What was the Gunpowder Plot?
On the morning of the 5th of November 1605, the result of extensive planning was placed into motion as conspirators would attempt to explode a massive amount of gunpowder underneath parliament's House of Lords. The event, since referred to as the Gunpowder Treason or Gunpowder Plot, was averted in the nick of time as guards, on the behest of King James I, searched the basement for conspirators. The manner of detection almost sounds like a stroke of luck as, in response to detected murmurings of a treasonous plot, James ordered a second search in the dark of morning after a preceding patrol had found nothing. In the dark recesses of the lesser traveled catacombs of the House of Lords, parliamentary guards apprehended Guy Fawkes, a conspirator, guarding and nearly setting off a large cache of gunpowder in the basement of parliament (Herring).
Had Fawkes' presence went undiscovered, the devastation would have been of no small scale, as "the king, the queen, at least one of their children, the lords temporal and spiritual, the judges, the leading members of the House of Commons, any foreign ambassadors present, and no doubt many others as well - King James put the figure at thirty thousand - were to be blown up by the Catholics" (Wormald, 141). Though Jame's estimation is likely extremely liberal, it is no wonder that the plot holds such awe even today considering such an ambitious array of targets.
The treason’s target was not merely the king, as is of the most common attempts of regicide. The target indicated a desire among the rebels for a completely new regime. By exploding the powder underneath the parliament building, nearly all cogs in the political machine of England present would have been eliminated in a single flash. Unless a massive shift toward recovery in governmental workings was enacted, there would be an excessively, perhaps insurmountably large hole in the system waiting to be filled by a new regent and political members of, perhaps, differing beliefs than those they replace.
Why Was the Gunpowder Treason Attempted?
The prime directive behind the gunpowder treason is a matter of scholarly contention. Though it has now been 408 years since the attempted coup, “we still lack a coherent historical explanation of how it was that thirteen Catholic conspirators sought to destroy the political structure of society” (Wormald, 145). Theories, of course, exist in multitudes.
The most commonly interpreted motivation for the attempted coup was a lack of religious tolerance toward the Catholic denomination. This holds some weight considering that Fawkes and the other conspirators were wholly members of the Catholic Church. Immense frustration is thought to have built when the conspirators saw that the persecution toward Catholicism enacted under Elizabeth’s reign passed into the regime of James I. However, James I had no record of persecution toward the Catholic faith and was the son of the notable Catholic regent Mary, Queen of Scots (Wormald, 145). It is known, however, that the conspirators had intended to replace the slain regent with the princess Elizabeth, who was considered "still young enough to be brought up a Catholic and married to a Catholic" (Wormald, 162).
In the opposite direction, Hurstfield, cited by Wormald, speculates that Robert Cecil, the first earl of Salisbury, had some hand in the plot for his belief that James I was actually too lenient upon the Catholics (147). It is perhaps telling that the plot was discovered in action at, supposedly, the behest of King James I himself: “the second and, this time, successful search of the cellar on the night of November 4 took place only at James's personal insistence” (Wormald, 147). Though this may simply be chance or apocryphal hearsay, it may support a possibility that James’ advisers had some hand in concealing the treason.
As more and more years pass, it is almost a certainty that we shall never know the concrete truth behind the reasoning for the plot. Regardless of intent, the acts foiled on November 5th 1605 have resonated with readers and scholars ever since.
Who Was Involved?
Guy Fawkes, sometimes referred to as "Guido Fawkes" or "Guy Faux", was merely the handler of the now legendary gunpowder stash. The whole of the conspirators had a larger number, most commonly attributed as thirteen. The Quintessence of Cruelty lists those involved, in some capacity, as follows (10).
Jesuite Priests.
Henry Garnet
John Gerrard
Osw. Tesmond
Edward Hall.
Hammon
Wm. Baldwin.
S Evera. Digby
Rob. Winter.
Tho. Winter.
Guido Fauks.
John Grant.
Amb. Rookwood.
Robert Keyes.
Thomas Bates.
Henry Morgan.
Tho. Abington.
S. Edm. Bainham.
S. Wm. Stanley.
Hugh Owen.
Of all the associates listed, Henry Garnet's role is both perplexing and tragic. His connection with the plot was that of a minister receiving a confession. Considering the stigma surrounding the revelation of one's confession to another, Garnet remained silent on the matter. Carafiello describes his fate as "Garnet had been in contact with some of the conspirators before November 1605. He was executed by the state after being judged complicit in the Gunpowder Plot, but my own view is that he was a man who knew too much and one who was in no way convinced of the merits or efficacy of the scheme" (483) If Carafiello's view is steeped in truth, he is but an innocent bystander and perhaps the only real victim of the Treason.
Unlisted are Catesby, Thomas Percy, John Wright, Christopher Wright who "were slain in rebellious fight; the former two with a gun, the other two with Halberts" (Herring, 10) Francis Tresham, also missing from the list, "murthered himself in prison" (Herring, 10). As such, these five were never brought to trial. The remaining conspirators, Fawkes included, were executed for their involvement.
The Aftermath of the Gunpowder Plot
Despite the sheer magnitude of the targeted by number and status, the plot seems to have been regarded as somewhat less than threatening. Echoing Hill’s The Century of Revolution 1603-1714, Wormald describes the plot as commonly seen with great underestimation as "an incident, minor in itself” (142). Hill, and others who might scoff at the intent of the treason, miss the fact that with successful execution “it might well have changed the course of European history, to say nothing of disturbing the Englishman's abiding confidence in the rational process of his country's historical development” (Wormald, 142). Had the plot succeeded, the consequences would have been massive for the nation of England and all her provinces.
Thirteen conspirators in total were indicated in the wake of the plot. Eight were captured and subjected to the court system, while the remaining five were killed while resisting arrest (Herring, 6). At the trial, “[ . . . ] they all pleaded, not guilty; and put themselves upon God and the country” ("Trials"). While opening the trial, Sir Edward Philips commented that” For, if it be abominable to murder the least; If to touch God's Anointed be to oppose themselves against God”, making reference to the divine right of kings ("Trials"). Considering that the faith of the plotters was in opposition to the encouraged Protestantism, this seems an allusion to liken the Catholics to be waging a holy war. Phillips goes on to state that “All true English hearts honour and reverence, the Pope and his disciples only envies and maligns?” These lines give illustration to the religious atmosphere in the time of the plot within England.
Upon conclusion of the trial, the eight prosecuted conspirators were sentenced to be drawn and quartered. Herring poetically describes the conspirators’ reactions to the execution order being given as “[ . . .] the most just confusion of their faces” (Herring). Following their execution, the conspirators heads were removed and placed upon pikes outside of the parliamentary building, serving as a warning to all who would consider attempts against the lives of the regency and parliamentary members.
Despite the plots intent to remove many of those in power over English affairs, the night of the Gunpowder Plot's thwarting has become a national holiday within England. The fifth of November has since come to be known as Guy Fawkes night, a holiday in which bonfires are built and effigies of Fawkes are burned in celebration. On the other hand, Guy Fawkes himself has become a sort of underground hero among internet activists fighting for greater freedom and social justice. Inspired by the depiction of a Guy Fawkes mask in the graphic novel V For Vendetta, members of some activist groups don his visage during protests to both signify a desire for reform and to hide their identity.
The fact that the attempted coup and its thwarting is now over 400 years old and still celebrated in many aspects speaks to the significance of the event for both then and now.
Works Cited
1. Wormald, Jenny. "Gunpowder, Treason, and Scots." Journal of British Studies 24.2 (1985): 141-68. JSTOR. Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Web. 04 May 2013.
2. November the 5. 1605. The quintessence of cruelty, or, master-peice of treachery, the Popish pouder-plot, invented by hellish-malice, prevented by heavenly-mercy. / Truly related, and from the Latine of the learned, religious, and reverend Dr. Herring, translated and very much dilated. By John Vicars ; by Herring, Francis 1641. Early English Books Online. Web. 5 May 2013.
3. The Trials of Robert Winter, Thomas Winter, Guy Fawkes, John Grant, Ambrose Rookwood, Robert Keyes, Thomas Bates, and Sir Everard Digby, at Westminster for High-Treason, being Conspirators in the Gunpowder-Plot. 1605. Early English Books Online. Web. 5 May 2013.
4. November the 5. 1605. The quintessence of cruelty, or, master-peice of treachery, the Popish pouder-plot, invented by hellish-malice, prevented by heavenly-mercy. / Truly related, and from the Latine of the learned, religious, and reverend Dr. Herring, translated and very much dilated. By John Vicars ; by Herring, Francis 1641. Early English Books Online. Web. 5 May 2013.
On the morning of the 5th of November 1605, the result of extensive planning was placed into motion as conspirators would attempt to explode a massive amount of gunpowder underneath parliament's House of Lords. The event, since referred to as the Gunpowder Treason or Gunpowder Plot, was averted in the nick of time as guards, on the behest of King James I, searched the basement for conspirators. The manner of detection almost sounds like a stroke of luck as, in response to detected murmurings of a treasonous plot, James ordered a second search in the dark of morning after a preceding patrol had found nothing. In the dark recesses of the lesser traveled catacombs of the House of Lords, parliamentary guards apprehended Guy Fawkes, a conspirator, guarding and nearly setting off a large cache of gunpowder in the basement of parliament (Herring).
Had Fawkes' presence went undiscovered, the devastation would have been of no small scale, as "the king, the queen, at least one of their children, the lords temporal and spiritual, the judges, the leading members of the House of Commons, any foreign ambassadors present, and no doubt many others as well - King James put the figure at thirty thousand - were to be blown up by the Catholics" (Wormald, 141). Though Jame's estimation is likely extremely liberal, it is no wonder that the plot holds such awe even today considering such an ambitious array of targets.
The treason’s target was not merely the king, as is of the most common attempts of regicide. The target indicated a desire among the rebels for a completely new regime. By exploding the powder underneath the parliament building, nearly all cogs in the political machine of England present would have been eliminated in a single flash. Unless a massive shift toward recovery in governmental workings was enacted, there would be an excessively, perhaps insurmountably large hole in the system waiting to be filled by a new regent and political members of, perhaps, differing beliefs than those they replace.
Why Was the Gunpowder Treason Attempted?
The prime directive behind the gunpowder treason is a matter of scholarly contention. Though it has now been 408 years since the attempted coup, “we still lack a coherent historical explanation of how it was that thirteen Catholic conspirators sought to destroy the political structure of society” (Wormald, 145). Theories, of course, exist in multitudes.
The most commonly interpreted motivation for the attempted coup was a lack of religious tolerance toward the Catholic denomination. This holds some weight considering that Fawkes and the other conspirators were wholly members of the Catholic Church. Immense frustration is thought to have built when the conspirators saw that the persecution toward Catholicism enacted under Elizabeth’s reign passed into the regime of James I. However, James I had no record of persecution toward the Catholic faith and was the son of the notable Catholic regent Mary, Queen of Scots (Wormald, 145). It is known, however, that the conspirators had intended to replace the slain regent with the princess Elizabeth, who was considered "still young enough to be brought up a Catholic and married to a Catholic" (Wormald, 162).
In the opposite direction, Hurstfield, cited by Wormald, speculates that Robert Cecil, the first earl of Salisbury, had some hand in the plot for his belief that James I was actually too lenient upon the Catholics (147). It is perhaps telling that the plot was discovered in action at, supposedly, the behest of King James I himself: “the second and, this time, successful search of the cellar on the night of November 4 took place only at James's personal insistence” (Wormald, 147). Though this may simply be chance or apocryphal hearsay, it may support a possibility that James’ advisers had some hand in concealing the treason.
As more and more years pass, it is almost a certainty that we shall never know the concrete truth behind the reasoning for the plot. Regardless of intent, the acts foiled on November 5th 1605 have resonated with readers and scholars ever since.
Who Was Involved?
Guy Fawkes, sometimes referred to as "Guido Fawkes" or "Guy Faux", was merely the handler of the now legendary gunpowder stash. The whole of the conspirators had a larger number, most commonly attributed as thirteen. The Quintessence of Cruelty lists those involved, in some capacity, as follows (10).
Jesuite Priests.
Henry Garnet
John Gerrard
Osw. Tesmond
Edward Hall.
Hammon
Wm. Baldwin.
S Evera. Digby
Rob. Winter.
Tho. Winter.
Guido Fauks.
John Grant.
Amb. Rookwood.
Robert Keyes.
Thomas Bates.
Henry Morgan.
Tho. Abington.
S. Edm. Bainham.
S. Wm. Stanley.
Hugh Owen.
Of all the associates listed, Henry Garnet's role is both perplexing and tragic. His connection with the plot was that of a minister receiving a confession. Considering the stigma surrounding the revelation of one's confession to another, Garnet remained silent on the matter. Carafiello describes his fate as "Garnet had been in contact with some of the conspirators before November 1605. He was executed by the state after being judged complicit in the Gunpowder Plot, but my own view is that he was a man who knew too much and one who was in no way convinced of the merits or efficacy of the scheme" (483) If Carafiello's view is steeped in truth, he is but an innocent bystander and perhaps the only real victim of the Treason.
Unlisted are Catesby, Thomas Percy, John Wright, Christopher Wright who "were slain in rebellious fight; the former two with a gun, the other two with Halberts" (Herring, 10) Francis Tresham, also missing from the list, "murthered himself in prison" (Herring, 10). As such, these five were never brought to trial. The remaining conspirators, Fawkes included, were executed for their involvement.
The Aftermath of the Gunpowder Plot
Despite the sheer magnitude of the targeted by number and status, the plot seems to have been regarded as somewhat less than threatening. Echoing Hill’s The Century of Revolution 1603-1714, Wormald describes the plot as commonly seen with great underestimation as "an incident, minor in itself” (142). Hill, and others who might scoff at the intent of the treason, miss the fact that with successful execution “it might well have changed the course of European history, to say nothing of disturbing the Englishman's abiding confidence in the rational process of his country's historical development” (Wormald, 142). Had the plot succeeded, the consequences would have been massive for the nation of England and all her provinces.
Thirteen conspirators in total were indicated in the wake of the plot. Eight were captured and subjected to the court system, while the remaining five were killed while resisting arrest (Herring, 6). At the trial, “[ . . . ] they all pleaded, not guilty; and put themselves upon God and the country” ("Trials"). While opening the trial, Sir Edward Philips commented that” For, if it be abominable to murder the least; If to touch God's Anointed be to oppose themselves against God”, making reference to the divine right of kings ("Trials"). Considering that the faith of the plotters was in opposition to the encouraged Protestantism, this seems an allusion to liken the Catholics to be waging a holy war. Phillips goes on to state that “All true English hearts honour and reverence, the Pope and his disciples only envies and maligns?” These lines give illustration to the religious atmosphere in the time of the plot within England.
Upon conclusion of the trial, the eight prosecuted conspirators were sentenced to be drawn and quartered. Herring poetically describes the conspirators’ reactions to the execution order being given as “[ . . .] the most just confusion of their faces” (Herring). Following their execution, the conspirators heads were removed and placed upon pikes outside of the parliamentary building, serving as a warning to all who would consider attempts against the lives of the regency and parliamentary members.
Despite the plots intent to remove many of those in power over English affairs, the night of the Gunpowder Plot's thwarting has become a national holiday within England. The fifth of November has since come to be known as Guy Fawkes night, a holiday in which bonfires are built and effigies of Fawkes are burned in celebration. On the other hand, Guy Fawkes himself has become a sort of underground hero among internet activists fighting for greater freedom and social justice. Inspired by the depiction of a Guy Fawkes mask in the graphic novel V For Vendetta, members of some activist groups don his visage during protests to both signify a desire for reform and to hide their identity.
The fact that the attempted coup and its thwarting is now over 400 years old and still celebrated in many aspects speaks to the significance of the event for both then and now.
Works Cited
1. Wormald, Jenny. "Gunpowder, Treason, and Scots." Journal of British Studies 24.2 (1985): 141-68. JSTOR. Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Web. 04 May 2013.
2. November the 5. 1605. The quintessence of cruelty, or, master-peice of treachery, the Popish pouder-plot, invented by hellish-malice, prevented by heavenly-mercy. / Truly related, and from the Latine of the learned, religious, and reverend Dr. Herring, translated and very much dilated. By John Vicars ; by Herring, Francis 1641. Early English Books Online. Web. 5 May 2013.
3. The Trials of Robert Winter, Thomas Winter, Guy Fawkes, John Grant, Ambrose Rookwood, Robert Keyes, Thomas Bates, and Sir Everard Digby, at Westminster for High-Treason, being Conspirators in the Gunpowder-Plot. 1605. Early English Books Online. Web. 5 May 2013.
4. November the 5. 1605. The quintessence of cruelty, or, master-peice of treachery, the Popish pouder-plot, invented by hellish-malice, prevented by heavenly-mercy. / Truly related, and from the Latine of the learned, religious, and reverend Dr. Herring, translated and very much dilated. By John Vicars ; by Herring, Francis 1641. Early English Books Online. Web. 5 May 2013.