THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONSPIRATORS ON THE DISCOVERY OF THE PLOT—THEIR
CAPTURE AT HOLBEACH—THE MEETING OF PARLIAMENT.
It will now be necessary to look back a little on the movements of the
other conspirators. Fawkes remained to fire the train and was secured,
as is detailed in the last chapter. On Tuesday morning, November 5th, as
early as five o’clock, one of the Wrights called on Thomas Winter,
assuring him that the whole plot was discovered. Wright stated, that a
nobleman had called on Lord Monteagle, bidding him rise to accompany him
to the earl of Northumberland’s, where it was probably expected that
Percy would be found. This was only an hour after the return of the
searching party to Whitehall. Some of the conspirators were on the watch
in various parts of the town; and Wright chanced to obtain the important
information, which he communicated to Winter. He heard the nobleman, who
called up Lord Monteagle, say, _The matter is discovered_. At Winter’s
request, Wright went back to Essex gate to learn something further: in a
short space he returned, adding, _All is lost_. He found a man on
horseback at Essex door, who immediately rode at full gallop up Fleet
Street. Winter was conscious that they were seeking for Percy; and he
requested Wright to make him acquainted with all that had taken place,
in order that he might effect his escape. Winter then quitted his
lodging, being determined to ascertain the worst. He went first to the
court gates, which were so guarded that no one could enter: he proceeded
onward towards the parliament house, but was prevented from passing by
the guard, which was posted in King Street. As he came back he heard a
person in the street observe to another, that a treason was just
discovered, in which the king and the lords were to have been blown up
by gunpowder. Winter was now convinced that all was discovered, and
therefore he rode off into the country. The two Wrights appear to have
quitted London at the same time.
Catesby, the leader of the conspirators, had left London the preceding
evening, in order that he might be prepared to execute their project
relative to the Princess Elizabeth as soon as the blow should be struck.
Percy also had departed from London that morning as early as four
o’clock, probably from having received some information respecting the
discovery. They made the best of their way into Warwickshire, where they
had previously agreed to meet.
London was all in commotion as the day dawned: the streets were thronged
with spectators, all eagerly inquiring what had taken place during the
night. It was soon ascertained, that a conspiracy had been
providentially discovered, and that one of the traitors was already in
custody. The satisfaction of the people was great at the intelligence,
that no danger now existed, and that the king and the parliament were
safe.
Fawkes was kept strictly guarded; and in a few days made a confession of
the principal circumstances of the conspiracy.
The conspirators who had quitted London, previous to the fifth of
November, proceeded to the place of meeting in Warwickshire. On
Wednesday morning Grant and certain others seized upon some horses,
which had been placed under the care of a riding-master. These horses
were to be used at the _hunting match_ appointed by Digby. Their object
was to assemble large numbers of people under the pretence of _hunting_,
and then seize upon the Princess Elizabeth. Having the princess in their
possession, they hoped to be able to succeed in effecting a complete
change in the government of the country. Had the plot succeeded in
London, most of the Papists would have joined them. On Wednesday evening
the conspirators who resided in the country, as well as those who had
quitted London before the discovery, met at Sir Everard Digby’s
according to their previous arrangement.
It was now known that the plot was discovered; for those who had left
London on Tuesday morning brought with them the intelligence. The
question now agitated related to their future movements; and it was
determined to make an attempt at open rebellion. This attempt shows the
desperate character of the men; for they could not reasonably indulge in
the expectation of success. They accordingly mustered as many forces as
they were able, intending to await the issue of an encounter with the
civil power, and hoping, amid the confusion consequent upon the
discovery of the treason, to induce many members of the church of Rome
to join them. In one of the letters of Sir Everard Digby, referred to in
a subsequent page, a clear and succinct account of their intended
movements is given:—“If the design had taken place, there could have
been no doubt of other success; for that night, before any other could
have brought the news, we should have known it by Mr. Catesby, who
should have proclaimed the heir apparent at Charing-cross as he came out
of town: to which purpose there was a proclamation drawn: if the duke
had not been in the House then, there was a certain way laid for the
possessing him; but in regard of the assurance, they should have been
there, therefore the greatest of our business stood in the possessing
the Lady Elizabeth, who lying within eight miles of Dunchurch, we would
have easily surprised before the knowledge of any doubt—this was the
cause of my being there.” They mustered to the number of eighty persons
only. From Warwickshire they passed to the borders of Staffordshire. Sir
Richard Verney, the high sheriff of Warwickshire, pursued them. As they
rambled through the country, they seized upon such arms and ammunition
as fell in their way. On Friday, the 8th of November, the conspirators
reached the house of Stephen Littleton, at Holbeach, in Staffordshire.
The sheriff of Worcestershire sent a trumpeter commanding them to
surrender, thinking that they were merely guilty of an ordinary riot,
for he had not yet heard of the conspiracy. In those days intelligence
was not so rapidly communicated, from one part of the country to
another, as in modern times. The discovery took place on Tuesday morning
very early: and the assemblage at Littleton’s house was on the Friday
after; and yet the sheriff of Worcestershire had received no information
respecting the discovery of the plot. The traitors, however, were not
aware that the sheriff was ignorant of their proceedings in London: on
the contrary, they imagined that he was sent after them by a special
order from the court. They prepared, therefore, to defend themselves,
being resolved to sell their lives as dearly as possible.
The sheriff promised to intercede with his majesty in their favour, on
the condition of their surrendering themselves, being unacquainted with
their treason. Several proclamations had been sent into the country
after the conspirators, in which the necessity of preserving Percy alive
was strongly urged. But in those days a hundred miles were not soon
travelled over. It is stated by contemporary authorities that the roads
were very bad at the time; while another reason assigned for the slow
travelling of the messengers, who had carried the proclamations, is the
shortness of the days. It appears that travelling by night at that time
was never contemplated. Thus on the third day after the discovery of the
treason—the day on which the conspirators met at Holbeach—the
authorities in the counties, in which the traitors were assembled, had
received no tidings even of the existence of a plot.
While they were occupied in making their preparations in the house, a
spark of fire dropped on about two pounds of gunpowder, which had been
laid on a plate near the chimney, for the purpose of being dried. One of
the party chanced to throw a log of wood on the fire; this raised the
sparks, one of which fell on the powder, causing an explosion, by which
the roof of the house was blown off, and the persons of Catesby,
Rookwood, and Grant blackened and scorched. It was remarkable that a bag
of gunpowder, of considerable size, which was lying in the room at the
time of the explosion, was blown into the court-yard without being
ignited, or none of the conspirators could have survived, and thus the
whole of the plot would have been for ever enveloped in mystery.
Catesby, Rookwood, and Grant were partly disabled by the explosion, “so
bearing in their bodies,” says Fuller, “not στιγματα, _the marks of the
Lord Jesus Christ_, but the print of their own impieties.” As the house
had caught fire it was deemed necessary to open the doors and attempt to
escape; but when the bars of the outer gates were removed to permit the
conspirators to rush forth, the sheriff’s men rushed in, so that escape
was impossible. The battle now raged in the court-yard of the house with
great violence. Catesby and Percy placed themselves back to back, and
fought, though the former had been partly disabled by the explosion,
with desperate courage. One of the sheriff’s men levelled his piece
across a wall, taking deliberate aim at Catesby and Percy, both of whom
fell by the same ball, the former dead on the spot, and the latter
mortally wounded[16]. The two Wrights also were slain, during the
encounter in the court of Littleton’s house; Rookwood and one of the
Winters were wounded; and the rest were taken prisoners.
[Footnote 16: “Never,” says Fuller, “were two bad men’s deaths
more generally lamented of all good men: only on this account,
that they lived no longer to be forced to a further discovery of
their secret associates.”—Book x. 36.]
As soon as possible after the struggle, the conspirators were lodged by
the sheriff in the county gaol. In a short space they were removed to
London: and during the journey, and especially as they approached the
metropolis, the people came in vast crowds to obtain a sight of men, who
had concocted and almost executed so desperate a treason. Every one
wished to see the faces of men, whose names and whose deeds were now
resounded from one end of the country to the other.
Tresham remained in London during the commotion consequent upon the
discovery of the plot. He was taken in a short time and lodged in
prison. Robert Winter evaded the search that was made for him during a
short space, but at length was apprehended. Sir Everard Digby was also
taken. The actual conspirators were thirteen in number; four were slain
in the conflict at Holbeach; the rest were all taken soon after the
discovery of the plot. Tresham confessed in prison his share in the
transaction. He died before the day appointed for their trial. Eight of
them were brought to trial early in the next year, as will be noticed in
a subsequent chapter.
On the 9th of November the parliament assembled. The king addressed them
on the occasion in a lengthened speech, in which he dwelt on the
proceedings of the traitors, and on the policy of the measures which had
been enacted against recusants. James took a sort of review of all the
dangers to which he had been exposed, alluding especially to the Gowry
conspiracy. The speech abounds in good sense, and sensible and judicious
remarks are scattered over all its parts. Alluding to the characters of
the conspirators, he very wisely observes, that there was nothing to
induce them to enter into this conspiracy, except a mistaken zeal for
their religion. He tells the lords and commons, that as soon as the
letter was shewn to him, he interpreted certain expressions, contrary to
the ordinary laws of grammar, to refer to some explosion of gunpowder.
Having heard the speech from the throne, the parliament was adjourned
until the 21st of the ensuing January.
When the discovery of the plot was known on the Continent, several of
the sovereigns sent to congratulate the king on his escape. In the case
of some of these sovereigns, their congratulations were sincere; but in
other cases the language of deceit must have been used. The king of
Spain and the pope, were among the most forward to congratulate his
majesty; and yet with great inconsistency they sheltered and protected
some of those individuals who fled from their own country, and were
privy to the conspiracy. Osborn assures us, however, that the pope could
not refrain from laughing in the face of _Cardinal D’Ossat_, when he
informed him, that the Spanish monarch had sent a special messenger to
the English court for that express purpose. Indeed, all these
congratulations were hollow and insincere; but they would have been
exposed to censure as men and as sovereigns, if they had not so far
acted the part of hypocrites as to pretend to rejoice at the escape of
the English monarch.
That the pope and the king of Spain, and some other papal sovereigns,
would have rejoiced at the success of the plot, can scarcely be doubted,
since their subsequent actions, as will be noticed in another chapter,
proved that they favoured those who were privy to the conspiracy. It can
scarcely indeed be doubted that the Spanish sovereign, and his holiness,
and perhaps some other sovereigns, were acquainted with the designs of
the conspirators; at all events, if they were not aware of the
particulars of the plot, they knew that some conspiracy was in
agitation, which was intended to be executed during that winter. Many of
the Romanists on the Continent knew that some great deed was to be
attempted, though they did not know the particulars.
The parliament did not meet on the 5th of November; but the following
entry stands on the journals of the House of Commons under that
date:—“This last night the upper house of parliament was searched by
Sir Thomas Knevett; and one _Johnson_, servant to Mr. Thomas Percye, was
there apprehended, who had placed thirty-six barrels of gunpowder in the
vault under the house, with a purpose to blow up the king and the whole
company when they should there assemble. Afterwards, divers other
gentlemen were discovered to be of the plot[17].”
[Footnote 17: _Parl. Hist._ v. 125.]
On the 21st of January, the two houses assembled according to the
previous arrangement, when a committee was formed “to consider the laws
already in force, that tend to the preservation of religion—what
defects are in the execution of them, or what new laws may be thought
needful[18].” The lord chancellor gave special directions to the clerk
to notice the peers who should fail to attend in their places; for there
was a suspicion that certain Roman Catholic lords were implicated in the
treason. Some were in consequence imprisoned and fined. In the House of
Commons the same subject was discussed the first day of the session. The
minds of men indeed could dwell on nothing else; nor is it surprising
that such was the case; for a most horrible plot had been discovered,
and the traitors were already in prison awaiting the sentence of the
law. At length a committee was appointed to decide upon some course to
be taken against _jesuits_, _seminaries_, and other _papal agents_.
[Footnote 18: Ibid. v. 141.]
The conspirators were tried and convicted at common law, as will be
related in the next chapter; but the parliament seemed anxious to award
some new punishment, beyond that which was ordinarily inflicted on
traitors, on such culprits, for the purpose of marking their sense of
their crime. Accordingly a committee was appointed in the lords to
consider what extraordinary punishments should be inflicted. While they
were engaged in this business, it was reported to the house, that it was
not convenient to delay longer the trial of the conspirators, and
therefore the matter dropped. The commons were no less anxious on the
subject than the lords. The question was debated at some length; but at
last it was determined, that the conspirators should be left to the
ordinary courts of justice. On the 25th of January, however, the commons
framed and passed a bill, which was sent up to the lords, entitled, _“An
Act for Appointing a Thanksgiving to Almighty God every year on the
Fifth of November.”_ When the bill was carried to the lords, the
messengers stated, “that the whole body of the commons having entered
into consideration of the great blessing of God, in the happy
preservation of his majesty and the state, from the late most dangerous
treason intended to have been attempted by the instigation of _jesuits_,
_seminaries_, and _Romish priests_, had framed and passed the said bill
in their house, as the first fruits of their labours, in this session of
parliament, which they did very earnestly recommend to their lordships.”
The lords read and passed the bill in three days, without even going
into a committee. This act is, therefore, the _first_ in the printed
statutes of the session. Several bills were passed against recusants and
as a protection to the Protestant religion. On the 27th of May the
session was terminated[19].
[Footnote 19: During this session an Act was passed, by which
every one was obliged to take the oath of allegiance—“a very
moderate test,” says Hume, “since it decided no controverted
points between the two religions, and only engaged the persons
who took it to abjure the pope’s power of dethroning kings.” Mr.
Hallam’s testimony is equally conclusive: “We cannot wonder that
a parliament so narrowly rescued from personal destruction,
endeavoured to draw the cord still tighter round these dangerous
enemies. The statute passed on this occasion is by no means more
harsh than might be expected.”—_Const. Hist._ i. 554-5.]
It may be mentioned, that the ceremony of examining the vaults is
performed at the commencement of every session. Whether indeed it has
been continued since the destruction of the two houses by fire, I am
unable to determine; but as the cellar must still remain, I should
imagine that the ceremony is still repeated. At all events, such was the
case prior to the fire. The cellar is still designated Guy Fawkes’s
Cellar.