Editing John Pym (section)

===Road to war; 1641 to 1643===
Shortly after the [[Long Parliament]] assembled, it was presented with the [[Root and Branch petition]]; signed by 15,000 Londoners, it demanded England follow the Scots, and expel bishops.{{sfn|Rees|2016|p=2}} This reflected widespread concerns about 'Catholic practices', or [[Arminianism in the Church of England]], given weight by Charles' apparent willingness to make war on the Protestant Scots, but not assist his nephew [[Charles I Louis, Elector Palatine|Charles Louis]] regain his [[Electoral Palatinate|hereditary lands]].{{efn|A perspective summarised by Pym's stepbrother Francis in 1641; "For Arminianism is the span of a Papist, and if you mark it well, you shall see an Arminian reaching to a Papist, a Papist to a Jesuit, a Jesuit to the Pope, and the other to the King of Spain. And having kindled fire in our neighbours, they now seek to set on flame this kingdom also."}} Many feared Charles was about to sign an alliance with Spain, a view shared by experienced diplomatic observers like [[Republic of Venice|Venice]], and even France.{{sfn|Wedgwood|1955|p=248}}

[[File:Wenceslas Hollar - Trial of Strafford (State 2) cropped.jpg|left|thumb|upright=0.8|The trial of [[Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford|the Earl of Strafford]], March 1641]]

This meant ending Charles' arbitrary rule was not only important for England, but the Protestant cause in general. Since respect for the institution of monarchy prevented direct attacks on Charles, the traditional route was to prosecute his 'evil counsellors.' Doing so made it clear that although the king was above the law, his subordinates were not, and he could not protect them; the intention was to make others think twice about their actions. Archbishop [[William Laud]] was impeached in December 1640 and held in the [[Tower of London]] until his execution in 1645; [[Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford|Strafford]], former [[Lord Deputy of Ireland]] and organiser of the 1640 Bishops War, was [[Attainder|attainted]] and executed in May 1641.{{sfn|Ferris|Hunneyball|2010}}

The Commons also passed a series of constitutional reforms, including the [[Triennial Acts]], abolition of the [[Star Chamber]], and an end to levying taxes without Parliament's consent. Voting as a block, the bishops ensured all these were rejected by the Lords.{{sfn|Rees|2016|pp=7–8}} In June 1641, Pym secured passage of the Clergy Act in the Commons; one of its key provisions was to remove bishops from the Lords, which therefore rejected it. The growing political tension was brought to head in October with the outbreak of the [[Irish Rebellion of 1641|Irish Rebellion]]. both Charles and Parliament supported raising troops to suppress it, but neither trusted the other with their control, fearing any army would be used against them first.{{sfn|Hutton|2003|p=4}}

Pym helped draft the [[Grand Remonstrance]], presented to Charles on 1 December 1641; unrest culminated in 23 to 29 December with widespread riots in [[Westminster]], led by the London apprentices. Suggestions Pym and other Parliamentary leaders helped organise these have not been proved, but as a result, bishops stopped attending the Lords.{{sfn|Smith|1979|pp=315–317}} On 30 December, [[John Williams (archbishop of York)|John Williams]], [[Archbishop of York]] and eleven other bishops, signed a complaint, disputing the legality of any laws passed by the Lords during their exclusion. Viewed by the Commons as inviting Charles to dissolve Parliament, all twelve were imprisoned for treason.{{sfn|Rees|2016|pp=9–10}}

[[File:Attempted Arrest of the Five members by Charles West Cope.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.0|Victorian re-imagining of the arrest the [[Five Members]], January 1642]]

In response to the growing unrest, on 4 January Charles made an unsuccessful attempt to arrest the [[Five Members]], one of whom was Pym. Having failed to do so, he left London accompanied by many [[Cavaliers|Royalist]] MPs and his supporters in the Lords, a major tactical mistake as it gave the opposition majorities in both houses.{{sfn|Manganiello|2004|p=60}} When the [[First English Civil War]] began in August, Pym headed the [[English Committee of Safety|Committee of Safety]]; his reputation for integrity and ability to keep a diverse coalition of interests together was crucial to surviving the first 18 months of the conflict.{{sfn|MacDonald|1969|p=37}}

By early August 1643, a series of Royalist victories combined with the death of the popular [[John Hampden]] in [[Battle of Chalgrove Field|June]] meant the Parliamentarian cause seemed close to collapse. At this crucial point, it was saved by Pym's leadership and determination, which led to a renewed commitment to win the war.{{sfn|Johnson|2012|pp=172-174}} He created the foundations of victory by ensuring Parliament had sufficient financial and military resources, one of his last acts being to negotiate the [[Solemn League and Covenant]] that secured Scottish support.{{sfn|Russell|2009}} Amidst the escalating tensions, one particular step Pym took played a major role in consolidating Parliament's authority. He orchestrated the expulsion of [[Henry Marten (regicide)|Henry Marten]], a fellow Parliamentarian known for his radical views and outspoken criticism of the monarchy. Marten had publicly advocated for the deposition of King Charles I, a stance deemed too extreme by many in Parliament. Pym seized upon this opportunity to remove Marten, demonstrating his commitment to maintaining a more moderate and unified Parliamentarian front.  Historian [[David Como]] believes this maneuver underscores Pym's political acumen and his influence within Parliament during this critical period.{{sfn|Como|2018|p=177}}

He died, probably of cancer, at Derby House on 8 December 1643; Parliament agreed to pay off the debts he incurred as a result of neglecting his private business interests, although they were still being disputed in 1665.{{sfn|Royle|2004|p=278}} Buried in [[Westminster Abbey]], his remains were exhumed after the [[Stuart Restoration]] in 1660 and re-buried in a common pit at [[St Margaret's, Westminster]].{{sfn|Stanley|1882|pp=204-205}}

His chief opponent, the [[Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon|Earl of Clarendon]], a senior advisor to Charles during the [[First English Civil War]], later wrote; 'he had a very comely and grave way of expressing himself...and understood the temper and affections of the kingdom as well as any man'.{{sfn|Clarendon|1704|pp=321–322}} Pym's reputation suffered in comparison to less complex figures like Hampden and [[Lucius Cary, 2nd Viscount Falkland|Viscount Falkland]], especially during the [[Victorian era]] which romanticised the Royalist cause. One exception was the historian [[Goldwin Smith]], who described him as "the greatest member of Parliament that ever lived".{{sfn|MacDonald|1969|p=38}} He is now generally viewed as an astute politician who laid the foundations of modern Parliamentary democracy and effective speaker, whose ideas and language were adapted by [[Patriot (American Revolution)|Patriots during the American Revolution]] and [[Liberalism in the United States|19th century American liberals]].{{sfn|Kuypers|Althouse|2009|pp=225-245}}