William Strickland (navigator)
Encyclopedia
William Strickland was an English
landowner who sailed on early voyages of exploration to the Americas
and is credited with introducing the turkey
into England. In later life he was a prominent Puritan
Member of Parliament
.
gentleman, Roger Strickland of Marske
, and was probably descended from a junior branch of the Stricklands of Sizergh
. As a young man he sailed to the New World as one of Sebastian Cabot's
lieutenants, and is generally credited with introducing the turkey to England. The association seems to have been accepted by his contemporaries since, when he was granted arms
in 1550, he was allowed to take as his crest "a turkey-cock in his pride proper". The official record of his crest in the archives of the College of Arms
is said to be the oldest surviving European drawing of a turkey.
Strickland returned to Yorkshire in 1542, and with the proceeds of his voyages bought estates at Wintringham
and at Boynton
, both in the East Riding of Yorkshire
. He seems to have lived the remainder of his life at Place Newton, his house at Wintringham where he is buried, but he had the Norman manor house at Boynton rebuilt as Boynton Hall, and this became the seat of his descendants. The church at Boynton is liberally decorated with the family's turkey crest, most notably in the form of a probably-unique lectern
(a 20th-century creation) carved in the form of a turkey rather than the conventional eagle
, the bible
supported by its outspread tail feathers.
as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Scarborough
, and seems to have proved an able and eloquent advocate of the Puritan cause, earning such nicknames as "Strickland the Stinger" from his political opponents, though the anonymous author of the Simonds d'Ewes
diaries described him sardonically as "One Mr Strickland, a grave and ancient man of great zeal, and perhaps (as he himself thought) not unlearned".
Strickland does not seem to have been particularly prominent in his first two parliaments, but came to the forefront in the parliament that met in 1571, in which the Puritan faction was stronger than previously. This time he found himself at the centre of a constitutional crisis
, one of Parliament’s earliest assertions of its privilege to conduct its proceedings without royal interference with its members.
Strickland spoke on both the first two days of the session, 6 April 1571 and 7 April 1571; on the second of these he put forward a motion to reintroduce six bills to reform the Book of Common Prayer
, which had been defeated in the previous parliament; the Speaker allowed the bills to be read, but the Queen
had previously directed that Parliament should not debate such matters, and this earned the house a royal reprimand. Then on the last day before the Easter recess, 14 April 1571, Strickland introduced his own bill to reform the prayer book – among other measures it proposed to abolish confirmation, prevent priest
s from wearing vestment
s and end the practice of kneeling at the Communion
. The bill was given a first reading against the vigorous opposition of the privy counsellors present, but after further argument the House voted to petition the Queen for permission to continue discussing the bill before any further action was taken, and the House adjourned.
Strickland was now summoned before the Privy Council, though sources differ on whether he was imprisoned or otherwise menaced; but it seems certain he was forbidden to retake his seat in the Commons. When the House reassembled, one member reported that the Catholic
s believed he was on trial for his life on heresy
charges; but Sir Francis Knollys
assured members that he was “neither detained or abused”. Nevertheless, the members found it unacceptable that an MP should be prevented from attending except by order of the House itself, and most of the day’s proceedings were occupied by a hostile debate when moderate members as well as Strickland’s Puritan allies demanded that he should be sent for and heard at the bar of the house. The privy counsellors “whispered together”, and the following day Strickland re-appeared triumphantly and, as the D’Ewes journal records, the other members “did, in witness of their joy for the restoration of one of their … members … nominate him [to a] committee”.
Strickland was not re-elected immediately following the dissolution of the parliament in 1572, but was returned once more as MP for Scarborough in 1584.
There is some disagreement between historians of the period as to whether Strickland should be considered the prime mover in the controversy he caused, or merely a spokesman of the Puritan faction following a course of action directed by its ringleaders. Strickland was one of 46 MPs who were lampooned by an opponent for speaking together on a motion in 1566, and who J E Neale referred to as "Norton's Choir", after Thomas Norton
who he considered the moving spirit of the group. Neale admits that Strickland was "the hero of this new Parliament [that of 1571]", but says of his most important speeches that "to assume that [they] sprung from Strickland's mind alone would be childish". More recent historians, however, Geoffrey Elton
and Conrad Russell
, reject the "Norton's Choir" theory.
was born shortly before his grandfather’s death and was named after him; he also became a Member of Parliament, and was created a baronet (of Boynton) in 1641.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
landowner who sailed on early voyages of exploration to the Americas
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
and is credited with introducing the turkey
Turkey (bird)
A turkey is a large bird in the genus Meleagris. One species, Meleagris gallopavo, commonly known as the Wild Turkey, is native to the forests of North America. The domestic turkey is a descendant of this species...
into England. In later life he was a prominent Puritan
Puritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England...
Member of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
.
Early life
Strickland was the son of a YorkshireYorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
gentleman, Roger Strickland of Marske
Marske
Marske is the name several places in North Yorkshire, England:* Marske-by-the-Sea, a small town in Redcar and Cleveland, North Yorkshire* New Marske, a village just south of Marske-by-the-Sea* Marske, a village near Richmond in North Yorkshire...
, and was probably descended from a junior branch of the Stricklands of Sizergh
Strickland
The English surname Strickland is derived from the Norse word Stercaland, which is found in Westmorland to the south of Penrith. It did not become a family name until after 1179, when Walter de Castlecarrock married Christian de Leteham, an heiress to the local estate that now includes the villages...
. As a young man he sailed to the New World as one of Sebastian Cabot's
Sebastian Cabot (explorer)
Sebastian Cabot was an explorer, born in the Venetian Republic.-Origins:...
lieutenants, and is generally credited with introducing the turkey to England. The association seems to have been accepted by his contemporaries since, when he was granted arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
in 1550, he was allowed to take as his crest "a turkey-cock in his pride proper". The official record of his crest in the archives of the College of Arms
College of Arms
The College of Arms, or Heralds’ College, is an office regulating heraldry and granting new armorial bearings for England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
is said to be the oldest surviving European drawing of a turkey.
Strickland returned to Yorkshire in 1542, and with the proceeds of his voyages bought estates at Wintringham
Wintringham
Wintringham is a village and civil parish in the Ryedale district of North Yorkshire, England. It is near the A64 road and east of Malton.The Yorkshire Wolds Way National Trail and the Centenary Way, long distance footpaths pass through the village...
and at 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....
, both in the East Riding of Yorkshire
East Riding of Yorkshire
The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Yorkshire, is a local government district with unitary authority status, and a ceremonial county of England. For ceremonial purposes the county also includes the city of Kingston upon Hull, which is a separate unitary authority...
. He seems to have lived the remainder of his life at Place Newton, his house at Wintringham where he is buried, but he had the Norman manor house at Boynton rebuilt as Boynton Hall, and this became the seat of his descendants. The church at Boynton is liberally decorated with the family's turkey crest, most notably in the form of a probably-unique lectern
Lectern
A lectern is a reading desk with a slanted top, usually placed on a stand or affixed to some other form of support, on which documents or books are placed as support for reading aloud, as in a scripture reading, lecture, or sermon...
(a 20th-century creation) carved in the form of a turkey rather than the conventional eagle
Eagle
Eagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just two species can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in...
, the bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
supported by its outspread tail feathers.
Parliamentary career
In 1558, Strickland was elected to the Parliament of EnglandParliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Scarborough
Scarborough (UK Parliament constituency)
Scarborough was the name of a constituency in Yorkshire, electing Members of Parliament to the House of Commons, at two periods. From 1295 until 1918 it was a parliamentary borough consisting only of the town of Scarborough, electing two MPs until 1885 and one from 1885 until 1918...
, and seems to have proved an able and eloquent advocate of the Puritan cause, earning such nicknames as "Strickland the Stinger" from his political opponents, though the anonymous author of the Simonds d'Ewes
Simonds d'Ewes
Sir Simonds d'Ewes, 1st Baronet was an antiquary and politician. He was bred for the bar, was a member of the Long Parliament and left notes on its transactions. d'Ewes took the Puritan side in the Civil War...
diaries described him sardonically as "One Mr Strickland, a grave and ancient man of great zeal, and perhaps (as he himself thought) not unlearned".
Strickland does not seem to have been particularly prominent in his first two parliaments, but came to the forefront in the parliament that met in 1571, in which the Puritan faction was stronger than previously. This time he found himself at the centre of a constitutional crisis
Constitutional crisis
A constitutional crisis is a situation that the legal system's constitution or other basic principles of operation appear unable to resolve; it often results in a breakdown in the orderly operation of government...
, one of Parliament’s earliest assertions of its privilege to conduct its proceedings without royal interference with its members.
Strickland spoke on both the first two days of the session, 6 April 1571 and 7 April 1571; on the second of these he put forward a motion to reintroduce six bills to reform the Book of Common Prayer
Book of Common Prayer
The Book of Common Prayer is the short title of a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion, as well as by the Continuing Anglican, "Anglican realignment" and other Anglican churches. The original book, published in 1549 , in the reign of Edward VI, was a product of the English...
, which had been defeated in the previous parliament; the Speaker allowed the bills to be read, but the Queen
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
had previously directed that Parliament should not debate such matters, and this earned the house a royal reprimand. Then on the last day before the Easter recess, 14 April 1571, Strickland introduced his own bill to reform the prayer book – among other measures it proposed to abolish confirmation, prevent priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
s from wearing vestment
Vestment
Vestments are liturgical garments and articles associated primarily with the Christian religion, especially among Latin Rite and other Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Anglicans, and Lutherans...
s and end the practice of kneeling at the Communion
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
. The bill was given a first reading against the vigorous opposition of the privy counsellors present, but after further argument the House voted to petition the Queen for permission to continue discussing the bill before any further action was taken, and the House adjourned.
Strickland was now summoned before the Privy Council, though sources differ on whether he was imprisoned or otherwise menaced; but it seems certain he was forbidden to retake his seat in the Commons. When the House reassembled, one member reported that the Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
s believed he was on trial for his life on heresy
Heresy
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
charges; but Sir Francis Knollys
Francis Knollys
Francis Knollys is the name of:*Sir Francis Knollys Treasurer of the Royal Household to Queen Elizabeth I of England *Sir Francis Knollys son of above - Vice-Admiral, MP for Oxford , Berkshire and Reading of Battle Manor, Reading, Berkshire*Francis Knollys son of above - MP...
assured members that he was “neither detained or abused”. Nevertheless, the members found it unacceptable that an MP should be prevented from attending except by order of the House itself, and most of the day’s proceedings were occupied by a hostile debate when moderate members as well as Strickland’s Puritan allies demanded that he should be sent for and heard at the bar of the house. The privy counsellors “whispered together”, and the following day Strickland re-appeared triumphantly and, as the D’Ewes journal records, the other members “did, in witness of their joy for the restoration of one of their … members … nominate him [to a] committee”.
Strickland was not re-elected immediately following the dissolution of the parliament in 1572, but was returned once more as MP for Scarborough in 1584.
There is some disagreement between historians of the period as to whether Strickland should be considered the prime mover in the controversy he caused, or merely a spokesman of the Puritan faction following a course of action directed by its ringleaders. Strickland was one of 46 MPs who were lampooned by an opponent for speaking together on a motion in 1566, and who J E Neale referred to as "Norton's Choir", after Thomas Norton
Thomas Norton
Thomas Norton was an English lawyer, politician, writer of verse — but not, as has been claimed, the chief interrogator of Queen Elizabeth I.-Official career:...
who he considered the moving spirit of the group. Neale admits that Strickland was "the hero of this new Parliament [that of 1571]", but says of his most important speeches that "to assume that [they] sprung from Strickland's mind alone would be childish". More recent historians, however, Geoffrey Elton
Geoffrey Rudolph Elton
Sir Geoffrey Rudolph Elton was a German-born British historian, who specialized in the Tudor period.- Upbringing :...
and Conrad Russell
Conrad Russell, 5th Earl Russell
Conrad Sebastian Robert Russell, 5th Earl Russell was a British historian and politician. His parents were the philosopher and mathematician Bertrand Russell and Patricia Russell...
, reject the "Norton's Choir" theory.
Descendants
Strickland married Elizabeth Strickland, daughter of Sir Walter Strickland of Sizergh, and they had five children of whom the oldest, Walter, was William’s heir. Walter’s first son WilliamSir 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 born shortly before his grandfather’s death and was named after him; he also became a Member of Parliament, and was created a baronet (of Boynton) in 1641.