Five Members
MPs whom Charles I attempted to arrest in 1642
The Five Members were Members of Parliament whom King Charles I attempted to arrest on 4 January 1642. King Charles I entered the English House of Commons, accompanied by armed soldiers, during a sitting of the Long Parliament, although the Five Members were no longer in the House at the time. The Five Members were:
John Hampden (c. 1594–1643), member for Buckinghamshire
Arthur Haselrig (1601–1661), member for Leicestershire
Denzil Holles (1599–1680), member for Dorchester
John Pym (1584–1643), member for Tavistock
William Strode (1598–1645), member for Bere Alston
Charles' attempt to coerce Parliament by force failed, turned many against him, and was one of the events leading directly to the outbreak of civil war later in 1642.
Background
The relationship between the House of Commons and Charles I of England had become increasingly fraught during 1641. The king believed that Puritans, encouraged by five vociferous Members of the House of Commons – John Pym, John Hampden, Denzil Holles, Arthur Haselrig and William Strode, together with the peer Edward Montagu, Viscount Mandeville (the future Earl of Manchester) – had encouraged the Scots to invade England in the recent Bishops' Wars, and that they were intent on turning the people against him. When rumours reached the court that they were also planning to impeach the queen, Henrietta Maria of France, for alleged involvement in Catholic plots, Charles made accusations of treason against them in the House of Lords. The Commons met to consider the allegations on 3 January 1642, and held them to be a breach of the House's privilege.
The attempted arrest
Without agreement from the Commons, Charles faced difficulties in having the Five Members taken into custody. He had been considering decisive action for some time, but became hesitant. Both the queen and Lord Digby advised him to go down to the Commons with an armed guard, and to make the arrest in person.
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