Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 55.djvu/54

 and there erroneously described as that of Bishop Blith, is in all probability the monument of Bishop Stretton. It was standing in Dugdale's time, but has long since been destroyed. Stretton's will, dated 19 March 1384–5, and proved on 10 April 1385, is preserved at Lambeth Palace (Reg. Courtenay, f. 211 a).

[Robert de Stretton, bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, 1360–85, in the Associated Architectural Society's Reports and Papers, xix. 198–208; Nichols's Leicestershire, vol. ii. passim; Shaw's Staffordshire, i. 247, 269, sq.; S.P.C.K. Diocesan History of Lichfield, pp. 155–7; Moberly's William of Wykeham, pp. 40–2; Godwin, de Præsulibus, pp. 262, 321; Wharton's Anglia Sacra, i. 44 and 449; Hook's Lives of the Archbishops, i. 448–9; Dugdale's Warwickshire, i. 41; Le Neve's Fasti, i. 550–1, 620; Cal. Papal Registers and Cal. Pat. Rolls, 1377–81.] 

STRICKLAND, AGNES (1796–1874), historian, second surviving daughter of Thomas Strickland of Reydon Hall, near Southwold, Suffolk, and of his second wife, Elizabeth Homer, was born in London on 19 Aug. 1796. There were nine children of the marriage. Five of them besides Agnes distinguished themselves (though in a less degree) by their literary talent. These were Elizabeth (1794–1875), Jane Margaret (1800–1888), Samuel (1809–1867) [see below], Mrs. Susanna Moodie (1803–1885) [see ], and Mrs. Catherine Parr Traill (b. 1802), who survived them all. The father, Thomas Strickland, was descended from a family of yeomen settled in the Furness district of North Lancashire. The connection, if any, with the Stricklands of Sizergh, to which Miss Strickland constantly referred, is remote, and is unsupported by documentary evidence (Davy's ‘Suffolk Pedigrees,’ Addit. MS. 19150). Thomas Strickland was in the employment of Messrs. Hallett & Wells, shipowners, and became manager of the Greenland docks. He resided first at the Laurels, Thorpe, near Norwich, then at Stowe House, near Bungay, and finally, in 1808, bought Reydon Hall, Suffolk. He also possessed a house at Norwich, where in later life he lived during the winter. He took entire charge of the education of his elder daughters, Elizabeth and Agnes, and they early showed a taste for the study of history. He died of gout at Norwich on 18 May 1818, the disease being aggravated by anxiety consequent on the loss of the larger part of his fortune. He was buried at Lakenham.

The pecuniary situation of the family made it desirable that the sisters, who had already commenced to write, should regard their literary talents as a part of their means of livelihood. Agnes's first publication was ‘Monody upon the Death of the Princess Charlotte of Wales,’ which appeared anonymously in the ‘Norwich Mercury’ in 1817. In 1827 she published by subscription ‘Worcester Field, or the Cavalier,’ a metrical romance, written long before. ‘The Seven Ages of Woman, and other Poems,’ followed in the same year (another edition in 1847). About 1827, too, she paid a first visit to London and stayed with a cousin, in whose house she met Campbell and Sir Walter Scott. With her cousin she studied Italian, and she sent some translations of Petrarch's sonnets to the ‘New Monthly Magazine.’ She now turned her attention to prose, and, in conjunction with her sister Elizabeth, wrote several books for children. The most important were: ‘Historical Tales of Illustrious British Children’ (1833; there were other editions in 1847 and 1858); ‘Tales and Stories from History’ (2 vols. 1836; the eighth edition appeared in 1860, and the latest in 1870). In addition Agnes contributed to the annuals; published at her own expense in 1833 ‘Demetrius,’ a poem inspired by sympathy with the Greeks; and in 1835 a series of tales in two volumes entitled ‘The Pilgrims of Walsingham.’

At this time Elizabeth was editing the ‘Court Magazine,’ and had written for it some biographies of female sovereigns. It occurred to Agnes that historical biographies of the queens of England might prove useful. The two sisters planned a book together, under the title of ‘Memoirs of the Queens of England from the Norman Conquest,’ and obtained permission from the young queen, who had just ascended the throne, to dedicate it to her. But before the first volume was published the title was appropriated by another author, Miss Hannah Lawrance (1795–1895), whose ‘Historical Memoirs of the Queens of England’ appeared in 1839. The Stricklands then changed their title to ‘Lives of the Queens of England,’ and the first and second volumes duly appeared in 1840. Agnes's name was alone given as author on the title-page, Elizabeth having an invincible objection to publicity. Owing to an unbusiness-like agreement with Henry Colburn [q. v.], the publisher, the authors gained little remuneration, although the book sold well. Agnes fell ill, and wished to stop the work. But Colburn insisted on its completion, and finally agreed to pay the joint authors 150l. a volume. As the prosecution of the work necessitated frequent visits to London, Elizabeth leased a cottage at Bayswater. There Agnes resided when in town.