Army Plots (1641)

The exposure of the plots allowed John Pym and other opposition leaders to gain the upper hand by imprisoning or forcing into exile many of the king's supporters, including his wife Henrietta Maria.

Despite defeat in the Bishops' Wars, the recall of Parliament in November 1640 and its prosecution of William Laud and Strafford, as ever Charles sought to regain any ground lost to his opponents.

This ended in late February after the Scots published demands for the execution of Strafford and removal of bishops from the Church of England.

When Parliament refused to condemn the Scots, Charles realised he could not reach agreement with his critics on terms that he considered acceptable.

[2] His conclusion coincided with discontent among the English troops, which came to a head when Parliament diverted money intended for their wages to the Scots.

[4] George Goring proposed that the army at York march south to threaten Parliament, while he seized Portsmouth in order to provide a landing place for external assistance.

It was claimed that the queen had diverted her personal funds to the port of Portsmouth, of which Goring was in command, in order to turn it into a Royalist fortress.

In May, Charles sent Daniel O'Neill to negotiate with army leaders, suggesting that they might move their forces south to "protect" both the king and moderate parliamentarians.

[8] O'Neill also sought to ensure the Scots Covenanter government remained neutral; like Ireland, Scotland was then separate from England, although Charles was king in all three.

Along with two other M.P.s, Henry Wilmot, 1st Earl of Rochester was expelled from the Long Parliament in December 1641 for alleged complicity in the Second Army Plot and was placed under arrest.

When Charles made clear his intention to fight, Goring, still in control of Portsmouth, immediately declared in favour of the king.