The Treaty of London restored peace between Scotland and England and resolved many of the issues which had led to the Bishops' Wars but the new English parliament was strongly opposed to the king and his government.

In early 1642, a power struggle developed between the parliament and the king which escalated to the outbreak of the English Civil War.

Another grievance was that General Assemblies of the Kirk had voted to abolish the office of bishop, and Charles seemed determined to reinstate it.

Charles was desperately short of money, and summoned the Parliament of England in the hope that they would pass financial supply bills to solve his problem.

A week later, Scottish commissioners (John Smith of Grothill and Hugh Kennedy of Ayr) arrived in London to finalise a treaty.

Charles denounced the Scottish army as rebel invaders, but the commissioners were welcomed by the Puritans of London, and he withdrew his remarks.

The King was in a weak position: there was civil unrest in London, and Parliament had impeached his two chief ministers, the Earl of Strafford and Archbishop Laud (they were later to be executed).

They had denounced episcopacy (bishoprics) in the Church of England, and had spoken and written against Strafford and Laud; and, their hosts had told them that that was none of their business.