five members

Five prominent members of parliament who Charles I tried to have arrested 4 January 1642 for alleged treason. Charles tried to persuade the Lords to arrest the five – John Hampden, Sir Arthur Haselrig, Baron Holles, William Strode, and John Pym – on charges of treason for their negotiations with the Scots and a perceived threat to his Catholic queen, Henrietta Maria. When the Lords refused to comply, the king came to the Commons himself with 400 armed men but the members were forewarned and escaped by river to the City of London, where they were received as heroes rather than traitors. The whole affair increased the perception that Charles was not to be trusted and led to the exclusion of bishops from the House of Lords.