Page:The Complete Peerage Ed 2 Vol 4.djvu/656

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638 APPENDIX G at Sandbach afsd.; admitted Gray's Inn 13 June 1631; called to the Bar 23 June 1637; Attorney Gen. 10 Jan. 1648/9; Serjeant-at-law 25 Jan. i653/4;andChief Baron of the Exchequer 28 May 1655. Commissioner of Martial Law, for London and Westminster, 16 Aug. 1644, and 3 Apr. 1646; Recorder of London 25 Aug. 1649, and M.P. for the City 14 June 1654. He was one of the four Counsel app. on behalf of the Commonwealth at the King's trial, but was unable to act through illness; member of the Committee on Law Reform 17 Jan. 165 1/2; member of Irish Council 27 Aug. 1654; Lord Chancellor of Ireland 26 Aug. i6^6,{') and again 16 Oct. 1658; one of the five Commissioners app. to govern Ireland 7 June 1659. He was sum. to the "Other House," 10 Dec. 1657, but never took his seat.C") He was nom. a member of the Committee of Safety, representing the " Wallingford House" party, 26 Oct. 1659, but declined to act. At the Restoration he was not excluded from the Act of Indemnity, but retired for a time to Holland, returning later to England. He m., istly, 15 Mar. 1637/8, at Elmstead, Elizabeth, ist da. of Richard Godfrey, of Wye, Kent, M.P. for New Romney, by Mary, da. of John MoYLE, of Buckwell. He ;«., 2ndly, Mary, widow of Michael Harvey, da. of ( — ) Mellish,('=) who surv. him and was executrix of his will. He d. in Sep. or Oct. 1680, at his house in Hatton Garden, Midx.C^) Will dat. 17 Sep., pr. 19 Oct. i68o.(') STRICKLAND [40] William Strickland,Q s. and h. of Walter S., of Boynton, CO. York, by Frances, da. of Peter Wentworth,(^) of Lillingstone Lovell, (*) Henry Cromwell writes to Thurloe, 23 June 1658: "My Lord Chancellor at his coming over made large professions, how officious and serviceable he would be to me. I suppose he meant not as a subject, but as a guardian to a minor. . . . Indeed all his actions have tended to make that good which was boasted by his nearest relations even before his coming over — That he was to rule the roast here." (**) When the House was called over, 2 Feb. 1657/8, he was entered as absent " by reason of his service there," i.e. as Chancellor of Ireland. {House of Lords MSS.). (') She is mentioned in the will of her brother, Henry Mellish, of Sanderstead, Surrey, dat. 21 Feb. 1676/7, pr. 17 July 1677. (P.C.C, 28 Ha/e). C) In a pedigree of this family, compiled by R. S. Boddington, he is said to have been " buried in St. Werburgh's Churchyard, Dublin." {Misc. Gen. et Her., N.S., vol. ii, p. 37). But this is probably not correct. See Aitken's Life of Richard Steele, vol. ii, p. 351, note 5. (*) In his will he is described as " William Steele of Grays inne now liveing in Hatton garden co. Midx." (P.C.C, 134 Bath). He leaves ^^50 "to the poorc of Sandbacke in Cheshire." (') He bore for arms: Gules a cheveron Gold between three crosses paty Silver, on a quarter Ermine a stag's head razed Sable attired Gold. " Insignia concessa Willielmo Strickland de Boynton super le Wold, per Willielmum Harvey, regem armorum, per literas patentes dat anno 4 Ed. sexti, 1 5 die Aprilis." (Foster's Visita- tions of I'orhhire, p. 166). The grantee was the grandfather of Sir William Strickland. (s) By his 2nd wife, Elizabeth, sister of Sir Francis Walsingham, Secretary of