17th Century England

Lesson 5: 1641 - The First Half

Shifting Balance of Power

While Strafford's trial was collapsing, the English army, left unpaid in the North, was at the point of mutiny. The £10,000 assigned to them was diverted to the Scots by Parliament and some of the King's supporters in the army hatched a plot.

It was planned that the army would march to London to secure the Tower, while they used the friendly Governor of Plymouth to receive foreign aid. Both Charles and Queen Henrietta were aware of the plot, but Charles later abandoned it saying, "All these ways are vain and foolish and I will think of them no more!"

The disgruntled Governor of Plymouth then went to the House of Lords and told them everything, which Pym seized on and portrayed as the King's duplicity.

On April 13th, Strafford came again to Westminster to give his final evidence, even though the Bill of Attainder had already been read in Parliament. Strafford was again clear, eloquent and he tore down each charge and highlighted that the current Parliament was more arbitrary than they had ever been.

Outside, Parliament posted the list of names of those who had voted against Strafford's Bill of Attainder and Charles wrote to Strafford that he would not let him suffer in Life, Honour or Fortune. Charles then told Parliament that he would not disband the Irish army while the English and Scottish aremies remained standing.

Trade had virtually stopped in the city and people wondered who was the authority in the land and who was the law, for none was being employed. Charles tried twice to release Strafford through abetting his escape, but failed, and the city was in high tension as it waited for the House of Lords to vote on the attainder.

Charles said to the Lords that he would never employ Strafford again if they voted it down and then went on to say that he would never pass the bill anyway. The Lords were sympathetic to the idea of protecting one of their own peers, but hearing that the King would not pass it anyway, it made them think that even if they voted it through, Strafford would not die. Accordingly, it passed in the Lords 26 votes to 19 - an amazingly small number of Lords voting out of a house of over 120.

Crowds now surged towards the Palace of Whitehall, shouting and jeering. They marched around the Queen's apartments and threatened anyone they saw. They were seething for Strafford's head. Pym chose to inflame them further by announcing details of the plot to bring the English army to London, which the Governor of Plymouth had told him of earlier.

Charles was left with a deadly decision - assent to Strafford's murder or see his people go wild and become an even more lawless society. Pym also sent rumours flying around that he would impeach the Queen if Strafford did not die.

Charles hesitated for 2 days, holding Strafford's letter - in which Strafford had released Charles of his promise to maintain his life, honour and fortune.

On 9th May, Charles signed the order out of concern for his wife and family's safety as much as for settling the populace. 100,000 people watched Strafford die, which he did bravely and with much dignity.

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