Charles, on hearing rumors that Parliament intends to impeach his Catholic Queen, Henrietta Maria, decides to take drastic action that will not only end the diplomatic stalemate between himself and parliament, but signal the beginning of the civil war.

It is possibly Henrietta who persuades Charles to arrest the five members of the House of Commons who are perceived to be the most troublesome on charges of high treason.

Charles intends to carry out the arrests personally, but news of the warrant reaches Parliament ahead of him, and the wanted men, Pym, John Hampden, Denzil Holles, William Strode and Sir Arthur Haselrig have already slipped away by the time he arrives.

Charles enters the House of Commons with an armed force on January 4, 1642, but finds that his opponents have already escaped.

Having displaced the Speaker, William Lenthall, from his chair, the King asks him where the MPs had fled.

Lenthall famously replies, "May it please your Majesty, I have neither eyes to see nor tongue to speak in this place but as the House is pleased to direct me, whose servant I am here."

No monarch has entered the Commons chamber since without first seeking permission through the blackrod.

The botched arrest attempt is politically disastrous for Charles.

It causes acute embarrassment for the monarch and essentially triggers the total breakdown of government in England.

Afterwards, Charles can no longer feel safe in London and he begins traveling north to raise an army against Parliament; the Queen, at the same time, goes abroad to raise money to pay for it.

Charles now attempts to seize the port of Kingston-upon-Hull, where arms and equipment previously collected for the Bishops' Wars had been gathered.

The Parliamentarian garrison in the Siege of Hull defies the King's authority and drives his forces away from the city.

Parliament, in an attempt to lessen the conflict, had in July 1641 passed a bill requiring those over the age of eighteen to sign the Protestation, an oath of allegiance to King Charles I and the Church of England,had drawn up on May 3 of that year.

No one can hold a Church or state office without signing.

The speaker of the House of Commons had sent a letter to sheriffs of each county.

They and the Justices of the Peace had had to take the Protestation.

From there, each parish incumbent was to read the Protestation in church to his parishioners and have each one sign.

This had taken place during February and March 1642, after which the returns are sent to Parliament.

Those among the population who cannot write mark a cross against their names.

Those who do not wish to have their names used in support are also listed in the Protestation.

Charles had left London headed for the North of England on March 2, 1642, when it appeared to that no agreement with Parliament over the government of the Kingdom is possible.

Both Parliament and King realize that armed conflict is inevitable, and prepare to raise forces.

Parliament has enacted a Militia Ordinance, by which it claims authority over the country's trained bands, while from his temporary capital of York, Charles rejects Parliament's Nineteen Propositions and issues Commissions of Array, directing the Lord Lieutenant of each county to raise forces for the King.

Charles is forced into one concession after another.

Ship money, fines in destraint of knighthood and forced loans are declared unlawful, and the hated Courts of Star Chamber and High Commission are abolished.

Although he makes several important concessions, Charles improves his own military position by securing the favor of the Scots.

He finally agrees to the official establishment of Presbyterianism; in return, he is able to enlist considerable anti-parliamentary support.

The English Civil War has not yet started, but both sides have begun to arm.

The King moves south in early August to Lincoln and Leicester, where he secures the contents of the local armories.

He takes the decisive step on August 22 by raising the royal standard in Nottingham, effectively declaring war on Parliament.

The Midlands are generally Parliamentarian in sympathy, and few people rally to the king here, so having again secured the arms and equipment of the local trained bands, Charles moves to ...

...Chester and subsequently to ...

...Shrewsbury, where large numbers of recruits from Wales and the Welsh border are expected to join him. (There is by this point conflict in almost every part of England, as local commanders attempt to seize the main cities, ports and castles for both factions).

Charles now sets up his court at Oxford, when his government controls roughly the Midlands, Wales, the West Country and north of England.

Parliament remains in control of London and the south east as well as East Anglia.

Parliament, having learned of the King's actions in Nottingham, dispatches its own army northward under the Earl of Essex, to confront the King.

Essex marches first to Northampton, where he musters almost twenty thousand men.

Learning of the King's move westwards, ...