Christs Victory over Satans Tyranny, Book 12 · Part 74 – Part 76
The Gunpowder Treason.
THomas Pearcy, Robert Catesby, Thomas Winter & others in the last yeare of the raigne of Q. Elizabeth, by the in…igation of certaine Iesuites, practised with th… King of Spain, to send a well …urnished Army vponupon England, promising him great ayde to entertaine them at their arriuall at Milford Hauen, and to that purpose the King promised to … them fif…y thousand pound for leuying of horse and foote, and preparation of Munition in England to second them: but whilst this was in a manner concluded, Q. Elizabeth dyed, & the King of Spaine vponupon certaine knowledge that K. Iames was established, dispatch…d his Ambassadors and Commissioners for England, …or co…firmation of a lasting Peace between them, yet neuerthelesse the said Rob. Catesby sent Tho: Winter againe to the King of Spaine to resolicite their former proiect, but the King answered him, your old Quéens is dead with whom I had wars, and you hauehave a new King with whom I hauehave euer bin in good peace and amity, and for continuance thereof, I hauehave sent my speciall Commissioners, and vntill I sée what will become thereof, I will not hearken vntounto any other course whatsoeuer. When Winter returned, and made this knowne vntounto Catesby, Pearcy and the rest, then they began to cast about what they might doe of themselues to aduance the Romance Catholick Religion, but first they would see the euent of the first Parliament, if that would mittigate any former Lawes, and try what good the Conclusion of Peace with Spaine would doe vntounto them before they attempted any further: but when they perceiued that neither Parliament, nor publike Peace sorted in any part to their desire, and that the Peace concluded was rather a more ready meanes for the Law to procéed against them then otherwise, because the Peace concerned onelyonly the Amitie of Christian Princes, for the generall good of Christendome, without any particular or priuat respect: then Catesby told the rest, he had a deuice in his head that should free them, and the rest of the English Catholiques from their oppressions, and when he had found out …it Ministers for execution of his deuice, after they had taken oath and Sacrament for secresie, hee told them hee had deuised the meane to vndermine and blow vp the Parliament house, at the instant when the King, Queene, Prince, Peeres, and Commons were all assembled, which proiect they presently embraced, and forthwith Pearcy hired certaine lodgings close to the Parliament house: and then they appointed Miners, who with great difficultie digged and vndermined a part of the wall, but after a while they vnderstood that the Ua…t right vnderunder the Parliament house was to bee let to hyre, then Guydo Fawkes went and hyred it: this Fawkes was late a Souldiour in Flanders, and for this purpose was sent for, who by consent of the rest changed his nam…, and was called Iohn Iohnson Maister Pearcies man: after they had hyred the Uaut▪ the… secretly conuayed into it thirty and sir barrels of powder, and couered them all ouer with Billets and Faggots.
…bout ten daies before the Parliam…nt should begin, an vnknowne party in the Euening met a seruant of the Lord Mounteagles in the stre…t, and deliuered him a Letter, charging him speedily to giuegive it vntounto his Lord, which he did: when his Lord had read it, and obserued the dangerous c…ntents, with a speciall caueat, not to appeare the first day of Parliament, he was amazed, and forthwith deliuered it to the Earle of Salisbury the Kings Principall Secretary▪ a chiefe Counselor of Estate: when the Earle had iudiciously obserued the strange Phrase and Tenor thereof, with the terrible threats therein against the whole State, he acquainted the Lord Chamberlain therewith, and then they c…nioined vntounto them the Lord Admirall, the Earles of Worcester and Northampton, who instantly consulted what was fittest to be done, omitting neither time, diligence or industry, all which no…withstanding, they could not as yet finde out the depth of this mysterie, and were therefore much troubled in minde, b…cause the appointed day of parliament drew neare, which was Tuesday the 5. of Nouember: vponupon the Saturday before, the King being returned from hunting, the said Lords acquainted his Highnesse with what had past, and when his Maiesty had well noted the strange contents of the Letter, which purported the sodaine ruine of the State, the King said notwithstanding the small respect and slight regard which might bee giuen to Libels scattered abroad yet th…s was more quicke and pithy then was vsuall in Libels, and willed them to search in all places, as well not dayly frequented, as of vsuall repayre▪ and concerning any forraine disturbance or inuasion, hee well kn…w the present force and preparation of all Christian Princes, and that whatsoeuer practise of trea…on was now in hand, it must be per…ormed in some vnsuspected place, and by some hom…-bred traytors: therevpon new search was made in all places about the Court and the Parliament house, but could not as yet finde any thing worthy their labours: all which …earch…s were performed with such silence and discretion, as there rose no manner of suspition, eyther in Court or City▪ the Lord Chamberlaine, whose office it most concerned, neuer rested day nor night, and the night before the Parliament, as Sir Thomas Kneuet with others scowted about the parliament house, espied a fellow standing in a corner very suspitiou…ly, and asked him his name, what hee was, and what he did there so late, who answered very bluntly hi… name was Iohn Iohnson Master Pearcies man and keeper of his lodg… ings. Sir …homas Kneuet continued still his search in all places thereabouts, and returning thither againe▪ found him lingring there still, searched him, and found vnderunder his cloke a close Lanthorne, and a burning Candle in it: and about him other signes of suspition, that hee stood not there for any good: then the Knight entered the Ua…, where they found the powder couered with Billets and Fagots as afore-said, and then the Lord Chamberlaine caused the Traytor to be bound, and being now about three a clocke in the morning …ee went vntounto the King, and with exceeding gladnesse told his Maiestie the Treason was discouered and preuented, and the Traytor in hold, the King desired to see Fawkes, who when hee came before the King vsus…d like trayterous and audacious speeches, as hee did at his first apprehension, affirming himselfe was the onelyonly man to performe the Treason, saying, it sore vexed him that the deed was not done, and for that time would not confesse any thing touching the rest of the Conspirators, but that himselfe onelyonly and alone was the contriuer and practiser of this Treason.
Betweene fiue and six a clocke in the morning the Councell gaue order to the Lord Mayor of London to looke to the City, and in very calme manner to set ciuill watch at the Citie gates, signifying therewithall that there was a plot of Treason discouered, and that the King would not goe to Parliament that day: and the same day in th… afternoone, the manner of the Treason was by Proclamation made known vntounto the people, for ioy wherof, there was that night as many bonsires in and about London as the stréetes could permit, and the people gaue humble and hearty thankes vntounto almighty God for their King & Countries right blessed escape.
Within thrée dayes after two other proclamations were made, signifying vntounto the people who were the chiefe conspirators, with commandement to apprehend Pearcy and Catesby, & to take them aliue if it were possible, which said Pearcy and Catsby were gone to Holbach in Warwickshire to méet Winter▪ Gaunt, and others: where vnderunder pretence of a great hunting▪ they meant to raise the country, and surprise the Lady Elizabeth from the L. Harington, whom they meant to proclaime Queens, and in whose name they meant to enter into Armes, being perswaded that the King, the Prince, and Duke of Yorke were by that time blowne vp in the Parliament house: but when they knew their treason was known and preuented, and saw the Kings forces round about the house, so as they could not escape, Pearcy and Catesby very desperately issued forth, and fighting back to back were both slain with one Musket shot.
Saturday the ninth of Nouember the King went to Parliament, where in the presence of the Queene, the Prince, the Duke of Yorke, the Ambassadors of the King of Spaine, and the Arch-duke, and all the Lords Spirituall and Temporall, and Commons of the same, hee made a very solemne oration, manifesting the whole complot of this Treason.
The 27. of Ianuary at Westminster were arraigned, Thomas Winter, Guydo Fawkes, Robert Keyes and Thomas Bates for plotting to blow vp the Parliament house, digging in the mine, taking oath and Sacrament for secresie, &c. and Robert Winter, Iohn Graunt, Ambrose Rookewood, for being acquainted with the treason afterward, giuing their full consent thereunto, and taking oath and Sacrament for secresie, and sir Euer…d Digby for being made acquainted with the said Treason, yeelding assent, and taking his corporall oath for secresie: all which inditements were prooued against them, and by themselues confessed, and therevpon had iudgement giuen them to bee drawne, hanged and quartered, their limbes to bee set vponupon the Citie gates, and their heads vponupon the Bridge: according to which sentence the thirtieth of Ianuary, Sir Euerard Digby, Robert Winter, Iohn Graunt and Bates were executed at the West end of Paules Church, and the next day after the other foure were executed in the Parliament yard, six of the eight, acknowledged their guiltinesse in this horrible treason, and dyed very penitently, but Graunt and Keyes did not so.
Out of these and many other destructions, the Lord of his aboundant merciemercy hath deliuered his most faithfull Seruant, and our dread Soueraigne King Iames: and still will preserue him according to his promise, so long as he putteth his trust in him: and it is not to be doubted, but God hauing giuen him the Spirit of confidence in him, and also fortified and builded vp this his hope and trust by the experience of ennumerable preseruations of his person and Stat…e and such ones as could be attributed to no meanes, but onelyonly to Gods handy workes: Nay, I will conclude by the warrant of Gods word, that it is impossible for the Diuell by any temptation in the world to steale this heauenly treasure out of his Royall heart, no more then he could steale it out of Iob his heart: for although from them that hauehave not the true grace of God, that which they hauehave shall be taken from them: yet according to Christs promise, which is truth it self, he that hath truly Gods Spirit, be it in neuer so little manner, more shall be giuen him, and that which he hath shall neuer be taken from him.
And touching these blessed Realmes of Great Brittaine and Ireland, ouer which the Lord hath appointed him supreme head next vnderunder his Sonne Iesus Christ ouer all causes spirituall and temporall, being that he maintaineth and defendeth the very same Doctrines, and no other, which Christ, the Apostles, and the Pri…itiue Church taught: as the Lord hath most wonderfully blessed and p…ospered them by the hands of Queen Elizabeth, and his Maiestie, this many yéeres, so vndoubtedly his wings of most safe preseruation shall be still ouer this realme so long as no Idolatry is in Israel. I meane maintained by the Lawes of the Realme: For though there bee many Idolatrous Papists, yet the Law is against them, and though there bee many sinnes and wickednesses in England, yet the Lawes of the Realme are most strict against them: therefore the Realme is holy and righteous, because the lawes bee holy and righteous, and although there bee aboundance of wicked and abhominable people in this Realme yet there bee as many both holy and righteous men and women as euer were in them: Therefore certainely the LORD will not destroy or plague this Realme for their sakes that bee wicked and prophane i… them, but most surely still blesse and preserue them for their sakes that be righteous and holy therein, as hetherto hee hath done: wherefore vntounto him bee all honour, praise, glory, power and Dominion of all the inhabitants of this Realme, and of all his Church world without end.
The last but not the least vse of these precedent Stories is therein diligently to mark the vnspeakeable cruelty, tyranny, and most subtill and wicked practises of Papists in many ages before Queen Mary, but then it was at the heigth and then papists shewed their hearts truely without dissimulation, and from them hauehave come all the treacherous practises against Queene Elizabeth, and all the treacherous practises against our dread Soueraigne K. Iames: onelyonly Gowries treason excepted, but they neuer deuised a more vngodly and inhumane tragedy, most abhominable to God, and odious in the iudgment of all men, as their most diuellish practise to blow vp the Parliament house with Gunpowder, to the destruction of his Maiestie, his Queene, and all his Royal issue: with all the Nobilitie, Bishops, Iudges, and chiefe of the Commons of this Realm, with many thousands besides, to the vtter vndoing of this most noble Kingdome.
Their cruelty in Spaine.
LIkewise of this their cruelty which no tongue is able to expresse sufficient testimony would appeare by the most cruell murders vponupon Gods Saints committed from time to time in innumerable abundance both vponupon our country men, there own and others, by the most diuelish and cruell inquisito…s of the Spaniards, but these serpents are become so wise and subtill that there is no certaine record to bée found in any writer of their doings therein, since the booke of Martyrs, but for all their subtilty they cannot hide it from Christ Iesus, at the day of Iudgement,
The cruell practises of the Papists in France.
LIkewise there hel…ish cruelty hath been declared in no place in the world, so plainely as it hath been in France, by the innumerable massacres, and murders of Gods Saints, that they hauehave there committed. I will onelyonly recite one massacre, and the death of their two last Kings of France, for by these and other such like crueltyes alreadie declared out of the Booke of Martyrs, it is easily séene that they are the Brothers of Caine, and Children of the Deuill.
In the yeare one thousand fiue hundred seauenty two, the Duke of Guise by the aduice of the French King Charles the ninth, came with a great company of Souldiours at midnight into the stréetes of Paris, to massacre the Protestants: the marke of the Executioners should be a hankerchéefe tyed about their Armes with a white Crosse in their Hats, and the Pallace Bell ringing at the breake of the day, should giuegive the Signall: they beganne by knocking at the Admirals Gate, who was a Protestant, they stabbed him that came to open the Gate, then they entred the Admirals Chamber: one thrust him through the body, and striketh him on the head; another shot him thorough with a Pistoll, another wounded him in the legs, and eueryevery one of them giuegive him a blow: then the Duke of Guise commanded them to cast him to him out of the Widdow, then the Duke spurned him with his foote, and going into the stréete, said; Courage Companions, we hauehave begunne happily, let vsus procéede to the rest, the King commaunds it. One carried the Admiralls head vntounto the King, and Queen his Mother, who sent it imbalmed vntounto the Pope, and the Cardinall of Lorraine: for assurance of the death of their Capitall enemy, one cut off his head, another his priuy members, and three daies they dragged his carkase with all indignity thorough the streetes, then they hanged it vppe by the feete.
They murdered all his Seruants and Gentlemen in his quarter, with like fury they murdred all the other Protestants throughout the Citty and Subburbs, of all ages, conditions, and Sexes, Men, Women, and Children, rich and poore. There was heard in Paris a lamentable cry of people going vntounto death, a pittifull complaint of such as cryed for mercy: the streete were strewed with carkases, the pauements, market place, and riuer, was died with blood: they destroyed that day aboue ten thousand of innocent Protestants.