Early In January 1642, King Charles I ordered the Attorney-General to indict for treason the five members of the House of Commons and one member of the House of Lords who were most prominent in Parliament's attempt to transfer control of the armed forces away from the Crown. The King believed that these members had encouraged the Scots to invade England in the recent Bishops' Wars and that they were intent on stirring up riots and tumults against him in London. Rumours that they were also planning to impeach the Queen for alleged involvement in Catholic plots was the final straw.
On 3 January, a herald was sent to the House of Commons to order that the Five Members be handed over to answer the charges against them. The House refused to comply with the King's command because it was an infringement of Parliamentary privelege. On hearing this, Henrietta Maria is said to have demanded that the King take action against Parliament. On the afternoon of 4 January 1642, Charles marched to Westminster at the a head of a body of soldiers and retainers, intending to arrest the Five Members in person. Leaving the soldiers at the door, he entered the Chamber of the House of Commons and occupied the Speaker's chair. This intrusion was the first time that a Monarch had entered the Chamber; it was another major breach of privelege.
Warned of the King's approach by the Earl of Essex, the Five Members had already escaped and gone into hiding in London. Asked by the King whether he saw any of them present or knew where they were, the Speaker of the House, William Lenthall, famously replied, ".. I have neither eyes to see nor tongue to speak in this place but as this House is pleased to direct me." Realising that his "birds were flown", King Charles was obliged to leave the House empty-handed to angry cries of "Privilege, Privilege."
The Five Members were: John Pym, John Hampden, Denzil Holles, Sir Arthur Haselrig and William Strode. Lord Mandeville (the future Earl of Manchester) was also to be arrested.
The King's breach of Parliamentary privilege did great political damage to his cause. The House of Commons presented it as an armed assault on Parliament itself, and the King's reputation never recovered. Amid uproar and wild rumours of civil war, the London Trained Bands were mobilised in support of Parliament. The situation became so volatile that the King and Royal Family were obliged to leave London for Hampton Court on 10th January. The Five Members made a triumphal return to Westminster the following day.