GUNPOWDER
82
GUNPOWDER
But there was no resisting his imperious friend, and he
soon expressed himself ready "for this, or whatever
else, if he resolved upon it ". The first orders were that
Winter should go to the Spanish Netherlands and see
whether political pressure applied by Spain might not
relieve the sufferings of the Catholics in England,
but he was also to bring back "some confident [i.e.
trusty] gentleman", such as Mr. Guy Fawkes. Winter
soon discovered what Catesby hail probably foreseen
in England, that there was no hope at all of any im-
mediate relief from friends abroad, and he returned
with Fawkes in his company.
Early in May, 160.5, Catesby, Thomas Percy (who by some is believed to have been the originator of the plot), Thomas Winter. John Wright, and Fawkes met in London, were initiated into the plot, and then ad- journed till they could take an oath of secrecy. They did this one May morning in "a house behind St. Clement's", and then, passing to another room, heard Mass and received Communion together, the priest (whomthey believed to be Father John Gerard) having no inkling of their real intentions. It is of course im- possible to give a rational explanation of their insen- sate crime. They did not belong to the criminal class, they were not actuated by personal aml:>itions. They were of gentle birth, men of means and honour, some were married and had children, several of them were zealous converts who had made sacrifices to embrace Catholicism, or rather to return to it, for they mostly came of Catholic parents. On the other hand, though religiously minded, they were by no means saints. They were dare-devils and (hiellists, and Percy was a biga- mist. They were kept in a state of constant irritation against the government by a code of infamous laws against their religion, and a series of galling fines. They had, as we have seen, dabbled in treason and plans of violence for some years past, and now they had formed themselves into a secret society, ready to poniard any of their number w-ho should oppose their objects. They understood their oath to contain a promise not to tell even their confessors of their plans, so sure did they feel of the rectitude of their design. Nor did they do so until fifteen months later, when. Father Garnet having written to Rome to procure a clear condemnation of any and every attempt at vio- lence, Catesby, with the cognizance of Winter, had re- course to Father Greenway with results to which we must return later.
The first active step (24 May, 1604) was to hire as a lodging Mr. Wh\Tiniard's tenement, which lay close to the House of Parliament, and had a garden that stretched down towards the Thames. But no sooner was this taken than a government committee claimed the right of sitting there, so the preparations for min- ing had to be postponed for six months. Before Christmas, however, they had opened the mine from the ground floor of their house, and advanced as far as the wall of the House of Lords: then they made slow- progress in working their way through its medieval masonrj'. In March, however, they discovered that the cellar of the House of Lords miglit be hired, and on Lady Day, 160.5, a bargain was struck for that pur- pose. They had now only to carry in their powder, and cover it with faggots of firewood, and the first part of their task had been accomplished with surpris- ing facility. They then separated, to make prepara- tions for what should follow when the blow was struck. For this it was necessary to procure more money, and by consequence to admit more members. Five were mentioned before, and five more, Christo- pher 'Wright, Robert Keyes. Thomas Bates, Robert Winter, and John Grant had been added since. Three richer men were now sworn in, Ambrose Rookwood, Sir Everard Digby, and. lastly, Francis Tresham. It was this thirteenth man who has been generally be- lieved to have caused the detection of the plot, by a letter sent to his cousin Lord Monteagle on 26 Octo-
ber. This mysterious document, which is still extant,
is written in a feigned hand, with an affectation of il-
literateness and in the obscurest of styles. The re-
cipient was warned against attending Parliament on
the day appointed, and hints were added as to the
specific character of a "terrible blow" that would be-
fall it. "There [will] be no appearance of any stir";
" they shall not see who hurt them"; "the danger will
be past as soon [i. e. quickly] as you have burnt this
letter". Monteagle, ha\'ing received this letter, first
caused it to be read aloud at his table before some
mutual friends of the conspirators, then he took it to
the government.
Contrary to what might have been expected, no measures were taken for the security of the House, and the conspirators, who had heard of Monteagle's letter, breathed again. Catesby had from the first laid down this principle, " Let us give an attempt, and where it faileth, pass no further." The attempt had not yet failed, they did not think the time had come to "pass no further". So they continued all their prepara- tions, and their friends were invited to meet for a big hunt in Warwickshire on the fatal day. The official account of the government delay is briefly this: No one at first understood the iimer meaning of the letter until it was shown to James, who "did upon the in- stant interpret and apprehend some dark phrases there- in, and thereupon ordered a search to be made ". That this story is not strictly true is acknowledged by every critic (see end of this article). Whatever the germ of truth in it may be, the delay in itself was far from sagacious. If the conspirators had not been fool- hardy, they would have fled as soon as they knew that one of their number had turned informer. However, on the last day before that fixed for the explosion, an inspection of the precincts of the House was resolved upon and conducted by a high official, but leil to no result. Yet another search was then ordered, on the pretext that some hangings of the Parliament house had been purloined, and this was immediately success- ful. The powder was found and Fawkes, who was on the watch close by, was arrested. Next day (5 No- vember) the conspirators fled to their rendezvous, and thus betrayed themselves. It was with difficulty that they got their own retainers to keep with them, the Catholics everywhere refusing them aid.
Their only chance, they thought, was to fly into Wales, where, in the hilly country, and among a people which had not yet fully accepted religious changes, they might still possibly find safety. But on reaching Holbeche, in Worcestershire, they perceived that fur- ther retreat was impossible, and were preparing to sell their lives dearly when a chance spark exploded their store of powder, wounding some and discouraging all. It seemed a judgment of God, that tho.se who had plotted with powder should perish through powder. Their eyes seemed to have been at length opened to the reality of their offence. They made their last con- fessions to a passing priest. Father Hanmiond, and they prepared without illusions for the fate that was before them. Next morning (8 November) they were attacked, and defended themselves bravely against heavy odds — Catesby. Percy, and the two Wrights were killed, and the rest wounded and captured. After an almost endless series of examinations the survivors were put on their trials on 27 January, and executed on 31 January, 1606. Their deaths did them credit ; in particular the last letters and verses of Sir Everard Digbv, which were not intended for the pul)lic eye, and were not discovered or published till long after, produce the impression of a man who deserved a hap- pier fate.
The Attempt to Incriminate the Chuhch. — We have already seen that the plot had been occasioned by the persecution. — " If any one green leaf for Catho- lics could have been visibly discerned by the eye of Catesby, Winter, Garnet, Faux and the rest, they
