William Strode

Member of Parliament

  • Born: January 11, 1603 (baptized)
  • Birthplace: Devonshire, England
  • Died: March 10, 1645
  • Place of death: Christ Church College, Oxford, England

Biography

William Strode was born in Devonshire, England, in 1603, to Philip and Wilmot Hanton Strode. After attending Winchester School, he matriculated at Christ Church College, Oxford University, in 1921. During his years at Oxford, he was active in the theater. He also began writing poetry at this time.

In 1621 he received a B.A. degree, and in 1624, he completed his M.A. degree. He was appointed first proctor, then public orator of the university in 1629. He also earned a bachelor of divinity degree in 1631 and soon after took holy orders.

Much of Strode’s early work was composed in Latin. In addition, he composed and delivered Latin orations, notably for the 1636 royal visit of King Charles I. During the same visit, his play The Floating Island: A Tragi-Comedy was performed. In this play, Strode flattered the King by satirizing the Puritans.

Strode became canon of Christ Church and the vicar of Blackbourton, Oxfordshire, after receiving the doctor of divinity degree in 1638. He later became vicar of Badby, Northamptonshire, retiring from this post in 1642. He died at Christ Church College on March 10, 1645.

Strode’s work has remained largely unknown to audiences after his own day. This neglect is due partially to his choice to write much of his work in Latin. In addition, he generally wrote elegies, a genre that fell from favor. In the early twentieth century, Bertram Dobell gathered together many of Strode’s poems and published them in an attempt to entice critical interest in the poet. This volume permitted scholars to examine a large portion of Strode’s work. Although Strode is still considered one of the lesser seventeenth century writers, his work offers readers a glimpse into the cultural and literary milieu of his day.