<h2><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</SPAN></span><SPAN name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></SPAN>CHAPTER IV.</h2>
<p class="summary long">THE JESUITS PRIVY TO THE PLOT. THE NARRATIVE
CONTINUED DOWN TO THE PERIOD OF THE DISCOVERY
OF THE TREASON.</p>
<p class="newsection"><span class="smcap">Before</span> the narrative is carried further, it will be desirable
to allude to those clerical individuals who were privy to this
conspiracy. The actors were, as has been seen, laymen;
but there were some priests of the church of Rome, and
members of the order of Jesuits, who were no less implicated
in the design than those who actually worked in the
mine. Garnet, Gerard, and Tesmond, were Englishmen
by birth; and yet, for the sake of advancing the interests
of the church of Rome, they hesitated not to enter into the
plot. Garnet was evidently a man of considerable attainments;
nor is there any reason to believe that he was not,
in many respects, an amiable man. His principles however,
were such, that he could without scruple enter into a conspiracy
against his sovereign and his country. There is
reason to believe that he was privy to the design from the
commencement, if he did not even suggest it to Catesby.
At all events these Jesuits were made acquainted with all
the proceedings of the conspirators, whom they aided and
encouraged in their work, by such counsel as the church of
Rome is accustomed to impart to her deluded votaries.</p>
<p>Even Catesby at one time had his scruples. He was
not satisfied that it was right to sacrifice several Roman
Catholic peers, who would be present at the opening of the
session. His scruples were submitted to Garnet. It
is, however, more than probable, that Catesby applied
to Garnet, in order that he might be able to remove the
scruples of others, should any arise. A case, therefore,
<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</SPAN></span>was proposed, and to the following effect: “Whether, for the
good of the church against heretics, it would be lawful,
amongst many innocents, to destroy some innocents?” Garnet
replied, that, if the advantage to the church would be
greater, by taking away some of the Roman Catholic lords,
together with many of their enemies, it would be lawful to
destroy them all. “Indeed,” says Fuller, “the good husbandman
in the Gospel, permitted the <i>tares</i> to grow for the
corne’s sake; whereas here, by the contrary counsel of the
<i>Jesuit</i>, the corn (so they reputed it,) was to be rooted up for
the tares’ sake<SPAN name="FNanchor_11_11" id="FNanchor_11_11"></SPAN><SPAN href="#Footnote_11_11" class="fnanchor">[11]</SPAN>.” He gave also an illustration from the case
of a besieged town, which must be subjected to the horrors
of war, even though some friends of the besiegers are dwelling
within its walls. It was this determination of Garnet’s,
that quieted the doubts of the whole party throughout the
proceedings. Rookwood was staggered, when the matter
was first proposed to him; but he was satisfied when
Catesby mentioned Garnet’s decision.</p>
<p>The Jesuit wished to obtain the formal consent of the
pope; but Catesby argued that it had been already granted,
in the two bulls, the object of which was to prevent James
from succeeding to the throne. Keys was induced to enter
into the plot by these arguments; while Bates, Catesby’s
servant, was assured by another Jesuit, not only that he
might lawfully conceal, but actually participate in the
treason.</p>
<p>It has been already stated, that Bates confessed to Tesmond.
In the church of Rome, confession precedes the
sacrament; and in confession, Bates revealed all the particulars
of the plot; still he was encouraged in the treason by
his ghostly counsellor. In short, the evidence of the participation
of the Jesuits in the plot is of such a description,
that it cannot be disputed by any one who examines it.</p>
<p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</SPAN></span>The narrative has already been brought down to the
autumn of 1605, when the parliament was prorogued from
October to November the 5th. On Saturday evening,
October 26, ten days previous to the day fixed for the
opening of parliament, a letter, addressed to Lord Monteagle,
was delivered, by a person unknown, to his lordship’s
footman, in the street, with a strict injunction to deliver it
into his master’s own hands. This circumstance took place
at seven o’clock, just as the nobleman was about to sit
down to supper. The letter was put into his lordship’s
hand by the servant. On opening it, he found it written in
a very illegible hand, and without date or subscription.
Monteagle summoned one of his attendants, to assist him
in deciphering the epistle, which was couched in the following
terms:—</p>
<div class="blockquot"><p>“My lord,</p>
<p>“Out of the love I bear to some of your friends, I
have a care of your preservation; therefore, I would advise
you, as you tender your life, to devise some excuse to shift
off your attendance at this parliament; for God and man
have concurred to punish the wickedness of this time. And
think not slightly of this advertisement, but retire yourself
into your country, where you may expect the event in
safety. For though there be no appearance of any stir,
<i>yet I say they shall receive a terrible blow this parliament,
and yet they shall not see who hurts them</i>. This council
is not to be contemned, because it may do you good, and
can do you no harm; <i>for the danger is past, as soon as you
have burnt the letter</i>: and I hope God will give you the
grace to make a good use of it, to whose holy protection I
commend you<SPAN name="FNanchor_12_12" id="FNanchor_12_12"></SPAN><SPAN href="#Footnote_12_12" class="fnanchor">[12]</SPAN>.”</p>
</div>
<p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</SPAN></span>Dark, indeed, were the words. In the first instance,
Monteagle viewed the matter as a <i>hoax</i>, intended to prevent
him from attending the opening of the session. Still
he deemed it the safest course not to conceal its contents.
Accordingly he hastened off to Whitehall at that late hour,
when, too, the streets of London were not lighted as
they are in our day, and submitted the letter to the earl of
Salisbury, Cecil, one of the secretaries of state. It does not
appear that Cecil laid much stress upon the letter; at the
same time he expressed an opinion, that it might refer to
some design of the papists, respecting which he had received
some information from various quarters. His information,
however, did not relate to any plot; but merely to an attempt,
on the part of the Romanists, at the commencement
of the session, to obtain a toleration for their worship, and
the relaxation of some of the penal laws.</p>
<p>Various attempts have been made to shift the odium of
the conspiracy from the church of Rome, and also from any
members of that church. Some Roman Catholic writers
have not scrupled to say, that the whole was a trick of
Cecil’s, and that King James was privy to the design, which
was entered upon by the court, for the purpose of rendering
the Romanists odious, and to pave the way for more stringent
laws against recusants.</p>
<p>The assertion that the whole plot was a trick of Cecil’s,
intended to render the Romanists odious to their countrymen,
was not advanced till sixty years after the event. No
one at the time questioned the reality of the conspiracy.
The confessions of the parties, and the secret letters of
Sir Everard Digby, preclude the possibility of even entertaining
such an absurd notion. Not one of the conspirators
complained of being deceived into the plot, either at his
<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</SPAN></span>trial or execution; nor did any of their apologists deny the
fact of the treason. The assertion was worthy of that
church from whom it proceeded. Mr. Hallam, a most unexceptionable
witness, thus argues on this point: “But to
deny that there was such a plot, or, which is the same thing,
to throw the whole on the contrivance and management of
Cecil, as has sometimes been done, argues great effrontery
in those who lead, and great stupidity in those who follow.
The letter to Monteagle, the discovery of the powder, the
simultaneous rising in arms in Warwickshire,—are as indisputable
as any facts in history. What, then, had Cecil to
do with the plot, except that he hit upon the clue to the
dark allusions in the letter to Monteagle, of which he was
courtier enough to let the king take the credit? James’s
admirers have always reckoned this, as he did himself, a
vast proof of sagacity: yet there seems no great acuteness
in the discovery, even if it had been his own. He might
have recollected the circumstances of his father’s catastrophe,
which would naturally put him on the scent of gunpowder<SPAN name="FNanchor_13_13" id="FNanchor_13_13"></SPAN><SPAN href="#Footnote_13_13" class="fnanchor">[13]</SPAN>.”</p>
<p>In recent times, however, it has been the policy of
Roman Catholic writers to represent the conspiracy as the
act of a few desperate characters. Desperate, indeed, they
were; yet they were not men of desperate fortunes; nor had
they suffered under the execution of the laws; but the sole
principle that influenced them was one of religion. They
were willing to risk all for the sake of promoting the interests
of the church of Rome. It will also be seen hereafter
that the pope, and some papal sovereigns, approved of the
deed.</p>
<p>As to the report that the court were aware of the design
long before the search, which was made in consequence of
the letter, it is as destitute of foundation as the other. The
<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</SPAN></span>court knew that some design was on foot: nor were they
surprised, since such had been the case throughout the
reign of Elizabeth; and the court was still composed of the
same great statesmen. As to any knowledge of this particular
plot, the court were not in possession of it. The king
of France had informed the ministers that some secret
plot was going on; but beyond this information the court
had no knowledge on the subject. The secular priests,
also, who were protected by Bancroft, intimated that some
dark plot was concocting; but they were as ignorant of the
particulars as the ministers. All the information, which
James and his ministers received from the Continent,
amounted merely to an assurance that a treason was hatching;
but respecting the traitors and their proceedings they
could learn nothing. These intimations undoubtedly rendered
Cecil and James suspicious of the letter to Monteagle;
but the letter conveyed the first certain intelligence
that the danger was so near and so imminent.</p>
<p>When Cecil had read the letter, he laid it before the
lord chamberlain and the earls of Worcester and Northampton.
Monteagle was anxious that it should receive
every consideration. They immediately connected the letter
with the intelligence respecting the designs of the papists,
of which they had been previously warned. It was determined,
therefore, to submit the letter to the king, and not
to take any steps in the business until they had obtained
his majesty’s orders.</p>
<p>On Thursday, October 31st, the king returned from
Royston; and the next day Cecil submitted the letter to his
inspection. It appears that Cecil offered no opinion concerning
the letter; he merely placed it in his majesty’s
hands. After a little pause, the king expressed an opinion
that it ought not to be despised. Cecil, perceiving that the
king viewed the matter more seriously than he had anticipated,
<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</SPAN></span>referred him to one sentence, <i>“for the danger is past
as soon as you have burnt the letter,”</i> which he conceived
must have been written by a fool or a madman, since if the
danger was past as soon as the letter was destroyed, as if
burning the letter could ward off the danger, the warning
was of small consequence. The king connected the expression
with the former sentence, <i>“That they should receive a
terrible blow at this parliament, and yet should not see who
hurt them.”</i> Taking the two sentences together, the king
immediately fancied that there was an allusion to some attempt
by gunpowder. An insurrection, or any other attempt,
during the sitting of parliament, could not be unseen; could
not be momentarily executed. The king interpreted the
clause thus, that the danger would be sudden and as quickly
over as the burning of the paper in the fire, taking the
words <i>as soon</i> in the sense of <i>as quickly</i>. He suggested,
therefore, that the letter must refer to an explosion of
gunpowder, and that the spot chosen for it must be under
or near the House of Lords.</p>
<p>It is remarkable that Cecil himself had intimated to
some of his colleagues, before the king’s return from
Royston, that the letter must refer to an explosion of gunpowder:
the very same suspicion also crossed the mind of
the earl of Suffolk, the lord chamberlain. This suspicion,
however, was concealed from the king by the two
statesmen. His majesty instantly took the same view of the
letter, though he was totally unacquainted with the opinions
of his two councillors. Popish authors have laboured to
prove, that the treason was either planned by, or at least
known to, the court, because the king so readily referred
the letter to an explosion by gunpowder. Cecil and Suffolk
had conceived the same opinion, though it does not appear
that they thought of gunpowder secreted under the House of
Lords. But what proof does this circumstance furnish of
<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</SPAN></span>any previous knowledge even, on the part of the court,
much less of contrivance? Was it strange that they should
thus interpret such a mysterious letter? Cecil and Suffolk
were fully aware of the plots which had been devised
against Elizabeth; they knew that on more than one occasion,
the traitors had contemplated the death of the queen
by means of gunpowder. With these facts fresh in their
recollection, it was perfectly natural to interpret the letter
to signify some attempt of the same kind. In short, no
other interpretation could have reasonably been put upon
it. That the king himself should have suspected some
attempt by means of gunpowder was also to be expected.
He was well aware of the practices of the church of Rome;
and it is probable that, on this occasion, he recollected the
fate of his father, King Henry, whose death was accomplished
by an explosion of gunpowder. To King James,
therefore, really belongs the honour of discovering the
gunpowder treason; for, though Cecil and Suffolk had
conceived the same idea, yet they do not appear to have
entertained the notion of a mine under the House of
Lords. Besides, the two lords did not communicate their
suspicions to the king. The remarkable part of the business,
therefore, is the fact, that the three individuals should
have so readily struck upon the same idea. It must, however,
be stated that the interpretation put by the king upon
the clause relative to the burning of the letter was not the
true one: for it is pretty clear, that the writer wished
Monteagle to absent himself from the parliament, and to
burn the letter to avoid suspicion of being privy to the
plot. But, though we may admit, that the king’s interpretation
of the clause was not that, which the writer intended,
yet we must acknowledge, that his majesty’s suggestion
was most providential, and sufficient to justify the
strong language used in the Act of Parliament for the
<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</SPAN></span>observance of the Fifth of November. Let it be remembered
that timidity was one of James’s infirmities; and fear
is usually very quick-sighted.</p>
<p>At this first interview with the king, no plan was
adopted for their further course. The king suggested a
search; but Cecil did not give his sanction. It appears to
have been his aim to delay the search a little longer; and,
therefore, he quitted the royal presence with a jest. What
his motives were for not complying with the king’s suggestion,
cannot be ascertained. In all probability he was anxious
to consult his colleagues, or he may have thought that the
king’s apprehensions relative to the concealment of gunpowder
under the House of Lords were groundless. He
did not, however, think lightly of the matter, though he
jested with his majesty; for he immediately laid the whole
case before the lords, with whom he had previously consulted,
telling them what the king had said and suggested.
It was agreed that Cecil should wait on the king the next
day. The next day, accordingly, being Saturday, he introduced
the subject again to the notice of his majesty. At
this interview the lord chancellor was also present. It was
now determined, that the lord chamberlain, by virtue of
his office, should examine all the parts contiguous to the
House of Lords, and especially the lower offices, in order
that he might judge, from the appearances, which might
present themselves, whether there was a probability of any
such danger. To prevent the circulation of idle rumours,
as well as to allow the conspirators to carry their plans as
near to completion as possible, the examination was deferred
until the following Monday, November 4th, being the day
preceding that fixed for the opening of the session.</p>
<p>It has never been satisfactorily ascertained who was
the writer of the letter; but it is remarkable that the circumstance
was made known to the conspirators within a
<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</SPAN></span>very brief space after its delivery to Lord Monteagle.
That one of the party penned it there can be no doubt;
for they had proceeded with so much secresy, that no other
person had any idea of such a design. By the interposition
of Providence one, who was anxious to save an individual
nobleman from death, brought destruction not only upon
himself, but also upon all his associates. Neither the
writer nor the bearer of the letter was ever known. It is
probable that the writer himself was the bearer, as it is
unlikely that the man who could pen it, and who felt so
much anxiety about the life of Lord Monteagle, would
commit it to the custody of another.</p>
<p>On Sunday evening, October 27th, the day after the
delivery of the letter, a person called on Thomas Winter,
and related the circumstance. This person was the servant
of Monteagle, who had been called in to assist in deciphering
the letter. Winter communicated the intelligence to
Catesby, and recommended instant flight; but the latter
was determined to ascertain the exact amount of information
which had been communicated to Monteagle, which
he hoped to discover by watching the movements of the
government agents near the Parliament House. Winter,
therefore, remained at White Webbs with Catesby, while
Fawkes was sent to London to watch the proceedings of
the court. Fawkes left them on Wednesday morning,
October 30th, and returned in the evening, with the gratifying
intelligence, that he found every thing in the cellar
just as he had left it. They now hoped that the letter was
disregarded, and that the danger of discovery was over.
On the Thursday, Winter returned to London; and on
Friday, he met Catesby and Tresham at Barnet. Tresham,
who was related to Monteagle’s wife, was suspected of being
the writer of the letter, and was questioned on the subject
by Catesby. He denied, however, that he had any knowledge
<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</SPAN></span>of the matter; and it appears from Winter’s confession
that his denial was believed by the other conspirators.
On Saturday, November 2nd, in the evening, Tresham and
Winter met again in Lincoln’s Inn Fields. On this occasion,
Tresham related several particulars of the interviews between
the king and Cecil. How he became acquainted
with these particulars does not appear. Both Catesby and
Winter deemed it necessary now to think of flight; but the
former would not take that step without seeing Percy, who
was not yet come up from the country. On Percy’s arrival
on the Sunday, he recommended that they should remain,
and await the issue.</p>
<p>All the conspirators were now in great perplexity. On
Monday, Nov. 4, Catesby went into the country, and Percy
to the seat of the earl of Northumberland. Fawkes remained
to fire the train, as had been previously arranged.
At this time, therefore, they were uncertain whether they
were discovered, or whether the treason was still unknown.</p>
<p>On Monday afternoon, agreeably to the previous arrangement,
the lord chamberlain, accompanied by Lord Monteagle,
and Whinyard, keeper of the wardrobe, proceeded to
examine the rooms under the House of Lords. They came
at last, to the vault or cellar, which had been taken by
Percy. Here they saw the coals and wood which had been
deposited there by the conspirators, to conceal the barrels
of gunpowder. The cellar was at the disposal of Whinyard:
and it appears to have been his privilege to let it for
his own profit. On being questioned by the lord chamberlain,
Whinyard replied, that he had let the cellar to Thomas
Percy, with the adjoining house, and that the wood and
coals were the property of that gentleman. At this stage
of the examination, the lord chamberlain saw a man standing
in a corner of the cellar, who stated that he was Percy’s
servant, and that he was left by his master in charge of the
<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</SPAN></span>house and cellar. This individual was Guy Fawkes, who
was appointed to fire the train. The lord chamberlain carelessly
remarked to Fawkes, that his master was well provided,
by his large stock of fuel, against the blasts of
winter. On leaving the cellar, Lord Monteagle intimated
his suspicion that Percy was the writer of the letter. This
suspicion entered his mind as soon as Percy’s name was
mentioned, recollecting the friendship that had subsisted
between them<SPAN name="FNanchor_14_14" id="FNanchor_14_14"></SPAN><SPAN href="#Footnote_14_14" class="fnanchor">[14]</SPAN>.</p>
<p>The lord chamberlain returned immediately to the king,
to whom, with the council, he related all that he had seen,
mentioning also the suspicion of Lord Monteagle respecting
Percy. He expressed his surprise that so large a quantity
of fuel should be deposited in the cellar, when it was well
known, that the house was seldom occupied by Percy. It
appears, too, that he did not consider that the appearance
of Fawkes was much like that of a servant.</p>
<p>The king still insisted, that it was necessary to make a
rigid search, and that the wood and coals must be removed.
It occurred to him, that they were placed there to conceal
the gunpowder, for it was his majesty’s firm conviction, that
some such attempt was alluded to by the writer of the letter.
The members of the council who were then present, concurred
<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</SPAN></span>also in the same opinion. Still, they were in doubt
as to the mode in which the search should be conducted.
They were, on the one hand, anxious for the safety of the
king’s person, and on the other, fearful lest, if nothing of
the kind should be discovered, they might be exposed to
ridicule for entertaining groundless fears, unbecoming in
statesmen and the ministers of the crown. It was suggested,
also, that if the search proved fruitless, the earl of Northumberland
might feel himself aggrieved, in consequence
of his relationship to Percy, the owner of the house. All
the members of the council agreed in the necessity of instituting
a search: but their opinions respecting the manner in
which it should be effected, widely differed. James insisted,
that they must necessarily adopt one of two courses; either
search the cellar narrowly, or leave the matter altogether,
and go to the House the next day, just as if no suspicion
had ever existed.</p>
<p>It was therefore determined at length, that a search
should be made; but to prevent any sinister report, supposing
nothing was discovered, it was ordered that Whinyard,
the keeper of the wardrobe, should search the cellar,
under the pretence of having lost some of the hangings,
which had been placed in his custody. The king also suggested
that the search should be conducted under the direction
of a magistrate. Accordingly, Sir Thomas Knivett, a
magistrate for Westminster, proceeded with a small and
chosen band, to the parliament house, at midnight; while
the king and his councillors remained at Whitehall. At
the entrance to the cellar, they discovered Fawkes standing
with his cloak and boots on, as if about to take a journey.
He had just made all his arrangements within, when the
magistrate and his party approached. Knivett apprehended
him immediately, and then the party proceeded to remove
some of the wood and coals. They soon came to a barrel
<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</SPAN></span>of gunpowder: and in a short space, the whole number,
amounting to thirty-six, were discovered. The next step
was to search the prisoner Fawkes. They found on his
person matches, and all other things necessary for his purpose.
A dark lanthorn was discovered in a corner of
the cellar. Fawkes made great resistance, when the party
attempted to search his person; but as soon as he was
secured, he expressed his sorrow, that he had not been
able to fire the train, which he asserted he would have done,
if he had been within the cellar at the moment when he was
taken, instead of being at the door.</p>
<p>Besides the lanthorn and the matches, there was found
on the person of Fawkes, a <i>pocket watch</i>! At that time,
such a thing was very uncommon. He had procured this
watch in order that he might ascertain the exact hour for
firing the train. Such little incidental notices serve to show
the state of the arts and sciences at particular periods, with
their subsequent progress, better than the most laboured
treatises on the subject. At this time, we learn, that small
watches for the pocket were very uncommon; for the fact,
that such a watch was found on the person of Fawkes, is
mentioned as a rare circumstance. What a contrast between
that period and the present day! And yet, in many of the
fine arts, the age of James I. and Charles I. vastly excelled
our own. In the mechanical arts, however, it was greatly
inferior.</p>
<p>Sir Thomas Knivett, having secured Fawkes, returned
to Whitehall, about four o’clock on the morning of Tuesday,
the Fifth of November, so that the discovery took place
exactly twelve hours before the time, when the train would
have been fired, if the parliament had assembled. The
magistrate communicated everything to the lord chamberlain,
who rushed without ceremony, into the king’s chamber,
exclaiming that all was discovered, that all was safe, and
<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</SPAN></span>that the traitor was secured. All the members of the
council, who were in London, were now summoned to attend.
Within a short space, Fawkes was placed before them, in
order that he might be examined respecting this unheard-of
treason. The prisoner appeared before them undaunted.
Neither the awful situation in which he stood, nor the numberless
questions which were put to him by those who stood
by, moved him in the least. He not only avowed his participation
in the treason, but regretted that he had not been
able to execute it. Alluding to the discovery, he remarked,
that the devil, not God, was the author of that discovery.
During the whole day, the council could extract nothing
from him by their examinations. He took all the blame
upon himself, refusing to name any of his accomplices, but
acknowledging that he was induced to enter upon the
treason, from religious motives alone. He denied that the
king was his lawful sovereign, inasmuch as he was a heretic.
At this time, he refused to disclose his true name, calling
himself <i>John Johnson</i>, servant to <i>Thomas Percy</i>. In a
few days, however, being in a prison, he made a full confession
of his guilt. Thus was discovered, one of the
darkest treasons with which our annals are stained. Divine
Providence interposed, just at the moment when the conspirators
believed that their expectations were about to be
realized. The merit of the discovery must certainly be attributed
to the king. For though it is clear that the letter
evidently pointed to something of the sort; yet before the
treason was discovered, most of those to whom it was submitted,
were in much doubt as to its meaning. The king
alone suggested, that the vaults under the House should be
searched: and in such a case, who can deny, that the
thought in the king’s mind was suggested by a higher
power? “Let King James,” says Fuller, “by reading the
letter, have the credit of discovering this plot to the world,
<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</SPAN></span>and God the glory, for discovering it unto King James.”
Wilson’s words are much to the same effect; “being discovered
by a light from heaven, and a letter from one of
the conspirators, when the fire was already in their hands,
as well as raged in their hearts, to put to the train.”</p>
<p>Half an hour before the time, when it was expected that
the king would enter the house, Fawkes was to place a match
in such a position, that after burning during that space,
should fire the train. He was to set sail for Flanders, for the
purpose of obtaining succours from foreign princes; and
the rest of the conspirators were to manage matters at
home. It is said that those Jesuits who were privy to the
design, but who could not publicly appear, were appointed
to meet on a certain spot, on Hampstead Hill, that they
might behold the conflagration caused by the explosion.
This spot is still designated <i>Traitors’ Hill</i>.</p>
<p>There is, indeed, a story, which would lead to the
belief, that Fawkes was to have been sacrificed by his
brethren in crime. I give the story, as it is recorded in
the histories of the period, without pledging myself to its
truth. At Tickmarsh, in Northamptonshire, resided a Mr.
Pickering, who had a horse remarkable for its speed;
Keys, one of the conspirators, is said to have borrowed this
horse, shortly before the period fixed for the opening of the
session. Fawkes, after having fired the train, was to proceed
to St. George’s Fields, where he would find the horse
in question, on which he was to make his escape. This
was the impression on Fawkes’s own mind. It was further
arranged, that Mr. Pickering, who was a well known puritan,
should that morning be murdered in his bed, and
secretly conveyed away; and that Fawkes also should be
murdered in St. George’s Fields, and so mangled, as not to
be recognized by any one. A report was then to be circulated,
that the puritans had perpetrated the atrocious deed;
<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</SPAN></span>and to give some colour to this report, the conspirators were
to appeal to the fact, that Mr. Pickering, with his swift
horse, was there ready to escape; but that some persons
who saw him, in detestation of so horrible a deed, had
killed him on the spot, and hewed his body to pieces.
Thus the mangled body of Fawkes was to be taken for that
of Mr. Pickering, it being supposed that no one would doubt
the fact, from the circumstance of the horse being found
near the spot. It is added, that Fawkes, when he was convinced
that it was the intention of his companions to put
him to death, confessed the whole plot, which he would
not have done, but for this treachery on the part of his
fellow-conspirators. Such is the story, but I cannot vouch
for its truth<SPAN name="FNanchor_15_15" id="FNanchor_15_15"></SPAN><SPAN href="#Footnote_15_15" class="fnanchor">[15]</SPAN>.</p>
<p>The fact, that the vaults and cellars under the House
of Lords were then let out to hire for such purposes, furnishes
a singular view of the manners of the age when contrasted
with those of our own times. It appears that the
inferior officers of the House made the most of their privileges.
At this stage of the discovery, the king and his
ministers were ignorant of the mine, which had been carried
along from Percy’s residence, under the walls of the House
of Lords. This was not known until some of the conspirators
had made a discovery of all their proceedings. Great
was the joy of the nation when it became known that such
a treason had been brought to light, and great was their
gratitude to that omniscient Being, by whose gracious interposition,
the dark designs of the conspirators were frustrated.</p>
<div class="footnotes"><p class="footnotetitle">Footnotes:</p>
<div class="footnote"><p><SPAN name="Footnote_11_11" id="Footnote_11_11"></SPAN><SPAN href="#FNanchor_11_11"><span class="label">[11]</span></SPAN> Book x. 36.</p>
</div>
<div class="footnote"><p><SPAN name="Footnote_12_12" id="Footnote_12_12"></SPAN><SPAN href="#FNanchor_12_12"><span class="label">[12]</span></SPAN> “A strange letter, from a strange hand, by a strange messenger:
without date to it, name at it, and (I had almost said) sense in it. A
letter which, even when it was opened, was still sealed, such the
affected obscurity therein.”—<span class="smcap">Fuller</span>. Book x. 26.</p>
</div>
<div class="footnote"><p><SPAN name="Footnote_13_13" id="Footnote_13_13"></SPAN><SPAN href="#FNanchor_13_13"><span class="label">[13]</span></SPAN> <span class="smcap">Hallam’s</span> <i>Const. Hist.</i>, i. 555.</p>
</div>
<div class="footnote"><p><SPAN name="Footnote_14_14" id="Footnote_14_14"></SPAN><SPAN href="#FNanchor_14_14"><span class="label">[14]</span></SPAN> I quote the following passage from <i>The Continuation of the History
of England from Sir James Mackintosh</i>, in <i>Lardner’s Cabinet
Cyclopædia</i>, for the purpose of showing how unqualified the continuator
is for the task which he has undertaken: “Search was accordingly
made, and the powder was found concealed under billets of
wood, and fagots: but all was left in the same state as before, to lull
the conspirators into security.” Such is the way in which this gentleman
writes history. It will be seen from the narrative, that at
the search to which this writer refers, the gunpowder was not discovered.
The parties returned to the council, and having made their
report, it was debated whether the search should be carried further.
What dependance can be placed on the statements of a writer who
confounds two circumstances with each other, or rather is not aware,
of more than one search, or attempt at a search having been made!</p>
</div>
<div class="footnote"><p><SPAN name="Footnote_15_15" id="Footnote_15_15"></SPAN><SPAN href="#FNanchor_15_15"><span class="label">[15]</span></SPAN> In a work published shortly after the discovery, I find it positively
stated, that Tresham was the writer of the letter to Monteagle.
This merely shows what was the general belief at the time. See <i>The
Picture of a Papist</i>. 4to. p. 124. 1606.</p>
</div>
</div>
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