Englands Remembrancer, Account 1 – Poem
THE DELIVERANCE OF OUR CHURCH and STATE FROM THE Hellish Powder-Plot, 1605.
THE Plot was to undermine the Parliament-House, and with Powder to blow up the King, Prince, Clergy, Nobles, Knights, and Burgesses, the very confluence of all the flower of Glory, Piety, Learning, Prudence and Authority in the Land: Fathers, Sons, Brothers, Allies, Friends, Foes, Papists, and Protestants, all at one blast.
Their intent, when that irreligious atchievement had been performed, was, to surprize the remainder of the Kings Issue, to alter Religion and Government, and to bring in a Foreign Power. Sir Edmond Baynam, an attainted person (who stiled himself Prince of the damned Crew) was sent unto the Pope as he was a temporal Prince to acquaint him with the Gun-Powder-Plot; and now to the Plot in self.
The Sessions of Parliament being dissolved July the 7th Anno Christi, 1604. and Prorogued to the seventh of February following: Catesby being at Lambeth, sent for Thomas Winter, who before had been imployed into Spain, and acquainted him with the design of blowing up the Parliament-House, who readily apprehending it, said, This indeed strikes at the root; only these helps were wanting; a House for residence, and a skilful man to carry on the Mine: But the first, Catesby assured him was easie to be got; and for the man, he commended Guy Fawkes, a sufficient Souldier, and a forward Catholick: Thus Robert Catesby, John Wright, Thomas Winter, and Guy Fawkes, had many meetings, and Conferences about this business, till at last Thomas Percy came puffing in to Catesby's Lodging at Lambeth, saying, What Gentlemes, shall we alwaies be talking, and never do any thing? You cannot be ignorant how things proceed? To whom Catesby answered, that something was resolved on, but first an Oath for secresie was to be administred: for which purpose they appointed to meet some three days after, behind Clements Church beyond Temple-Bar; where being met, Percy professed that for the Catholick cause, himself would be the man to advance it, were it with the slaughter of the King, which he was there ready to undertake and do.
No Tom (said Catesby) thou shalt not adventure thy self to so small a purpose; if thou wilt be a Traytor, there is a Plot to greater advantage, and such an one as can never be discovered: Hereupon all of them took the Oath of Secresie, heard a Mass, and received the Sacrament, after which Catesby told them his devilish device by Mine and Gunpowder to blow up the Parliament-House, and so by one stroke with the destruction of many to effect that at once which had been many years attempting: and for cause of Conscience to kill the innocent with the nocent, he told them that it was warrantable by the Authority of Garnet himself, the superiour of the English Jesuites, and of Garrard and Tresmond (Jesuitical Priests likewise) who by their Apostolical Power did commend the fact, and absolve the Actors. The Oath was given them by the said Garrard in these words;
You shall swear by the blessed Trinity, and by the Sacrament you now purpose to receive, never to disclose directly, nor indirectly, by word, or circumstance, the matter that shall be proposed to you to keep secret, nor desist from the execution thereof until the rest shall give you leave.
The Project being thus far carried on, in the next place the first thing they sought after, was an House wherein they might begin their work, for which purpose no place was held fitter than a certain Edifice adjoining to the Wall of the Parliament House, which served for a withdrawing room to the Assembled Lords, and out of Parliament time was at the dispose of Mr. Winyard the Keeper of the place, and Wardrobe thereto belonging: these did Percy hire for his Lodgings, entertaining Fawkes as his man, who changing his name into Johnson, had the Keyes, and keeping of the rooms commended to him; Besides this, they hired another House to lay in provision of Powder, and to frame and fit Wood in for the carrying on the Mine, which Catesby provided at Lambeth, and sware Robert Keies into their Conspiracy, whom he made the Keeper of those provisions, who by night conveyed the same unto Fawkes.
The appointed day for the Parliament being the seventh day of February, It was thought fit to begin their work in October before: but Fawkes returning out of the Country, found Percies rooms appointed for the Scottish Lords to meet in, who were to treat about the union of the two Kingdoms, whereupon they forbore for a while to begin their work: But that Assembly being soon dissolved, upon the eleventh of December late in the night they entred upon their work of darkness, beginning their Mine, having tools aforehand prepared, and baked meats provided, the better to avoid suspicion, in case they should send abroad for them.
They which first began the Mine, were Robert Catesby Esquire, the Arch-Contriver and Traitor, and ruine of his name, Thomas Percy Esquire, a Kin to the Earl of Northumberland, Thomas Winter, John Wright, Guy Fawkes, Gentlemen, and Thomas Bates, Catesbies Man, all of them well grounded in the Romish School, and earnest labourers in this Vault of Villany, so that by Christmas-Eve they had brought the Mine under an Entry adjoining to the Wall of the Parliament-House, under-propping the Earth as they went with their framed Timber, nor till that day were they seen abroad of any man.
During this undermining, much consultation was had, how to order the rest of the business, when the deed should be accomplished: the first was, how to surprise the next Heir to the Crown: for though they doubted not but that Prince Henry would Accompany his Father, and perish with him, yet they suspected that Duke Charles, as too young to attend the Parliament, would escape the train, and perchance be so carefully guarded, and attended at Court, that he would be gotten into their hands hardly; But Percy offered to be the remover of this rub, resolving with some other Gentlemen to enter the Dukes Chamber, which by reason of his acquaintance he might well do, and others of his like acquaintance should be placed at several Doors of the Court, so that when the blow was given, and all men in a maze, then would he carry away the Duke, which he presumed would be easily done, the most of the Court being then absent, and for such as were present, they would be altogether unprovided for resistance.
For the surprize of the Lady Elizabeth, it was held a matter of far less difficulty, she remaining at Comb Abbey in Warwickshire with the Lord Harrington, and Ashbey, Catesbies House being not far from the same, whither under a pretence of an hunting upon Dunsmore Heath, many Catholicks should be assembled, who knowing for what purpose they were met, had the full liberty in that distracted time to provide Money, Horses, Armor, and other necessaries for War, under pretence of strengthning and guarding the Heir Apparent to the Crown.
Then it was debated what Lords they should save from the Parliament, and it was agreed that they should keep as many as they could that were Catholicks or Favourers of them; but that all others should feel the smart, and that the treason should be charged upon the Puritans to make them more odious to the World.
Next it was controverted what Foreign Princes they should make Privy to this Plot seeing they could not enjoin them secresie, nor oblige them by Oath, and this much troubled them. For though Spain was held fittest to second their Plot, yet he was slow in his preparations, and France was too near and too dangerous to be dealth with, and how the Hollanders stood affected to England they knew very well▪ But while they were thus busying themselves, and tormenting their brains, the Parliament was again adjourned to the fifth day of October ensuing, whereupon they brake off both discourse, and work till Candlemas, and then they laid in Powder, and other Provisions, beginning their work again, and having in the mean time taken into their Company Christopher Wright, and Robert Winter, being first sworn, and receiving the Sacrament for secresie; the foundation Wall of the Parliament-House, being very hard and nine foot thick, with great difficulty they wrought half through; Fawkes being their Centinel to give warning when any came near, that the noise in digging might not be heard.
The Labourers thus working into the Wall, were suddenly surprized with a great fear, and casting away their digging Tools, betook themselves to their Weapons, having sufficient shot and Powder in the House, and fully resolving rather to die in the place than to yield or be taken. The cause of this their fear was a noise that they heard in a room under the Parliament House, under which they meant to have Mined, which was directly under the Chair of State; but now all on a sudden they were at a stand, and their Countenances cast each upon other, as doubtful what would be the Issue of their enterprize. Fawkes scouted out to see what he could discover abroad, and finding all safe, and free from suspicion, he returned, and told them that the noise was only occasioned by the removal of Coals that were now upon Sale, and that the Cellar was to be let, which would be more commodious for their purpose, and also would save their labour for the Mine. Hereupon Thomas Percy, under pretence of Stowage for his Winter provision and Coals, went and hired the Cellar; which done they began a new Conference, wherein Catesby found the weight of the whole work too heavy for himself alone to support: for besides the maintenance of so many persons, and the several Houses for the several uses hired, and paid for by him, the Gunpowder and other Provisions would rise to a very great sum, and indeed too much for one mans Purse. He desired therefore that himself, Percy, and one more might call in such persons as they thought fit to help to maintain the charge, alledging that they knew men of worth and wealth that would willingly assist, but were not willing that their names should be known to the rest. This request, as necessary, was approved, and therefore ceasing to dig any further in the Vault, knowing that the Cellar would be fitter for their purpose, they removed into it twenty Barrels of Gunpowder, which they covered with a thousand Billets, and five hundred Faggots, so that now their lodging rooms were cleared of all suspicious provision, and might be freely entered into without danger of discovery.
But the Parliament being again Prorogued to the fifth of November following, these persons thought sit that for a while they should again disperse themselves (all things being already in so good a forwardness) and that Guy Fawkes should go over to acquaint Sir William Stanley, and Master Hugh Owen with these their proceedings, yet so, as the Oath of secresie should be first taken by them. For their design was to have Sir William Stanley's presence so soon as the fatal blow should be given, to be a Leader to their intended stratagems, whereof (as they thought) they should have great need, and that Owen should remain where he was, to hold correspondency with Foreign Princes, to allay the odiousness of the fact, and to impute the Treason to the discontented Puritanes.
Fawkes coming into Flanders found Owen, unto whom, after the Oath, he declared the Plot, which he very well approved of, but Sir William Stanley being now in Spain, Owen said, that he would hardly be drawn into the business, having suits at this time in the English Court: yet he promised to ingage him all he could, and to send him into England with the first, so soon as their Plot had taken effect: Upon this, Fawkes to avoid further suspicion, kept still in Flanders all the beginning of September, and then returning, received the Keyes of the Cellar, and laid in more Powder, Billets and Faggots, which done he retired into the Country, and there kept till the end of October.
In the mean time Catesby and Percy meeting at the Bath, it was there concluded that because their number was but few, Catesby himself should have power to call in whom he would to assist their design, by which Authority he took in Sir Everard Digby of Rutlandshire, and Francis Tresham Esquire of Northamptonshire, both of them of sufficient state and wealth; For Sir Everard offered fifteen hundred pounds to forward the action, and Tresham two thousand. But Percy disdaining that any should out-run him in evil, promised four thousand pounds out of the Earl of Northumberlands Rents, and ten swift Horses to be used when the blow was past. Against which time to provide ammunition, Catesby also took in Ambrose Rookwood, and John Grant, two Recusant Gentlemen, and without doubt others were acquainted also with it, had these two grand Electors been apprehended alive, whose own tongues only could have given an account of it.
The business being thus forwarded abroad by their complices, they at home were no less active: For Percy, Winter, and Fawkes had stored this Cellar with thirty six Barrels of Gunpowder, and instead of shot, had laid upon them Bars of Iron, logs of Timber, massie Stones, Iron Crowes, Pick-Axes, and all their working Tools, and to cover all, great store of Billets and Faggots, so that nothing was wanting against that great and terrible day. Neither were the Priests and Jesuits slack on their parts, who usually concluded their Masses with Prayers for the good success of their expected hopes, about which Garnet made these Verses,
Gentem aufer perfidam credentium de finibus:
Vt Christo laudes debitas persolvamus alacriter.
And others thus. Prosper Lord their pains that labour in thy cause day and night: Let Heresie vanish away like smoke: Let their memory perish with a crack like the ruine and fall of a broken house.
Upon Thursday in the Evening, ten days before the Parliament was to begin, a Letter directed to the Lord Monteagle, was delivered by an unknown person to his footman in the street, with a strait charge to give it into his Lords own hands, which accordingly he did: The Letter had neither date, nor subscription, and was somewhat unlegible, so that the Nobleman called for one of his servants to assist him in reading it; the strange contents whereof much perplexed him, he not knowing whether it was writ as a Pasquil to scare him from attendance at the Parliament, or as matter of consequence, and advice from some friend: Howsoever, though it were now Suppertime, and the night very dark, yet to shew his loyalty to his Sovereign, he immediately repaired to Whitehall, and imparted the Letter to the Earl of Salisbury, then principal Secretary, who reading the Letter, and hearing how it came to the Lord Monteagles hands, highly commended his Prudence and Loyalty for discovering it, telling him plainly that whatsoever might be the event, yet it put him in mind of divers Advertisements, wherewithal he had acquainted both the King, and his Council, of some great business which the Papists were in hand with, both at home and abroad against this Parliament, pretending a Petition to the King and Parliament for a toleration of their Religion, but withal, giving out, that it should be delivered in such an order, and so well backed, that the King should be loth to refuse their request. Then did the Earl of Salisbury presently acquaint the Lord Chamberlain therewith, who deemed the matter not a little to concern himself; his Office requiring him to oversee all the places to which his Majesty was to repair: Hereupon these two Counsellors shewed the Letter to the Earls of Worcester and Northampton, and all concluded (how slight soever the contents seemed to appear) to acquaint the King himself with the same, which accordingly was done by the Earl of Salisbury, who upon Friday in the Afternoon (being All-Saints day) taking the King into the Gallery at White-hall, communicated the Letter to him, which was as followeth,
My Lord,
OVT of the love I bear to some of your friends, I have a care of your preservation: Therefore I would advise you as you tender your life, to devise some excuse to shift off your attendance at this Parliament: For God and Man have concurred to punish the wickedness of this time. And think not slightly of this advertisement, but retire your self into your Country, where you may expect the event in safety. For though there be no appearance of any stir, yet I say they shall receive a terrible blow this Parliament, and yet they shall not see who hurts them. This counsel is not to be contemned, because it may do you good, and can do you no harm: For the danger is past so soon as you have burnt the Letter; and I hope God will give you the Grace to make a good use of it, to whose holy protection I commend you.
His Majesty after reading this Letter, pausing a while, and then reading it again, delivered his judgment, that the stile of it was too quick and pithy to be a Libel proceeding from the superfluities of an idle brain, and by these words, That they should receive a terrible blow at this Parliament, and yet not see who hurt them; he presently apprehended, that a sudden danger by a blast of Gunpowder was intended by some base Villain in a Corner, though no insurrection, rebellion, or desperate attempt appeared: But the Earl of Salisbury, perceiving the King to apprehend it deeplier than he expected, told his Majesty that he judged by one sentence in it that it was written either by a Fool, or a Mad-man. For said he, If the danger be past as soon as you have burnt the Letter, then the warning is to little purpose, when the burning of the Letter may prevent the danger.
But the King on the contrary, considering the former sentence, That they should receive a terrible blow at this Parliament, and yet should not see who hurt them, joining it with this other sentence, did thereupon conclude that the danger mentioned should be very sudden by some blast of Gun-Powder: interpreting as soon, for, as quickly▪ and therefore wished that the rooms under the Parliament-House should be thoroughly searched, before Himself or Peers should sit therein: Hereupon it was concluded that the Lord Chamberlain (according to his Office) should view all the rooms above and below: but yet, to prevent idle rumors and to let things ripen further, it was resolved that this search should be deferred till Munday, the day immediately before the Parliament, and that then it should be done with a seeming slight eye to avoid suspect.
According to this conclusion, the Earl of Suffolk, Lord Chamberlain, upon Munday in the Afternoon, accompanied with the Lord Monteagle, repaired into those under rooms, and finding the Cellar so fully stored with Wood and Coals, demanded of Fawkes, the counterfeit Johnson, who stood there attending as a servant of small repute, Who owed the place? He answered that the Lodgings belonged to Mr Thomas Percy, and the Cellar also, to lay in his Winter-provision, himself being the Keeper of it and Mr Percies Servant; whereunto the Earl, as void of any suspicion, told him that his Master was well provided against Winter blasts: But when they were come forth, the Lord Monteagle told him that he did much suspect Percy to be the Inditer of the Letter, knowing his affection in Religion, and the friendship betwixt them professed, so that his heart gave him (as he said) when he heard Percy named, that his hand was in the act.
The Lord Chamberlain returning, related to the King and Council what he had seen, and the suspicion that the Lord Monteagle had of Percy, and himself of Johnson his man, all which increased his Majesties jealousie, so that he insisted that a narrower search should be made, and the Billets and Coals turned up to the bottom; of the same mind also were all the Privy-Counsellors then present: but for the manner how the search was to be made, they agreed not among themselves. For on the one part they were very solicitous for the Kings safety, concluding that there could not be too much caution used for preventing his danger: and yet on the other part they were all extreme loth (in case this Letter should prove nothing but the evaporation of some idle brain) that a too curious search should be made, lest, if nothing were found, it should turn to the great scandal of the King and State, as being so suspicious upon every light and frivolous toy: Besides it would lay an ill-favoured imputation upon the Earl of Northumberland, one of his Majesties greatest Subjects, and Counsellors, This Thomas Percy being his Kinsman, and intimate Friend. Yet at last the search was concluded to be made, but under colour of searching for certain Hangings belonging to the House, which were missing and conveyed away.
Sir Thomas Knevet (a Gentleman of his Majesties Privy-Chamber, and a Justice of Peace in Westminster) was imployed herein, who about midnight before the Parliament was to begin, went to the place with a small, but trusty number of persons: and at the door of the entrance to the Cellar, finding one (who was Guy Fawkes) at so unseasonable an hour, Cloked, and Booted, he apprehended him, and ransacking the Billets, he found the Serpents Nest stored with thirty six Barrels of Powder, and then searching the Villain, he found about him a dark Lanthorn, three Matches, and other instruments for blowing up the Powder: And Fawkes being no whit daunted, instantly confessed his guiltiness, and was so far from repentance, as he vowed, that had he been within the House (as indeed he was but immediately come forth from his work) he would certainly have blown up the House with himself and them all: and being brought before the Council, he lamented nothing so much as because the deed was not done, saying, that the Devil, and not God, was the discoverer of it.
And indeed when this Prisoner was first brought into Whitehall, in respect of the strangeness of the thing, no man was restrained from seeing, and speaking with him, and not long after the Lords of the Council examined him: But he put on such a Romane resolution, that both to the Council, and to all others that spake to him that day, he seemed fixed, and settled in his resolution of concealing his complices; and notwithstanding the horror of the fact, the guiltiness of his Conscience, his sudden surprize, the terror which should have been stricken into him, by coming into the presence of so noble and grave a Council, and the restless and confused questions that every man all that day did vex him with; yet was his countenance so far from being dejected, that he often smiled in a scornful manner, answering quickly to every mans questions, scoffing at those that were impertinent, and jesting at such as he thought had no authority to examine him. Before the Council he refused to answer to such questions as he thought might discover the Plot: took all the blame upon himself, whereunto he said he was moved only for Religion, and Conscience sake: denying the King to be his lawful Sovereign, because he was an Heretick.
As desperate were Catesby, Percy, and the rest, who seeing the treason discover'd, posted all into Warwickshire.
About the same hour of the night wherein Fawkes was apprehended, one Grant a Gentleman, having associated to himself others of his opinion, all desperate Papists, broke open the Stables of Mr Bennock, a Rider of great Horses at Warwick Castle, and carried away eight of them, which belonged to divers Noblemen, and Gentlemen of that Country, who had put them into Mr Bennock's hand to fit them for their service, and so both they which had fled from London, and Grant and his Company met on that Tuesday night at Dun-Church, at Sir Everard Digbies Lodgings, who had made a match for a great Hunting, upon Dunsmore-heath, that under pretence thereof they might seize upon the Lady Elizabeth then at Comb-Abbey, with the Lord Harrington, but when by those which posted from London they were informed that they were discovered, and pursued, being struck with a great fear, not knowing whither to fly, they desperately began an open Rebellion, pretending that they did it for the cause of Religion, all the Catholicks throats being intended to be cut.
But the violent taking away of those Horses in the night, seemed even in the eyes of the common-people to be so great a riot, though they knew nothing more, that it begat in their hearts a suspicion of some following Rebellion, so that all sorts both great and small began to arm themselves upon this unexpected accident. And old Sir Fulk Grevil of Beauchamps-Court, being Deputy-Lieutenant of Warwickshire, though aged and infirm, yet out of his zeal for the peace and welfare of his Country, presently took order to get into his hands the Ammunition and Arms of all such Gentlemen as were absent from their Houses, or Popishly affected, and sent such directions to the Towns about him, that thereupon when these Rebels came to Ilcester, a poor Smith stroke Winter, who had likewise been taken by the Townsmen but that he was rescued by his Companions. Yet sixteen of their followers were taken and sent to the Sheriff at Warwick, and from thence to London.
In the mean time the rest wandred through Warwickshire, being pursued by Sir Richard Verney, the then High-Sheriff, and from thence they went through Worcestershire into the Borders of Staffordshire, their Servants and followers being about eighty men, who also stole away many of them from them. Thus ranging about, and finding no resistance, they rifled the Lord Windsors House of all the Armour, Shot, Powder, and all other Warlike provisions: but the weather being rainy, and the waters somewhat high, the Powder in Carriage took wet, and so became unserviceable.
For their last refuge they betook themselves to Holbach House in Staffordshire, belonging to Steven Littleton, whither they were pursued by the High-Sheriff of Worcestershire, who not knowing of the treason, and thinking it to be only some fray, or riot, sent his Trumpeter unto them, commanding them to render themselves to him his Majesties Minister: But their Consciences witnessing what the Sheriff knew not, answered, that he had need of greater assistance than of those few that were with him, before he could be able to command or controul them: and so they prepared for resistance, and having laid two pounds of the said Powder into a Platter to dry in the Chimney, one coming to mend the fire threw in a Billet, whereby a spark flew into the Powder, whose sudden blast was so violent, that though so small a quantity, it blew up the roof of the House, scorching the Bodies and Faces of Catesby, Rookwood, and Grant, and some others, whose Consciences now told them that God had punished them justly with Powder, who with Powder would have destroyed so many. Being dispirited with this accident, yet like desperate men, they resolved to die together, set open the Gates, and suffered the Sheriffs men to rush in upon them, and presently both the Wrights were shot down dead: Rookwood and Thomas Winter were very sorely wounded, Catesby and Percy desperately fighting back to back, were both shot through, and slain with one Musket Bullet: the rest being taken, were carried Prisoners to London, being all the way gazed at, reviled and detested by the common people for their horrid, and horrible treason: and so at last they received the just guerdon of their wickedness.
Thus you have seen this work of darkness by the watchfulness of Gods providence detected and defeated, and the contrivers of mischief faln into the Pit that they digged for others: Now let us see also how cunningly they contrived the transferring the Odium of it upon the Puritans.
There was one Mr Pickering of Tichmarsh-Grove in Northamptonshire, that was in great esteem with King James. This Mr Pickering had a Horse of special note for swiftness, on which he used to hunt with the King. A little before the blow was given, Mr Keies, one of the Conspirators and Brother in Law to Mr Pickering, borrowed this Horse of him, and conveyed him to London upon a bloody design which was thus contrived. Fawks upon the day of the fatal blow was appointed to retire himself into St. Georges Fields, where this Horse was to attend him to further his escape (as they made him believe) so soon as the Parliament House should be blown up. It was likewise contrived, that Mr Pickering who was noted for a Puritan, should that Morning be murthered in his Bed, and secretly conveyed away: as also that Fawks so soon as he came into Georges Fields to escape, should be there murthered, and so mangled, that he could not be known: whereupon it was to be bruited abroad that the Puritans had blown up the Parliament-House, and the better to make the World believe it, there was Mr Pickering with his choice Horse ready to make an escape, but that stirred up some, who seeing the hainousness of the fact, and him ready to escape, in detestation of so horrible a deed, fell upon him and hewed him in pieces, and to make it more clear, there was his Horse, known to be of special speed and swiftness, ready to carry him away, and upon this rumor a Massacre should have gone through the whole land upon the Puritans. When the contrivance of this Plot was thus discovered by some of the Conspirators, and Faux, who was now a Prisoner in the Tower made acquainted with it, whereas before he was made to believe by his Companions that he should be bountifully rewarded for that his good service to the Catholick Cause, now perceiving that on the contrary his Death had been contrived by them, he thereupon freely confessed all that he knew concerning that horrid Conspiracy, which before all the tortures of the rack could not force him unto.
The truth of all this was attested by Mr William Perkins, an eminent Christian and Citizen of London to Dr Gouge, which Mr Perkins had it from the mouth of Mr Clement Cotton, that made our English Concordance, who also had it from the Relation of Mr Pickering himself.
The Names of those that were first in this Treason and laboured in the Mine, were
Robert Catesby, Robert Winter, Esquires; Thomas Percy, Thomas Winter, John Wright, Christopher Wright, Guy Fawkes, Gentlemen, and Bates, Catesbies man.
Persons made acquainted with it, and Promoters of it, were
Sir Everard Digby, Knight; Ambrose Rookwood, Francis Tresham, Esquires; John Grant, Gentleman; Robert Keyes.
This prodigious contrivance did not only stupifie the whole Kingdom with consternation and amazement, but Foreign Princes, at least, seemed to wonder at it also, and though (for the propagation of the Catholick cause) they might have Conscience enough to wish that it had taken effect, yet they had policy enough to congratulate the discoverers; and some of them, to take off the asperity of the suspect, sweetned their expressions with many rich gifts to our King and Queen.
The Parliament by reason of the hurry occasioned hereby, met not till the ninth of November: at which time Henry Lord Mordant, and Edward Lord Sturton not coming to the Parliament according to their Writ of Summons, were suspected as having knowledge of the Conspiracy; and so was the Earl of Northumberland, from some presumptions, and all three were Committed to the Tower. The two Barons after a while were redeemed by fine in Starchamber, but the Earl continued a Prisoner there for many years after.
How the Parliament was affected for this great deliverance of the whole Kingdom from ruine and destruction, will appear by the Act which they made to have the fifth of November for ever solemnized with Publick Thanksgiving: wherein they imputed the discovery of the Treason to the inspiring the King with a divine spirit to interpret some dark Phrases of the Letter, above, and beyond all ordinary construction: they attainted also the blood of those Traytors that were executed, as also of those that were slain at Holbach-House, or that died in Prison: and the King being not unmindful of the Lord Monteagle, the first discoverer of this Treason, gave him, and his Heirs for ever, two hundred pounds a year in Fee-Farm Rents, and 500l a year besides, during his life, as a reward for his good service. But now to the Act it self.
An Act for a Publick Thanksgiving to Almighty God every year on the fifth of November.
FOrasmuch as Almighty God hath in all Ages shewed his Power, and Mercy in the miraculous, and gracious deliverance of his Church; and in the protection of Religious Kings and States; and that no Nation of the Earth hath been blessed with greater benefits than this Kingdom now enjoyeth, having the true and free profession of the Gospel under our most Sovereign Lord King James, the most Great, Learned, and Religious King that ever reigned therein, enriched with a most hopeful and plentiful Progeny, proceeding out of his Royal Loyns, promising the continuance of this happiness, and profession to all Posterity: the which many malignant and Devillish Papists, Jesuits, and Seminary Priests, much envying, and fearing, conspired most horribly, when the Kings most Excellent Majesty, the Queen, the Prince, and all the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, should have been Assembled in the Vpper House of Parliament, upon the fifth day of November in the year of our Lord 1605. suddenly to have blown up the said House with Gunpowder; an invention so inhumane, barbarous, and cruel, as the like was never before heard of; and was (as some of the principal Conspirators confess) purposely devised, and concluded to be done in the said House, that, where sundry necessary and Religious Laws for preservation of the Church and State were made, which they falsly and slanderously term cruel Laws, enacted against them and their Religion; both place and persons should be all destroyed and blown up at once, which would have turned to the utter ruine of this whole Kingdom, had it not pleased Almighty God, by inspiring the Kings most Excellent Majesty with a divine spirit, to interpret some dark phrases of a Letter shewed to his Majesty, above, and beyond all ordinary construction, thereby miraculously discovering this hidden Treason, not many hours before the appointed time for the Execution thereof. Therefore the Kings most Excellent Majesty, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and all his Majesties faithful and loving Subjects do most justly acknowledge this great and infinite blessing to have proceeded meerly from Gods great mercy, and to his most holy name do ascribe all Honour, Glory, and Praise.
And to the end this unfeigned thankfulness may never be forgotten, but be had in a perpetual remembrance, that all Ages to come may yield praises to his Divine Majesty for the same, and have in memory this joyful day of deliverance.
Be it therefore enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and by the Commons in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same: That all and singular Ministers in every Cathedral, and Parish Church, or other usual place for Common-Prayer, within this Realm of England, and the Dominions of the same, shall alwaies upon the fifth day of November say Morning Prayer, and give unto Almighty God thanks for this most happy deliverance; and that all and every person and persons inhabiting within this Realm of England, and the Dominions of the same, shall alwaies upon that day diligently and faithfully resort to the Parish Church or Chappel accustomed, or to some usual Church or Chappel where the said Morning Prayer, Preaching, or other service of God shall be used, and then and there to abide orderly, and soberly, during the time of the said Prayer, Preaching, or other service of God, there to be used and ministred.
And because all and every person may be put in mind of this duty, and be the better prepared to the said holy service. Be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, that every Minister shall give warning to his Parishioners publickly in the Church at Morning Prayer the Sunday before every such fifth of November, for the due observation of the said day. And that after Morning Prayer or Preaching on the said fifth day of November, they read distinctly and plainly this present Act.
Upon the Powder-Plot.
OH Murtherous Plot! Posterity shall say,
'S Vnholyness o'reshoots Caligula.
The Pope by this and such designs ('tis plain)
Out-Babels Nimrod, and out-Butchers Cain.
Monteagle's Letter was in dubious sence,
And seem'd a piece of Stygian Eloquence:
The Characters look'd just like conj'ring spells;
For this bout Hell here spoke in Parables.
The Popes and Devil's Signet were set to't,
The Cloven Miter join'd to th' cloven foot.
Thus were our Senates like to be betray'd,
By a strange Egg in Peters Chair 'twas laid:
For had the Serpent hatcht it, the device
Had prov'd to us a bainful Cockatrice.
But Fawkes his bafled hopes only bequeath,
Instead of Comforts, thoughts of sudden death.
Like Hamans Fate he only must aspire
To the just advance of fifty Cubits higher.
But couldst thou think thou monstrous Beast of Rome,
To Massacre at one sad blow by Doom,
And cast them down whom Heaven decreed to stand?
Dark Lanthorns, whilst Truths Candlestick is here,
Thy Purple Plots our Nation need not fear.
The Beastly Whore may lay her Trump'ries by,
Vntil our sins are of her purple-die.