, established looms, brought workmen from France and Flanders to work them, and thus endowed the country with a new and most valuable industry. But, at the same time, nothing could be more arbitrary than his system of government, it being his boast that he had rendered the king as absolute in Ireland aas any prince in the whole world could be.a He returned with the full title of lord-lieu tenant, with a view to gain subsidies and troops, in which he fully succeeded. He again re pairing to England took the command in the north, but found himself obliged to retire be fore the Scottish army, and to retreat to York.
The very first movement of the party opposed to arbitrary power was to impeach him for high treason, with which charge Pym appeared at the bar of the House of Lords in November 1640. The articles of impeachment, at first nine in number, were afterward increased to 28, the object of which was to convict him of an attempt to subvert the fundamental laws of the country. As in the case of Laud, it was easy to prove that he acted as a friend and promoter of arbitrary measures, but not to sub stantiate any particular fact to justify a capital charge. There can be no doubt, however, that his design was to subvert the fundamental laws and liberties of his country, and to enable the king to rule absolutely and without control. Although treated with the extreme of legal rigor and debarred the assistance of counsel, his own great abilities and force of mind sup plied every deficiency. (And never man? says Whitelock, the chairman of the impeaching committee, °acted such a part, on such a theatre, with more wisdom, consistency, and eloquence, or with greater reason, judgment, and temper.* His defense, indeed, was so strong that the original impeachment was de serted for the unjustifiable proceeding of a bill of attainder. The bill passed the Commons by a great majority, and was carried in the Lords by a feeble one. The king, who had impru dently endeavored to stop the bill by his per sonal interference, had not sufficient firmness to redeem the pledge of safety which he had previously given, but yielded to the advice of his counsellors, backed by a letter from Strafford himself, who urged him, for his own safety, to ratify the bill. Charles ratified the bill of attainder on 10 May 1641, and two days later Strafford was executed. Browning's 'Strafford: An Historical Tragedy' (1837), is based on his career. Consult Browning, Robert, 'Prose Life of Strafford) (Boston 1892); Firth, C. H., 'Papers Relating to Thomas Wentworth, First Earl of (London 1890); Foster, 'Statesmen of the Commonwealth) (1836); Gardiner, S. R., 'His tory of England) (10 vols., New York 1883 84) ; Radcliffe, 'The Earl of Strafford's Let ters and Dispatches) (London 1739); Trail!, H. D., 'Loyd Strafford) (London 1889).