Gunpowder, Treason And Plot

Who was Guy Fawkes and why have we been celebrating his attempted act of terrorism and treachery for over 400 years? He was born in Yorkshire in 1570. After his Protestant father died his mother married a fervent Catholic and Fawkes converted to Catholicism. He later left for the continent where he fought on the side of Catholic Spain against Protestant Dutch reformers. He also tried to get support from Spain for a Catholic uprising in England, without success. It was during his travels that he adopted the name Guido, shortened to Guy.

So why and how did he achieve such notoriety? It could be argued that it started when the Pope of the day failed to recognise King Henry VIII's self-serving reforms on separation and divorce, or with Henry then severing ties with Rome and appointing himself head of the Protestant Church of England. Protestant rule continued and strengthened with the reign of his daughter Queen Elizabeth I. When she died without children her cousin James VI of Scotland became King James I of England. After decades of persecution English Catholics hoped that James would be more tolerant of their religion, his mother after all was Catholic. This was not to be and so 13 men decided that violent action was the only answer.

Under the leadership of Robert Catesby the group drew up plans to blow up the Houses of Parliament hoping to kill the King, maybe the Prince of Wales and the members of Parliament who were making life difficult for the Catholics. They acquired barrels of gunpowder and stored them in a cellar under the House of Lords. Fawkes was tasked with looking after the gunpowder.

But as the group worked on the plot it became clear that innocent people would be hurt or killed, including some people who fought for more rights for Catholics. Some of the plotters started having second thoughts and one of them sent an anonymous letter to his friend, Lord Monteagle warning him to stay away from Parliament on the 5th November. The letter reached the King and his forces made plans to catch the conspirators. In the early hours of November 5th the authorities stormed the cellars and found Fawkes with 36 barrels of gunpowder and fuses. If their plan had succeeded it would have been carnage.

Fawkes was arrested and the gunpowder was removed. Such was the relief that the King was safe bonfires were set alight later that night, thus starting the tradition of bonfire night or Guy Fawkes night. The tradition was added to by the burning of an effigy of Fawkes.

Many years ago children used to collect money to buy fireworks by walking round the streets with a stuffed dummy in a wheelbarrow chanting "Penny for the guy".

Under torture Fawkes identified his co-conspirators. Four were killed attempting to escape. The remaining eight were imprisoned in the Tower of London before being tried and executed for High Treason. They and Fawkes were hanged, drawn and quartered.

The gunpowder plot struck a profound chord for the people of England. Today the reigning monarch only enters Parliament once a year for the State Opening. Prior to the Opening the Yeomen of the Guard search the cellars. 

Remember, remember the 5th of November

gunpowder treason and plot.

I see no reason

why gunpowder treason

should ever be forgot.

Polly x