A contemporary engraving of eight of the thirteen conspirators, by Crispijn van de Passe
On the night of 4th/5th November 1605, Guy Fawkes was caught with thirty-six barrels of gunpowder in the cellars beneath Westminster. The idea was to blow up the House of Lords at the opening of Parliament on the 5th November, and to assassinate King James I.
Although the plot happened in the Stuart period, in the reign of King James I, it actually had its origins in Elizabeth’s reign. Elizabeth had continued the work of Henry VIII, and Edward VI and made England a Protestant country. By the end of her reign, England was a dangerous place for Catholics, with the threat of persecution and even death hanging over them. As Elizabeth’s health deteriorated, the Catholics pinned their hopes on James VI of Scotland, who was married to a Catholic, and who was the son of the late Catholic queen, Mary, Queen of Scots. Although he himself was a Protestant, the Catholics felt sure that he would be sympathetic to their cause.
James VI of Scotland became James I of England in 1603, on Elizabeth’s death, and although his reign started well for the Catholics, with James limiting the restrictions on Catholics, things took a turn for the worse when, after opposition from Protestants, James reversed his policy less than a year after implementing it. The Catholics’ hopes were dashed and they felt betrayed. One party of young Catholics, headed by Robert Catesby, a popular and rebellious young man at court, decided to seek revenge through rebellion. They met in London in May 1604 and hatched a plan to blow up the Palace of Westminster on the opening session of Parliament, thus killing the King, the Royal family, members of Parliament (MPs), the Lords and the leading bishops. This would be the first step in their rebellion which sought to replace James I with his daughter, nine year-old Princess Elizabeth, as a Catholic queen.
One of the plotters, Thomas Percy, a member of the King’s Bodyguard, was able to lease lodgings that were situated adjacent to the House of Lords, and the idea was that the plotters would dig down underneath the foundations of the House of Lords and place gunpowder there. Guy Fawkes (also known as Guido Fawkes), a man who had been fighting for the Spanish in the Low Countries, was the man chosen to put the plan into operation by preparing the gunpowder and lighting the fuse, and he posed as Percy’s servant, calling himself John Johnson so that he could stay in the property.
The Black Plague of summer 1604 meant that the plan had to be changed due to the opening of Parliament being delayed. However, this delay worked in the mens’ favour because during this time, they learned of a vacant ground-floor undercroft directly under the House of Lords Chamber. Thomas Percy was able to secure the lease of this undercroft. Guy Fawkes and other members of the group set about filling this space with 36 barrels of gunpowder, which had the potential to completely level the Palace of Westminster.
Everything seemed fine, and the plot looked as if it would be successful, until Lord Monteagle received an anonymous tip-off just over a week before the state opening of Parliament was due to take place. The letter, thought to be from Lord Monteagle’s brother-in-law, Sir Francis Tresham, who had recently become a member of the plot, gave enough details for Lord Monteagle to go to Robert Cecil. Cecil took the news to the King, who ordered the cellars beneath Westminster to be searched. It was on the night of the 4th/5th November that Guy Fawkes was found red-handed with the evidence – 36 barrels of gunpowder!
Guy Fawkes was arrested and tortured for information, but despite this failure, Catesby still attempted to incite armed rebellion in the Midland. It, too, was a failure and Catesby, along with a few of his co-conspirators, was killed in a shoot-out on 8th November. Those who weren’t killed were arrested, tried and then hanged, drawn and quartered in January 1606.
On 5th November 1605, Londoners were encouraged to celebrate the King’s narrow escape by lighting bonfires around the city, and it is that celebration that is remembered in the UK every year on 5th November, along with the fireworks which have their origins in Guy Fawkes’ gunpowder. In fact, this celebration to give thanks for the deliverance of the King was made compulsory in the United Kingdom until 1859.
The traditional rhyme which is said on Guy Fawkes Night is:
Remember, remember the Fifth of November,
The Gunpowder Treason and Plot,
I know of no reason
Why the Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot.
Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, t’was his intent
To blow up the King and Parli’ment.
Three-score barrels of powder below
To prove old England’s overthrow;
By God’s providence he was catch’d
With a dark lantern and burning match.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, let the bells ring.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King!
The UK has a Queen on the throne at present, so the last part of the last line is changed to “God save the Queen”.
I've been lucky enough to attend the Lewes Bonfire Night celebrations on a few occasions. Six different Bonfire Societies do processions and they really are incredible. Here's a video to give you an idea:
On Bonfire Night, it is traditional for us Brits to enjoy jacket potatoes (lovely done in foil around the bonfire) and toffee apples. Click here for a recipe for toffee apples - yum!
Did you know there is a new theory about the gun powder plot bandied about by historians now!? that it wasn’t actually Guy Fawkes who was the main conspirator here, but his brother Chip…. 🙂 get it? lol
Oh dear! 😉
The most amazing thing is that although Robert Catesby was the brains behind the plot, with the original five conspirators extending to 13, because Guy Fawkes was the gunpowder expert and caught in the search on the eve before the plot, few people are aware that he was the leader. Of course they were partly framed by Robert Cecil.
I am really interested why we in the colonies (NZ) celebrate this disastrous period with the continuance of religious xenophobia which swept Britain at that time.
I guess without the immediacy of Muslim terrorists, they had to focus on domestic terrorism brought about by the persecuted Roman Catholics who seemed to be a danger to the lives and welfare of Englishmen.
Following the exploits of Raleigh and Drake whose piratic adventures were effective in filling the coffers of England with Spanish gold it seems natural that a state sponsored hatred of the Catholic countries of Europe was allowed to hold sway over the general populace.
Ignorance was bliss. The opportunity for James I and the British parliament to incense the people of England with tales of plotting and villainy on behalf of an already persecuted minority (albeit, a reasonably wealthy one in terms of the landed gentry who espoused to catholicism) allowed a nurtured hatred for Catholics to swell the government coffers even more through the confiscation of estates and forfeiture of bank accounts and mercantile ventures.
Thus it appears that this is a day of celebration to foil the efforts of a determined band of Catholics who were trying for religious freedom is not necessarily worth celebrating. You could say that it celebrates the preservation of a way of life, but the venality, treachery, fear and greed of all those involved in stirring the pot and crying “treason”i is not the way of life we wish to preserve in the colonies. The fleshpots and sinkholes of deprivation and depravity of England at that time were only a precursor to the policy of deportation that began in James’ 1’s time and saw the emptying of Englands stews and brothels by sending Englishmen to America, the West Indies and Australia. Hardly a matter for celebration.
I agree. I know it is a historical “deliverance” that is being celebrated, but it is really an empty and unnecessary one today. On the other hand people do love any excuse for a celebration, so this very odd practice continues. Actually, I doubt that most people know or care about why there is such a loud fuss on November 5th. It has become just something to do for fun for most people. It would not surprise me if we would still be celebrating if Robert Catsby, Percy, Guy Fawlkes and Thomas Wintour and the others had have succeeded in their mad plot to assassinate James, his sons and entire Government.
Talking about Muslim terrorist this name was made by occidentalise as America and Britain and others to create a law to invade Muslim countries. The Islam is the most peaceful religion.
Islamic terrorism is a real thing, not an excuse to invade Muslim countries. The majority of Muslims are indeed peaceful, but unfortunately through ISIS we have had many young Muslims brain washed into believing a narrow interpretation of the Koran and recruited to engage in acts of war and terror, often against their own people. Terrorism is often an act of fervour, desperation and fanatical purity of belief. It is also often rooted in history and references to the past. It is not being used by Britain as an excuse to go to war, although that has been the result of long-term provocation.
“Spanish” gold? Are you referring to the gold the Spaniards stole from the indigenous people of Central America?
Pray do tell. Give us some more of the Shan Ivan’s that went down during this time and the eventual America ‘discovery’
Actually it should be shenanigans, and not Shan Ivan somebody, but phones are so smart, they outsmart themselves.
I loved reading the comments . My distant great half- uncles were John and Christopher Wright . They were half brothers to my 13th great – grandfather , William Wright of Ploughland Hall ,Yorkshire .
and not one Guy Fawkes mask anywhere to be seen in the crowd in 2013.
the Fawkes image is such a huge deal to protestors in Hong Kong and other rallying points of injustice in the world now.
I’m looking for someone to do a Zoom lecture on Guy Fawkes. Would you be interested?
Hi Christian,
Thank you for thinking of me. I think someone like Leanda de Lisle who has done extensive research on the Stuart period would suit you better. Although I’ve researched Fawkes and the plot, it’s not my area of expertise.
Thank you though.
Thank you for the lead. I’m in touch with her.
Best wishes,
Christian