Walter Strickland
Encyclopedia
Walter Strickland was an English politician and diplomat who held high office during the Protectorate
.
of Boynton
. His elder brother, William
, was knighted in 1630 and created a baronet in 1641, and was a Member of Parliament
from 1640 to 1660. Like his brother, Walter was educated at Queens' College, Cambridge
and Gray’s Inn. In his youth he was nicknamed “Wild Walter” for his reckless irresponsible behaviour: on one occasion he was said to have ridden his horse over the roof of a local church.
Following the outbreak of civil war
in 1642, Strickland was appointed by Parliament as their Ambassador-General to the United Provinces of the Netherlands
. Although his complaints to the States-General
about the assistance given by the Prince of Orange to Charles I
bore little fruit, his efforts were judged satisfactory and he was voted a salary of £400 per annum, remaining at the Hague and hindering as far as he could the attempts of the Royalists to raise money and troops. In 1648 he briefly returned to England but was quickly reappointed, his salary having been raised to £600. The posting was a dangerous one, as most of the Dutch supported the Royalists: Strickland was frequently threatened, and his colleague Isaac Dorislaus
was killed.
In June 1650 Strickland was recalled and received the thanks of Parliament, but the following year after the death of William II of Orange (which to the stricter English Puritans looked like God’s judgement against him for his protection of the Stuarts), he was again sent to the Netherlands, accompanying Oliver St John
in his famous and unsuccessful embassy. They proposed a close alliance against the Catholic world and ideally a merger of the two commonwealths into a single state, offering to restrain the English commercial-interest party, which saw the Dutch as their greatest opponents. However, neither the regents nor the Dutch populace had the least enthusiasm for a Protestant crusade, and Strickland and St John were unable to overcome their hostility. They returned home with no arguments to restrain unfettered commercial competition with the Dutch, and relations quickly deteriorated into the First Anglo-Dutch War
.
Strickland had been elected to Parliament as member for Minehead
in 1645, and from his final return from Holland in 1651 began to play an active role. He was elected to the third (1651) and fifth (1652) councils of state
of the Commonwealth, and after the expulsion of the Rump
was one of four civilians on the council of thirteen elected by the army to rule in Parliament’s stead.
Strickland was subsequently a member of the nominated Barebones Parliament
and of both councils of state appointed by it. In 1654 he was made captain of the grey-coated foot-guards, who waited upon the Protector at Whitehall. This position gave him a prominent part in the second investiture of the Lord Protector. After the establishment of the Protectorate sat in the Parliaments of 1654
(for the East Riding) and 1656
(for Newcastle) and was a member of both councils of state established during Cromwell's
rule. In December 1657 he was appointed to Cromwell’s “House of Lords” — a “peerage” which of course did not survive the Restoration.
After Oliver Cromwell's death, Strickland was a member of Richard Cromwell
’s council. When the Long Parliament
was reinstated he resumed his seat, and was a member of the Committee of Safety
appointed by the army in October 1659. After the restoration of the Charles II
he was not considered dangerous, and was pardoned, and was once again elected to Parliament, for Thirsk, in 1661.
Protectorate
In history, the term protectorate has two different meanings. In its earliest inception, which has been adopted by modern international law, it is an autonomous territory that is protected diplomatically or militarily against third parties by a stronger state or entity...
.
Life
Strickland was the younger son of Walter StricklandWalter Strickland
Walter Strickland was an English politician and diplomat who held high office during the Protectorate.-Life:Strickland was the younger son of Walter Strickland of Boynton. His elder brother, William, was knighted in 1630 and created a baronet in 1641, and was a Member of Parliament from 1640 to 1660...
of Boynton
Boynton, East Riding of Yorkshire
Boynton is a village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is situated approximately west of the town of Bridlington and lies on the B1253 road.According to the 2001 UK census, Boynton parish had a population of 161....
. His elder brother, William
Sir William Strickland, 1st Baronet
Sir William Strickland, 1st Baronet was an English Member of Parliament who supported the parliamentary cause during the English Civil War....
, was knighted in 1630 and created a baronet in 1641, and was a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
from 1640 to 1660. Like his brother, Walter was educated at Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou , and refounded in 1465 by Elizabeth Woodville...
and Gray’s Inn. In his youth he was nicknamed “Wild Walter” for his reckless irresponsible behaviour: on one occasion he was said to have ridden his horse over the roof of a local church.
Following the outbreak of civil war
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
in 1642, Strickland was appointed by Parliament as their Ambassador-General to the United Provinces of the Netherlands
Dutch Republic
The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...
. Although his complaints to the States-General
States-General of the Netherlands
The States-General of the Netherlands is the bicameral legislature of the Netherlands, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The parliament meets in at the Binnenhof in The Hague. The archaic Dutch word "staten" originally related to the feudal classes in which medieval...
about the assistance given by the Prince of Orange to Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
bore little fruit, his efforts were judged satisfactory and he was voted a salary of £400 per annum, remaining at the Hague and hindering as far as he could the attempts of the Royalists to raise money and troops. In 1648 he briefly returned to England but was quickly reappointed, his salary having been raised to £600. The posting was a dangerous one, as most of the Dutch supported the Royalists: Strickland was frequently threatened, and his colleague Isaac Dorislaus
Isaac Dorislaus
Isaac Dorislaus was an Anglo-Dutch lawyer and diplomat.He was the son of a minister of the Dutch Reformed Church. He was educated at Leiden, removed to England about 1627, and was appointed to a lectureship in history at Cambridge, where his attempt to justify the Dutch revolt against Spain led to...
was killed.
In June 1650 Strickland was recalled and received the thanks of Parliament, but the following year after the death of William II of Orange (which to the stricter English Puritans looked like God’s judgement against him for his protection of the Stuarts), he was again sent to the Netherlands, accompanying Oliver St John
Oliver St John
Sir Oliver St John , was an English judge and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640 to 1653. He supported the Parliamentary cause in the English Civil War.- Early life :...
in his famous and unsuccessful embassy. They proposed a close alliance against the Catholic world and ideally a merger of the two commonwealths into a single state, offering to restrain the English commercial-interest party, which saw the Dutch as their greatest opponents. However, neither the regents nor the Dutch populace had the least enthusiasm for a Protestant crusade, and Strickland and St John were unable to overcome their hostility. They returned home with no arguments to restrain unfettered commercial competition with the Dutch, and relations quickly deteriorated into the First Anglo-Dutch War
First Anglo-Dutch War
The First Anglo–Dutch War was the first of the four Anglo–Dutch Wars. It was fought entirely at sea between the navies of the Commonwealth of England and the United Provinces of the Netherlands. Caused by disputes over trade, the war began with English attacks on Dutch merchant shipping, but...
.
Strickland had been elected to Parliament as member for Minehead
Minehead (UK Parliament constituency)
Minehead was a parliamentary borough in Somerset, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1563 until 1832, when the borough was abolished by the Great Reform Act.- MPs 1563–1629 :...
in 1645, and from his final return from Holland in 1651 began to play an active role. He was elected to the third (1651) and fifth (1652) councils of state
English Council of State
The English Council of State, later also known as the Protector's Privy Council, was first appointed by the Rump Parliament on 14 February 1649 after the execution of King Charles I....
of the Commonwealth, and after the expulsion of the Rump
Rump Parliament
The Rump Parliament is the name of the English Parliament after Colonel Pride purged the Long Parliament on 6 December 1648 of those members hostile to the Grandees' intention to try King Charles I for high treason....
was one of four civilians on the council of thirteen elected by the army to rule in Parliament’s stead.
Strickland was subsequently a member of the nominated Barebones Parliament
Barebones Parliament
Barebone's Parliament, also known as the Little Parliament, the Nominated Assembly and the Parliament of Saints, came into being on 4 July 1653, and was the last attempt of the English Commonwealth to find a stable political form before the installation of Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector...
and of both councils of state appointed by it. In 1654 he was made captain of the grey-coated foot-guards, who waited upon the Protector at Whitehall. This position gave him a prominent part in the second investiture of the Lord Protector. After the establishment of the Protectorate sat in the Parliaments of 1654
First Protectorate Parliament
The First Protectorate Parliament was summoned by the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell under the terms of the Instrument of Government. It sat for one term from 3 September 1654 until 22 January 1655 with William Lenthall as the Speaker of the House....
(for the East Riding) and 1656
Second Protectorate Parliament
The Second Protectorate Parliament in England sat for two sessions from 17 September 1656 until 4 February 1658, with Thomas Widdrington as the Speaker of the House of Commons...
(for Newcastle) and was a member of both councils of state established during Cromwell's
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
rule. In December 1657 he was appointed to Cromwell’s “House of Lords” — a “peerage” which of course did not survive the Restoration.
After Oliver Cromwell's death, Strickland was a member of Richard Cromwell
Richard Cromwell
At the same time, the officers of the New Model Army became increasingly wary about the government's commitment to the military cause. The fact that Richard Cromwell lacked military credentials grated with men who had fought on the battlefields of the English Civil War to secure their nation's...
’s council. When the Long Parliament
Long Parliament
The Long Parliament was made on 3 November 1640, following the Bishops' Wars. It received its name from the fact that through an Act of Parliament, it could only be dissolved with the agreement of the members, and those members did not agree to its dissolution until after the English Civil War and...
was reinstated he resumed his seat, and was a member of the Committee of Safety
English Committee of Safety
The Committee of Safety, established by the Parliamentarians in July 1642, was the first of a number of successive committees set up to oversee the English Civil War against King Charles I, and the Interregnum.-1642–1644:...
appointed by the army in October 1659. After the restoration of the Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
he was not considered dangerous, and was pardoned, and was once again elected to Parliament, for Thirsk, in 1661.