 | Gunpowder Plot - The whole story... |
|
News spread of Fawkes capture and the failure of the plot. Thomas Bates broke the bad news to Coughton Court, where a number of leading Catholics were staying. This included Father Henry Garnet and Father Oswald Tesimond, the family of Sir Everard Digby who had rented the house, Nicholas Owen, the famous priest-hide builder, and finally the Vaux sisters who aided Father Garnet, and who were related to several of the men involved in the plot.
|
| |
Homepage
Warwickshire's part in the plot
The Whole Story
Warwickshire Events
Other Links
| | The other conspirators immediately saddled their horses and fled to Dunchurch in Warwickshire, where they had a rendez-vous with a group of around 100 followers gathered by Digby and broke the terrible news. Although many were furious, as they did not even know of the plot to actually blow up the King, Catesby persuaded them that all was not lost. The plan now was to head west and secure help from the strong Welsh Roman Catholics.
The group travelled slowly through the driving rain up through Warwickshire to Holbeach House on the Staffordshire borders. Morale amongst the large group was diminishing all the time, not one Catholic along the way had given them aid and they were failing in rallying any other support.
Gradually the party shrank until only a handful of people reached Holbeach House. This Staffordshire house was to be their last stand as conspirators of the gunpowder plot.
During the evening further calamity befell the group. An accidental explosion occurred while they tried to dry out the sodden gunpowder in front of an open fire. Several were severely wounded and Bates was blinded in the explosion.
Seeing it as sign that God had deserted them, Wintour, Lyttelton and Sir Everard Digby deserted their friends while the others tried valiantly to rally further support from the surrounding area.
|
| "He told me the nature of the disease required so sharp a remedy, and asked me if I would give my consent. I told him yes, in this and what else soever, if he resolved upon it, I would venture my life" Thomas Wintour's Confession |
|
Guy Fawkes signature before torture.
Guy Fawkes signature after torture. | |
The combined forces of the Sheriffs of Worcestershire and Warwickshire caught up with them the following morning and around 200 men surrounded Holbeach house. After several attempts to have the conspirators surrender, a fire-fight developed as the Catholics tried to storm out of the building into the courtyard.
The conspirators had no chance against the trained marksmen. Both Jack & Kit Wright were killed, and Rookwood and Wintour wounded. The leader Catesby and Sir Thomas Percy fell to one shot, the marksman, John Street, having loaded his musket with two balls.
The remaining known conspirators were apprehended, imprisoned in Worcester jail, and then transported to London to await trial. Four days after the siege at Holbeach, Francis Tresham was arrested in London and sent to the Tower of London. Wintour and Lyttleton managed to remain on the run for 2 months until they were betrayed at Hagley Hall by the cook who was suspicious of the amount of food his mistress was eating.
On 27 January 1606, Fawkes and his fellow conspirators still alive were found guilty to high treason and sentenced to death. On the 30th January, Sir Everard Digby, Robert Wintour, John grant and Thomas bates were dragged through the streets of London before being hung, drawn and quartered in front of the crowds in St Paul’s Courtyard. The next day, Thomas Wintour, Ambrose Rookwood, Robert Keyes and finally Guy Fawkes also were hung, drawn and quartered but this time at Westminster.
Francis Tresham, the only other captured prisoner, was never sent to trial but died silently in the Tower of London apparently of poison.
The heads of the traitors, including those that had died at Holbeach, were placed on spikes as 'prey to the fowls of the air', a grim warning to others who may threaten the King or his Government.
Had the plot succeeded the royal family including the heir to the throne, the members of both the House of Lords and House of Commons, the leading bishops, and judges, might all have perished in the explosion leaving a gaping hole in the government of the country.
Nevertheless it is difficult to see how, without foreign intervention on their behalf, the plotters could have successfully taken over the country which was solidly Protestant.
The dramatic last-minute discovery of a plot had the opposite result. Catholics were ever more persecuted in England and by means of a number of conveniently written confessions a number of leading Jesuits of the time were further incriminated and linked to the plot. Pamphlets also appeared blaming the Pope and additionally inflaming the conflict between Protestants and Catholics.
Today the figure of Guy Fawkes is the only individual from the plot who is popularly remembered. Bonfire night on November 5th features an effigy or “guy” which is burnt on top of a bonfire amongst a blaze of celebratory fireworks.
Oddly enough this is something that never actually happened to Guy Fawkes. The effigy on top of the bonfire was originally a depiction of the Pope, with the bonfires coming from an Act of Parliament during the life of James I. This act appointed November 5th as a day of thanksgiving for 'the joyful day of deliverance' and remained in force right up until 1859.
Useful links and further reading |
|