STRANGWAYS, John (1636-76), of Milborne Port, Som. and Melbury Sampford, Dorset.

Strangways’s uncle, Sir Lewis Dyve, sat for Bridport in 1625-6, and his father represented the borough in the Long Parliament. He was returned on the family interest in 1661, and included by Lord Wharton among his friends, to be managed by Sir Richard Onslow. An inactive Member, he was appointed as ‘Mr Strangways’ to 32 committees in the Cavalier Parliament, including that for the conventicles bill in 1664. Sir Thomas Osborne included him among the Members to be engaged for the Court by Buckingham in 1669. He served on the committee to consider the bill for the appropriation of the customs to the use of the navy in the spring session of 1675. He was sent the government whip in the autumn, though Sir Richard Wiseman was doubtful of his support, perhaps because his first marriage had brought him under the influence of his brother-in-law, (Sir) Henry Capel. Strangways died on 6 Apr. 1676, four months after his first wife’s death and less than a month after his second marriage. He seems to have had a penchant for the daughters of martyred Cavaliers, and certainly bestowed an ample jointure on his second bride. The bulk of his estate, valued at £5,000 p.a., was inherited by his next brother Thomas Strangways, with lands valued at £500 p.a. going to Wadham Strangways.3HMC 7th Rep. 467; Dorset RO, D124 (family).