Pym

Pym, John (1584-1643), was born in Somersetshire and educated at Oxford. He entered Parliament in 1614, and very soon made his mark as one of the impeachers of Buckingham. He increased his reputation by his speeches during the debates on the Petition of Right, and as leader of the popular party moved the impeachment of Strafford, and was the chief manager of the trial. He also drew up the Grand Remonstrance. Pym was the chief of the five members whom Charles I. tried to impeach for treasonable correspondence with the Scots. After the failure of the attempt he became the most powerful man in the kingdom, and was called by the Royalists "King Pym." Although a Presbyterian, and a man of no extreme views, he retained his influence to the last, and just before his death was made Lieutenant-Gcneral of the Ordnance. He lived to bring about that alliance with the Scots which was to be the deciding factor in the Great Rebellion. Pym lies buried in Westminster Abbey.