William Strode (poet)

William Strode (1600-1643) was an English poet. He was born in Devon, the only son of Philip Strode, and educated at Westminster School and Christ Church College, Oxford. Strode took holy orders and became a proctor of Oxford University. He began writing English and Latin verse at an early age; his first published work was a Latin poem in the collection "Annae Funebria Sacra" (1619). In 1628 he became chaplain to the Bishop of Oxford, Richard Corbet, until his death in 1635. In 1636, in his capacity as public orator of the university, Strode welcomed King Charles I to Oxford and on August 29 of the same year the king witnessed a performance of Strode's play "The Floating Island", specially written for the visit. Strode was an ardent royalist and made a speech supporting the king during the civil war in 1642. He married the daughter of Doctor Simpson, Prebendary of Canterbury. Although he was famous for his literary achievements during his lifetime, his poetical works remained uncollected until Bertram Dobell published an edition in 1907. His poems mostly consist of lyrics and elegies.

ources used

*"The Poetical Works of William Strode" edited by Bertram Dobell (1907)
*"The New Oxford Book of Seventeenth Century Verse" edited by Alastair Fowler (Oxford University Press 1991)