The Army Plots of 1641: A Royal Scheme Unraveled

In the tumultuous year of 1641, England teetered on the brink of civil war. Allegations of conspiracy swirled around King Charles I and his supporters, who faced a determined Parliamentary opposition. At the heart of this political tempest were the infamous Army Plots—a pair of alleged attempts to leverage military might in favor of the embattled king. These plots were said to involve plans to move the army from York to London to suppress Parliamentary resistance, seek French military aid, and establish Royalist strongholds by seizing and fortifying towns.

Rumblings of Rebellion

The plots came to light at a crucial moment, allowing John Pym and other opposition leaders to strengthen their position by imprisoning or exiling many of the king's supporters, including his wife, Henrietta Maria. Historian Conrad Russell noted the ambiguity surrounding these plots, remarking that the details of "who plotted with whom to do what" remain elusive. Despite this uncertainty, it was evident that real efforts were underway to negotiate the movement of troops to London.

The First Army Plot

Between March and May of 1641, the so-called "First Army Plot" unfolded amidst the chaos following the defeat in the Bishops' Wars and the prosecution of William Laud and Strafford by Parliament. Charles I, never one to yield easily, sought to regain lost ground. Encouraged by the defection of Covenanters like Montrose, he aimed to sever the alliance between the Scots and his Parliamentary adversaries. This effort faltered when the Scots demanded the execution of Strafford and the removal of bishops from the Church of England in late February, a stance Parliament refused to condemn.

Amidst this political discord, discontent simmered among English troops, exacerbated when Parliament diverted funds intended for their wages to the Scots. Angered, the officers—who often fronted expenses and awaited reimbursement—drafted a letter of grievances. James Chudleigh, a captain in the Earl of Northumberland's regiment, delivered this letter to London, sharing it with poet William Davenant, John Suckling, and Henry Jermyn.

George Goring then proposed an audacious plan: march the army from York southwards to threaten Parliament while he captured Portsmouth as a landing site for external aid. Meanwhile, Suckling and Jermyn harbored hopes of seizing the Tower of London. This plan also included freeing Strafford, who was imprisoned there. Henry Percy, independently, considered petitioning Parliament for army funds.

In a clandestine meeting with the king and queen, Percy and Goring discussed the proposal to march south. Rumors circulated of the king assuming army command and potential French troop support. However, the troops balked at the proposal, leading to its abandonment. Goring confided in Mountjoy Blount, 1st Earl of Newport, who relayed the information to John Pym in April. Despite Davenant and Suckling's continued plans to seize the Tower, Parliament quickly learned of the situation and secured the Tower with soldiers loyal to their cause.

The ensuing investigation spotlighted claims of the king and queen seeking French military support, with accusations that the queen diverted personal funds to fortify Portsmouth under Goring's command. Evidence also surfaced of the king amassing funds to win military loyalty. As the plot unraveled, Percy attempted to flee to France but was assaulted in Sussex, forcing him into hiding. He penned a letter to his brother detailing the events, which Parliament later used as evidence of the plot's reality. After his capture, Percy's attempts to shift blame only spurred Royalist condemnation for betraying the king. Goring, distancing himself from Davenant and Suckling's plans, retained Portsmouth after submitting to Parliament. Meanwhile, Davenant, Jermyn, and Suckling fled to France, where Suckling died shortly thereafter, likely by suicide. The plot's failure contributed to Strafford's execution and alienated moderate Royalists from the king.

The Second Army Plot

Just months later, whispers of a second plot emerged. In May, Charles dispatched Daniel O'Neill to negotiate with army leaders about moving their forces south to "protect" the king and moderate parliamentarians. O'Neill aimed to ensure Scottish neutrality, as Scotland, like Ireland, was a separate entity under Charles' rule. Pym rallied support to alert local militias against this proposed move, which, like before, failed to gain army commander backing.

William Legge, questioned after the first plot, now directly engaged in the second. Alongside two other MPs, Henry Wilmot, 1st Earl of Rochester, faced expulsion from the Long Parliament in December 1641 for alleged involvement, leading to his arrest. O'Neill fled to France but returned only to be arrested and imprisoned. Percy, expelled from the House of Commons in December, also fled to France.

The Consequences

The Army Plots only deepened the chasm between the king and Parliament, fortifying the Parliamentary cause by revealing the extent of royal support among army leaders. Pym capitalized on the situation, setting conditions for militias and pro-Parliament factions to defend towns potentially threatened by Royalists. Royalist leaders found themselves either in exile or stripped of power, further consolidating Parliamentary strength.

The events signaled the futility of the king's reliance on force to impose his will. His attempt to arrest leading Parliamentarians without military backing in January 1642 failed miserably, prompting his flight from London to strongholds in the Midlands. The queen also left the country. When Charles declared his intent to fight, Goring, still controlling Portsmouth, immediately pledged allegiance to the king. Jermyn and Davenant returned to join him, and O'Neill, escaping prison disguised as a woman, also joined the Royalists. Percy and Wilmot aligned with the Royalists but eventually fell out of favor for advocating negotiations with Parliament.

Sources

• Wikipedia: Army Plots (1641)