Strafford

Strafford, THOMAS WENTWORTH, EARL OF (1593-1641), statesman, was the son of Sir William Wentworth, of Wentworth Woodhouse in Yorkshire. After studying at Cambridge he entered Parliament in 1614. but took no active part in politics till 1621. From that date he endeavoured to maintain the liberties of the people without infringing the authority of the Crown, till the crisis of 1629 drove hiin to sacrifice his love of freedom to his loyalty. His decision was perhaps hastened by his recent appointment to the presidentship of the Council of the North with the title of Baron Wentworth. He now proceeded to carry out that policy of "thorough" by which he sought to establish a just and strong Government with the sovereign as coping-stone of the political fabric. The period during which he governed Ireland as Lord Deputy (1633-40) was one of unwonted social and material progress, but his harsh proceedings increased the existing disaffection, and helped to bring about the rising in 1641. In January, 1640, he was created Earl of Strafford and Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland. He was now the king's most trusted counsellor, and was rightly regarded as responsible, above all others, for his arbitrary policy. Immediately after the meeting of the Long Parliament he was impeached of of high treason, the form of accusation being subsequently turned into a bill of attainder. After the bill had passed both Houses Charles very reluctantly gave it the royal assent, and on May 12th Strafford was executed on Tower Hill.