John Pym  1583-1643
1583 Born at Brymore, Somerset. His father Alexander Brymore died when John was young, and his mother married Sir Anthony Rous.

He studied at Broadgates Hall (Pembroke), Oxford but never took a degree and at the Middle Temple, but never was called to the bar.

 Portrait of John Pym
1621 He entered Parliament in 1621 and soon became one of the main speakers in the House of Commons.
1626 He helped to organise the impeachment of George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham.
1628 Pym was instrumental in the Petition of Right, and vigorously opposed the tonnage and poundage scheme...and found himself with no parliament to be a part of...Charles had dismissed it.
1630 He was a sound financier and became treasurer of the Providence Island Company which sought trade with Spanish America.
1640 The Short Parliament met in April. Pym was leader of the House of Commons and made long speeches detailing grievances against the King and ...Charles got upset... so on May 5th parliament was dissolved yet again.

August - A Scottish army crossed the border into England...Pym helped draft a petition by 12 peers demanding a Parliament.

November - The Long Parliament met and Pym was again prominent in his insistence that the government of the country should be through Parliament. He participated in the impeachment of Strafford.
1641 He helped prepare the Grand Remonstrance and Pym's artful speaking and debating skills ensured it was passed on November 22nd.
1642 Pym was one of the five members of Parliament whom Charles came in person to Westminster to arrest...but they were tipped off and escaped.
When war broke out, he organised a number of tax reforms to support the Parliamentary war efforts, and arranged an alliance with the Scots based on English acceptance of the Solemn League and Covenant..
The network of parliamentary committees which were to run the country for the next 17 years was set up by Pym.
1643 Pym died of cancer on December 8th in London.