Strafford
THOMAS WENT- WORTH, EARL OF, an English statesman, the eldest son of Sir William Wentworth; born in London, April 13, 1593; educated at Cambridge. After leaving the university he received the honor of knighthood. He sat in Parliament for Yorkshire for a number of years, and when Charles I. asserted that the Commons enjoyed no rights but by royal permission, he was strongly opposed by Sir Thomas Wentworth. In this struggle his abilities were recognized and high terms offered him by the court, which he accepted, and in 1628 was successively created Baron Wentworth, privy-councillor, and President of the North. Archbishop Laud selected him to proceed to Ireland as lord deputy in 1632. Here he greatly improved the state of the country, both as regarded law, revenue, and trade; but to accomplish his ends he did not scruple to use STRAFFORD the strongest and most arbitrary measures. For these services he was created Earl of Strafford. When the Long Parliament met, the very first movement of the party opposed to arbitrary power was to impeach Strafford of high treason, with which charge Pym appeared at the bar of the House of Lords in 1640.
His defense, however, was so strong that the original impeachment was deserted for a bill of attainder. The bill passed the Commons by a great majority, and was feebly supported by the House of Lords. The king endeavored to secure his safety, 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. Strafford was accordingly beheaded on Tower Hill May 12, 1641.