A True and Full Narrative of Two Deliverances, Part 1
THE DELIVERANCE OF OUR CHVRCH 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, … 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 forreign 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 Gunpowder Plot: and now to the Plot it self.
The Sessions of Parliament being dissolved, July the 7th. Anno Christi, 1605. and prorogued to the seventh of February following▪ Catesby being at Lambeth, sent for Th…mas 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 Gentlemen, 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 Saint 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 and do.
No Tom (said Catesby) thou shalt not adventure thy self to so small 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 Devillish Devise 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 case 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 adjoyning 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 the Keeper of the place, and Wardrobe thereto belonging: these did Percy hire for his Lodgings, entertaining Guy Fawkes as his man, who changing his name into Johnson had the Keyes, and keeping of the Rooms. 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 Ke…es 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 Percys Rooms appointed for the Scottish Lords to meet in, who were to treat about the union of the two Kingdomes, whereupon they forbore to begin their work: But that Assembly being dissolved upon the eleventh of December, late in the night they entred upon the work of darkness beginning their Mine, having tools afore-hand prepared, and baked meats provided, the better to avoid suspition in case they should send abroad for them.
They which first began the Mine were Robert Catesby Espuire, the Arch-Contriver and Traytor, and ruine of his name, Thomas Percy Esquire, akin to the Earl of Northumberland, Thomas Winter, John Wright, and Guy Fawks Gentlemen, and Thomas Bates, Catesby's 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 adjoyning to the wall of the Parliament House, underpropping 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 acqaintance 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 Abby in Warwickshire with the Lord Harrington, and Ashbey, Catesby's house being not far from the same, whither under a pretence of 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, Armour and other necessaries for War, under pretence of strengthening, 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 forreign Princes they should make privy to this Plot, seeing they could not enjoyn them to 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 dealt 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 adjourned to the fifth day of October ensuing, whereupon they brake off both discourse and work till Candlemass, 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 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 dye 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 this their Enterprize. Fawkes scouted out to see what he could discover abroad, and finding all safe and free from suspition, 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 Porcy 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 fit 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 Stanleys 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 forreign Princes, to allay the odiousness of the fact, and to impute the Treason to the discontented Puritans.
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 engage him all that he could, and to send into England with the first, so soon as their Plot had taken effect: Upon this, Fawkes to avoid further suspicion, kept still in Flanders till the beginning of September, and then returning, received the Keys of the Cellar, and laid in more Powder, Billets and Faggots, which done he retired into the Countrey, 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 th…ir 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 aprehended 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 the Cellar with thirty six Barrels of Gunpowder, and instead of shot, had laid upon them barrs 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 aufert 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, wh…ch 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 a matter of consequence, and advice from some friend: Howsoever, though it were now supper-time, and the night very dark, yet to shew his loyalty to his Soveraign, he immediately repaired to White-Hall,and imparted the Letter to the Earl of Salisbury, then principal Secretary, and they both presently acquainted the Lord …hamberlain 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: and the Letwas 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: and therefore wished that the Rooms under the Parliament House should be throughly 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 rumours, 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 Romes, 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 Master Thomas Percy, and the Cellar also to lay in his Winter Provision, himself being the Keeper of it, and Master: Percy's 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 suspition that the Lord Monteagle had of Percy, and himself of Johnson his man, all which increased his Majesties jealousie, so that he insisted (contrary to the opinion of some) that a narrower search should be made, and the Billets and Coals turned up to the bottom: and accordingly 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) was employed 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 Billet, 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 being no whit daunted, he 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.
As desperate were Catesby, Percy, and the rest, who seeing the Treason discover'd, posted all into Warwickshire, where Grant, and his associates had broken open the Stables belonging to Warwick Castle, and taken some gaeat horses out of the same, to forward their hoped for great day. At Dun-Church Sir Everard Digby had made a match for a great hunting, that under pretence thereof they might seize upon the Lady Elizabeth then at Comb Abby, 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 sly, 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, and so trooping together they wandred through Warwickshire, being pursued by Sir Richard Verney, the then High Sheriff, and from thence they went through Worcestershire into 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 tdem that God had puished 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 thorow, 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 watchfulnes of Gods providence detected, and defeated, and the contrivers of mischief fallen 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, on 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. Fawkes 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 Fawkes so soon as he came into St. 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 heinousness 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 rumour a Massacre should havy gone through the whole Land upon the Puritans. When the contrivance of this Plot was thus discovered by some of the Conspirators, and Fawkes, 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.
FINIS.