Oxford Parliament

Charles was advised by Hyde and others not to dissolve Parliament as this would violate the statute of 1641 which says that Parliament cannot be dissolved without its own consent.

Dec 22
1643

Charles issued a proclamation summoning a parliamentary assembly to Oxford.

Jan 22
1644

There were over 150 MPs and more than 80 peers that took up their seats in Oxford - more than in Westminster.

It saw as its main business the negotiating of peace terms and the ultimate 'free and full convention' of a single parliament.

Apr 16

The first session was ended and adjourned until Oct 8th.

Mar 10
1645

Charles adjourned the Parliament for the last time. The hopes of the King and many Royalist moderates had been soured by the failure of peace negotiations.

Charles told his wife he had adjourned Parliament with considerable relief at being 'freed from the place of base and mutinous motions - that is to say, our mongrel Parliament here'.

Not much is known about the proceedings of the Oxford Parliament. Its records were burnt just before the surrender of Oxford to the parliamentary army in 1646.