Remember, remember, the 5th of November,
Gunpowder, treason, and plot.
I see no reason
Why gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot.
Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes,
'twas his intent
To blow up the King and
the Parliament
Three score barrels of
powder below
Poor old England to overthrown
By God's providence he was catch'd
With a dark lantern and burning match
Holler boys, holler boys, let the bells ring
Holler boys, holler boys
God save the King!
Growing up, I have very fond memories of Bonfire Night. The sounds and smells of bonfires and fireworks are unforgettable. My friends and I would go to the local shops with our Guy, which was a makeshift effigy of Guy Fawkes. This usually consisted of an old jumper stuffed with hay and a Halloween mask for its face. I remember learning the basic history of the Gunpowder Plot at school; however, it wasn't until I got older that I took a real interest in and explored this fascinating and significant part of England's history.
The Gunpowder Plot of 1605 was an attempt to assassinate King James I of England and VI of Scotland, along with other important members of the English government. This plot was led by a group of English Catholics, spearheaded by Robert Catesby. The date of November 5th was chosen because it was when the State Opening of Parliament was scheduled to take place, the only time of year when the House of Commons, the House of Lords, and the King would all be in the same place at the same time.
The first meeting to discuss the plot was held at the Duck and Drake Inn, located just off the Strand in central London. Present at that initial meeting were Robert Catesby, Thomas Winter, Thomas Percy, John Wright, and Guy Fawkes. Many others would join the plot at a later date.
The Gunpowder Plot Conspirators, 1605, by unknown artist.
The plotters plan was to dig a tunnel directly underneath the House of Lords and place 36 barrels of Gunpowder from a house very close by. The plan had to be put on hold for a while as the house that they were going to use was commandeered for official government use. Eventually, the house would come back into the plotters possession and work could begin. The plotters started their digging under the cover of night to avoid detection. One night as they were digging, they heard a lot of noise above them, which was concerning for the plotters, but this would turn out to be a stroke of good fortune. They discovered that above them was a cellar that was located directly underneath the House of Lords. After having found this out the plotters realized that they no longer needed to dig a tunnel and could rent one of the rooms in the cellar instead, so that's exactly what they did.
Picture of the cellar underneath the House of Lords.
The plotters shifted their focus to the risky task of moving the gunpowder, which was stored across the River Thames in Thomas Catesby's home. Under the cover of night, they transported the gunpowder to a room in the cellar. To conceal it, they covered the gunpowder with piles of firewood and filled the room with furniture so that anyone who happened to look in would see only a storage room.
Just ten days before the plot was set to take place, a Catholic member of the House of Lords, Lord Monteagle, received an anonymous letter warning him not to attend the State Opening of Parliament on November 5th, as something dangerous was planned. Concerned about potential implications for himself, he handed the letter over to the authorities.
The letter ultimately reached the King, who ordered an immediate search of the House of Lords and the surrounding buildings.
Monteagle Letter.
On the afternoon of November 4th, three advisers to the king began searching a cellar and discovered a man named John Johnson (better known as Guy Fawkes) in a room filled with firewood and furniture. When questioned about his presence, Fawkes claimed he was a servant of a man named Thomas Percy and that his master had rented the room to store provisions. The advisers found his story plausible and, believing it to be true, chose not to search the room further before leaving.
However, as time passed, the advisers began to doubt Fawkes's account. They reported their encounter with the suspicious man to one of their superiors, who then informed the king.
Early on the morning of November 5th, the king ordered guards to be sent to the cellar to arrest the man the advisers had encountered the day before. Hearing noises outside his room, Guy Fawkes opened the door to investigate and was met by a guard shining a lantern in his face.
Painting by Henry Perronet Briggs: The Discovery of the Gunpowder Plot and the Taking of Guy Fawkes.
A violent struggle occurred between the guards and Guy Fawkes, during which Fawkes was captured. The room was searched, and it didn't take long for the guards to discover the thirty-six barrels of gunpowder. Guy Fawkes was subsequently arrested and taken to the Tower of London for interrogation.
Picture of the White Tower (Tower of London ) photo credit Mark Wheatcroft.
Guy Fawkes was interrogated for over a day but refused to reveal the identities of the other conspirators. Consequently, he was transferred to the torture chamber. After enduring two days of torture, Fawkes still would not divulge the names, so the methods were escalated. He was subjected to a torture device known as the rack for 24 hours, yet he remained steadfast and refused to reveal the names of the plotters.
Picture of the torture device known as the rack.
His torturer described Fawkes as having a "most stubborn and perverse humor, as dogged as if he were possessed," but eventually, Fawkes could endure no more torture and revealed every name.
Guy Fawkes Signature before and after the torture.
At the same time that Guy Fawkes was being tortured, the other plotters were being hunted—not for their involvement in the plot, but for another reason. Thomas Catesby and some of the other conspirators had already travelled to the Midlands before November 5th to rally support for a Catholic uprising that would occur once the king and the Houses of Parliament had been blown up. However, the plotters made a significant mistake by stealing horses from Warwick Castle. The Sheriff of Warwick was informed about the horse theft, so he gathered 200 men to begin the hunt for the plotters.
To get out of the rain, the plotters ended up taking refuge in a manor house (Holbeche House), which is located one mile from the town of Kingswinford. Things started to go wrong very quickly at this point; whilst stupidly trying to dry damp gunpowder by an open fire, it exploded, injuring some of the plotters. Time was running out for Catesby and the plotters as the Sheriff of Warwick was closing in. With some of his men too injured to flee, Catesby decided to stay in the manor house.
The Sheriff and his 200 men tracked the plotters down to Holbeche House. However, Catesby refused to surrender and shouted, "I won't be taken alive." In response, the Sheriff ordered his men to open fire on the manor house. Catesby and fellow plotter Thomas Percy were hit by a single shot. While Catesby died instantly, Percy survived for a few days afterwards. John and Christopher Wright were killed during the siege, and the other plotters were wounded and taken into custody.
Painting The Gunpowder Plot; the Conspirators Last Stand at Holbeche
by Ernest Crofts.
A trial of the surviving plotters took place and they were all found guilty of treason. At the end of January 1606 Guy Fawkes and the other remaining plotters were given a traitor death by being hung, drawn and quartered just outside the very building they had tried to blow up the (Houses of Parliament)
The execution of Guy Fawkes' (Guy Fawkes), by Claes (Nicolaes) Jansz Visscher.
On the night of November 5th, news broke of the failed gunpowder plot, prompting Londoners to take to the streets and spontaneously light bonfires in celebration. In 1606, Parliament enacted legislation requiring that every English parish church hold a sermon on November 5th, commemorating God's deliverance of the English people and the discovery of the gunpowder plot. In addition to these sermons, most English towns and cities would hold civic celebrations.
Local parish churches provided funding for firewood and refreshments. In the mid-17th century, fireworks became part of the celebration, and by the 19th century, large communal bonfires started to emerge. It was during this time that Guy Fawkes became recognized as the central figure of the gunpowder plot and began to be burned in effigy.
In modern times, people continue to host or attend fireworks displays and bonfires. In Sussex, there is a Bonfire Society known as The Sussex Bonfire Society, and one of the largest bonfire celebrations occurs annually in the town of Lewes, East Sussex. It is remarkable that, after 417 years, people still gather every year to celebrate Bonfire Night.
If you are interested in a more detailed examination of the Gunpowder Plot, consider listening to the American Civil War & UK History Podcast featuring Professor James Sharpe from York University.
Youtube video.
Podcast.
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