William Wentworth, 2nd Earl of Strafford
William Wentworth, 2nd Earl of Strafford (8 June 1626 – 16 October 1695) was a member of England's House of Lords.
He was a son of Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford and his second wife Arabella Holles. [1]When his father, Thomas, was executed in 1641, William left the Kingdom of England for several years, mainly for fear of reprisals, and lived for a time in France. In 1652 he was allowed to return on taking an oath of abjuration. In 1662, the bill of attainder against his father was reversed by Parliament, and he regained the title of Earl of Strafford. According to his father's biographer, he led a rather "obscure, undistinguished and uninteresting life".[2] She does however praise his speech in the House of Lords in 1667 protesting against the banishment of Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon, on the ground that no crime had been proved against him; his attitude is the more creditable since Clarendon had been one of his father's bitterest enemies.[3] He was a member of the Privy Council, and attended the crucial meeting in 1678 where Titus Oates first revealed his fabricated Popish Plot.[4]
Wedgwood sums him up as "rather indolent and lacking in character";[5] but he was much loved by his family, especially his father, whose last letter was to "dearest Will" from " a father that tenderly loves you".[6]
On 27 February 1654, Strafford married Lady Henriette Mary Stanley. She was a daughter of James Stanley, 7th Earl of Derby and Charlotte de la Tremoüille, Countess of Derby.[7] The marriage was childless. Henriette predeceased him on 27 December 1685 but Strafford did not take a second wife. He buried her in York Minster, with an impressive monument to her memory.[8]
When Strafford died childless on October 16, 1695, his earldom became extinct, but his title of Baron Raby was inherited by Thomas Wentworth, the grandson of a younger brother of the first earl, who later became Earl of Strafford of a new creation. However, Strafford's estates passed to his nephew Lewis Watson, 1st Earl of Rockingham (see Marquess of Rockingham).
Strafford County, New Hampshire in the United States is named in his honour.
[edit] References
- ^ Burke Extinct Peerages Reprinted 1978 p.576
- ^ Wegdwood C.V. Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford-1593-1641-a revaluation Phoenix Press 1961 p.395
- ^ Wedgwood pp.394-5
- ^ Kenyon ,J.P. The Popish Plot 2nd Edition Phoenix Press 2000 p.77
- ^ Wedgwood p.394
- ^ Wedgwood p.384
- ^ Burke p.577
- ^ Wedgwood p.395
| Peerage of England | ||
|---|---|---|
| Vacant
Attainted
Title last held by
Thomas Wentworth |
Earl of Strafford 1st creation 1662–1695 |
Extinct Re-created in 1711 for his kinsman Thomas Wentworth
|
| Preceded by Thomas Wentworth |
Baron Raby 1st creation 1662–1695 |
Succeeded by Thomas Wentworth |
