The New Student's Reference Work/Gunpowder Plot

Gunpowder Plot. This plot was planned by Robert Catesby, a Roman Catholic gentleman of England, who, with his fellow-conspirators, had been driven to desperation by the faithlessness of King James I. James had, before his accession to the throne, led the Roman Catholics to expect some degree of religious toleration, but shortly after he began to reign he not only put the penal laws against Catholics in full force, but showed an inclination to increase their severity. Early in 1604 Catesby told his plan to John Wright and Thomas Winter, and they brought over from Flanders a brave soldier serving in the Spanish army, named Guy Fawkes, who, together with one Percy, was admitted to the plot after taking an oath of secrecy. The plot was to destroy at one blow the king and both houses of parliament and at the same time raise an insurrection in the midland counties. On the 24th of May, therefore, Percy rented a room adjoining the parliament house, which they intended to undermine. But, because of the closing of parliament, the work was put off until December, when digging was begun. The work proved harder than expected and the men changed their plan, admitting new conspirators and renting a cellar under the house of lords, where they hid casks of gunpowder with faggots. Everything was ready by May. But the plot was betrayed. Guy Fawkes entered the cellar a little before midnight on Nov. 4 to start the flames, and was arrested. Catesby hurried to Warwickshire to raise his friends there. They were there attacked a few days later, Catesby and several others were killed, and the prisoners taken were committed for trial and the whole plot revealed by their confessions. The trial proved that the Roman Catholics, with the exception of the few engaged in the plot, had nothing to do with it.