The disappointment of the Catholics on finding that the severe laws
against them were not to be relaxed, led to a conspiracy on the part
of a few gentlemen of that persuasion, of whom the chief was William
Catesby, a person of dissolute habits. It was arranged that, on the
day of the meeting of Parliament, November 5, 1605, the House of Lords
should be blown up by gunpowder, at the moment when the King, Lords,
and Commons were assembled in it, thus destroying as they thought, all
their chief enemies at one blow, and making way for a new government
which should be more favorable to them. Accordingly, thirty-four
barrels of powder were deposited in the cellars beneath the House, and
a person named Guy Fawkes was prepared to kindle it at the proper
time. The plot was discovered, in consequence of the receipt of a
letter by Lord Monteagle, warning him not to attend the meeting of
Parliament. An investigation took place during the night between the
4th and 5th of November, when the gunpowder was discovered, and Fawkes
taken into custody. He confessed his intentions; and the rest of the
conspirators fled to the country, where most of them were cut to
pieces in endeavoring to defend themselves. Notwithstanding the
atrocious character of this plot, the king could never be induced to
take advantage of it, as most of his subjects desired, for the purpose
of increasing the persecution of the Catholic party. He probably
feared that new severities might only give rise to other attempts
against his life.