THE GUNPOWDER PLOT

Evening Star, Issue 12652, 4 November 1905, Page 3

THE GUNPOWDER PLOT

THE F.VK OF NOVEMBER 5, 1605. WAS IT A CATHOLIC CONSPIRACY? [By a Casual Sttoent.] Though Rome's gross yoke Drops off. no more to no endured, Her teaching is not so obscured Bv errors and perversities 'J'h.-it no troth shines athwart tho lies. And Ho, whose eyo detects a spaTk Even where, to "man's 1 , the whole seems daik, Mav well see flame where each beholder Acknowledges tho emblems smoulder. Browning's 'Christmas Evo and Easter Day.' One's earliest recollections of the sth of November, familiarly known to those of us who can cast tho memory back to any Ensdish town of tliirty years'ago and more as " (luy Fawkes Day," are those of an onlooker or participator in the conversion of a licap of straw, a bundle of rags, a clay pipe, an old and crushed sdk hat into the human form divine. It is trao a sculptor might not have chosen the finished product as a model for, say. the Belvedere Apollo, and keen, critics might hare argued that tho work of our hands bore as near a likeness to a. prehistoric frog as to anything supposed to stand erect on two lei's and'bearing! the outward aspect of a, man and not of a monster; but when a varnished musk of intense vermillion, relieved by dashes of black, had been placed over the huue pimple of stuffed cloth that did duty for a head, and the pipe was fixed firmly in. tho slit that represented the mouth, and the purloined and faded hat stuck knowingly en top, and the whole bound and corded to a wooden chair, borrowed under vows of strict secrecy from the giggling domestic, why, then we stood back and gazed in admiring awe at our handiwork, and danced in glee around our counterfeit presentment of CJuido Fawkes, the Piot<-*taiit soa of a Protestant notary, who was born in the City of York in the year 1570. How our hearts thrilled! Some of us preferred a black mask, the obliging makers considerately blending and settling any historic doubts as to the identity of Othello and Guy Fawkes with a touch of audacity akin to" genius. However, there was our Guy, and migihty proud we were of it. Armed with big sticks (more often than not surreptitiously sawn off the end of a clothes prop), four of us would mount, tho occasionally groggy and dissipated-looking oth>y on. our shoulders, then, followed by a crowd of envious smaller boys, sally forth from the privacy of tho back garden, plant our Guv Fawkes in the pathways to the mo.st likely-looking residences, and burst forth into "the following doggerel:

Oh, please to mnember 'lite fifth of November, And gunpowder treason and plot 1 cce no reaeon Whv gunpowder treason Should ever bo 'forgot. Guv Fawkes, Guy ! Poke him in. the eye (Hsru the -sticks came in). Poke him irp the chim-in-ee, And there let him die! (Thwack, thwack went the sticks.) A penn'orth, of ch«so to choke him,

A gallon of b«r to wash it down, Ami a. good old- faggot to burn.him. Burn his bodfv from his head. Then well holloa " Poke his head! Poke his bead !" (Sticks again oome in handy.)

Ho'loa, boys! Holloa, boys! Mate the bells ring! Holloa, boys! Holloa, boysl God save the King ! Chorus: Hip, hip, hip, hnrrab! "Pleas© to remember the Guy Fawkcs, miss." Our morning's solicitations on behalf of I'ibertv of copscienoe and dora with tyranny amounted, if I recollect rightly, to sevenpence halfpenny, and we had to face many jeriis in getting ham© to ourowr»backyaj-J.

' The highways were full of roving bands of. patriots, for tiroes were the days when the Maypole was to bo seen on May Day, and mummers were in the streets at Christmas time, andf waits could be heard in the watches of the night, and the 6th of November brought forth really formidable gangs of youths, armed with bludgeons and beer, who, in the name of the faith they celebrated, had no hesitation in smash ; ing your 3uy and emptying your pockets of thorr few peace. GunpowdeT, made into a sort of three-cornered 'Chinese firework, n. bonfire m the back lane, and burnt fingers and scorched lashes appropriately ended the great day, unless a visit from mother, as we- lay groaning under the sheets, to fold some soft stuff round our. burning, throbbing fingers, be regarded as an indispensable part of the commemorative festival in which wo had so gloriously participated. And what was it all about? asked little Pcterkin of old Caspar, and Caspar said he did not know; and had we been asked then what wo were celebrating, and why wo were celebrating, our answer must have been tho same. Perhaps, in some dim, vague, hazy sort of way, had we repeated what we had heard, we might have tried to tell how, a long, long time ago, somo wicked, wicked Pnpists had tried lo blow up the Houses of Parliament and the wise, wUo King and the good, good statesmen, but that God had seen everything, and had told someone to warn tho King, and the King, who was very clever, had smdt gunpowder and thought of underground cellars,- and then he sent his soldiers, and they had found the cruel, wicked, bloodthirsty GuyFawkes (and hero we should cast sheep's eyes at cur owi modest attempt at modelling) hiding among barrels of powder and tons of ccals and hundreds of faggots linst like those our Guy was sitting on), and luui taken him away and put him n the Tower of London. And if we were very well versed in popular history, we might go on to say how the good King had saved lingland from tho wicked Roman Catholics, who would have come over from Spain and burnt its all at the stake unless we worshipped the Pope. That, I think, was the child idea; that, in more cultured form, is the manner in which historians were wont to present the conspiracy; that is the view set forth in tho historic prayer " for the happy deliverance of King .lames the First and the Three Estates of England," wherein wc read : "Wo yield Thee our unfeigned thanks and praiso for the wonderful and mighty deliverance of. our gracious Sovereign King James the First, the Queen, the Prince, and all the Royal branches, with tho Nobility, Clergy, anil Commons of England there assembled, in Parliament by Popish treachery appointed as sheep to the slaughter in a most barbarous and savage manner beyond the example of foimer ages.

. . . From this unnatural conspiracy r.ot our merit but Thy mercy delivered us " ; and that would seem to be the belief of tho Protestant Vigilance Committee of Dunedin. The circular issued by this body asks Protestant ministers to bring before their respective congregations on Sunday, November 5, the great mercies God has from time to time shown to the British nation in the past, and more especially His "gracious and providential interference on our behalf on the sth of November, 1605, 'by way of a thankful setting forth of tho goodnes of God in Eis many deliverances from the toils of evil councils, from false teachers, and cruel religious oppression.**

It is worth asking whetlier this is a correct and therefore a just view. Few of us, I imagine, care two straws one way ur the- other. We are content to say that thf past was a savage age, that both Church and State were "the authors of iniquitous laws and sanguinary persecutions—why, then, reviva a controversy that is best forgotten? No one bodv, religiooa or political. ca.n. Pl-ad bnocMca of uru.Uy. ttlld in tho interests of that larger toleration, that new spirit, tvhich now happily prevails in the 'ninds of the vast majority, jrresTttetivo of creed or d:r-omin;'tiori, it is fitting that we should not seek to kindle the emof tiie past. Possibly this is the popular viow, and, subject to modifications, it hj the common-senso view. It would, ever, be neither gratitude nor wisdom to brush aside the memory of past struggles for civil and religious liberty. That which hius been in the past may well be again, and a reverence for the mighty dead, a worship of those ancestors to when! we owe all we are and all wo have, are not the least worthy mediums for giving our sincerity expression. But the attempt, it hardly matters how it is presented, to perpetuate ancient religious hatreds is hardly a happy way of manifesting our appreciation of'present blessings. What Protectants need to remember is fhat they are r.ot in a j-osition to throw stones at any branch of the Christian Church, and no student, of church history will try do so. But there hj a section who apparently believe thnt the discovery of tho fhmpav/der Plot, and the defeat of James I. at the kittle of the Eovne, sav-3d Knglund from a second Spanish" Armada, a St. Bartholomew's live, and a revival of the fires of Smithlie'd. Behoving this, they annually celebrate these historic events, and in so doing awaken bygone passions, and perhaps give pain to thousands of pious Roman Catholic; who would bo cquallv justified in c.rultiiigly commemorating tho death of Elizabeth, the abolition of tho penal laws, or the passing of Cromwell. No Church is immune from reproach. The Anglican Church hits no unassailable position; her treatment of the Scotch Covenanters and the English Dissenters is a conimonplace of history, and fow intelligent Anglicans would strive to excuse tho policy, of the Stuarts, or to point the finger of scorn at the Catholic Church. The Presbvterian Church is on no safer ground. " The House of 1 arliament within six weeks after it had approved the Westminster Confession passed an ordinance decreeing the punishment of death against everyone who denied the doctrine of the Trinity or the orthodox doctrine of the Atonement. The Presbyterian members of tho Assembly bad no doubt at all as to the abiding obligation of the Mosaic law concerning the punisli-rr-ent of heretics." And these things being so, one is puzzled to know why any represfntatives of anv section of the Protcsuuit Church should be asked to-day, here «t the quiet limit of the world, to give thank* to' God on the purely gratuitous assumption that the discovery of the Gunpowder Plot three hundred years ago was a gracious and providential interference to sa\e England from a cruel religious oppression. WAS THE GUNPOWDER PLOT r, conspiracy formed by the Catholics of Eiwland for the overthrow of the Protestan? rclinion and the restoration of 1 upl rupremacv? The answer, and it is an lndbputabte one, is that it was nothing of the kind Savage and horrible as the plot wait was not d plot that had the support .f the Papacy, tho sanction of Spam, nor the approval of tlte vast body of English Catnolics. On the contrary, it vats- not known to any* of these, and what little had been heard as" to the intent of a small body of malcontents, driven to desperation by crue: legislation, was repudiated. Velasco, the Constable of Castile, when on his mission to James 1., was waited on by one of the conspirators, Thomas Winter, who begged the Constable to .use his efforts to have the penal laws against the Catholics repealed. Spain, however, was so cnxious for _ an alliance with England that, rather than risk the consummation of a treaty, the plea of the English Catholics was ignored. The Gunpowder Plot was the direct and logical outcome of the King's bjeach of faith. He had solemnly promised to remove the infamous disabilities the Catholics labored under in Elizabeth's reign. He did not keep his Koyal word—the Stuarts never did—hut fines, imprisonment, exile, death were meted out to them. " If your Lordship and tho State-," wrote Sir Everard Digby to Lord Salisbury, it fit to deal severely with the Catholics, within brief there will be massacres, rebellions, and desperate attempts against the King and State. . . . i It was hoped that the King that now is would have been at least free from persecuting, as his promise was before his coming into this realm, and as divers his promises have been since his coming. All these promises every man sees broken." The plot, in brief, was a revolt against tyranny. It was utterly wrong, unpardonably diabolical, but none the lets an armed protest against the King by law appointed, and, as far as itp religious aspect was concerned, unknown to all but. at jnpsVtwemff- r men. ; -andjjromptly

,'and indignantly repudiated by the English 'Catholic gentry when they were appealed : tor by the conspirators after the plot became known. Hume, it is true, gives a 'somewhat biaseo. version of the conspiracy and of the motives of the conspirators, but •his presentation is not borne out by the State papers. Green, whose delightful rh&tory.may be read with profit in this as in otjfrsß relations, more impartially treats of thief, causes that led to Catosby conceiving the'design of blowing up King and Parliament. That Guido Fawkes was a religious fanatic, tliat his intention was to re : establtsh his church in England, are, of course, obvious truths; but it is also true, and should be equally obvious, id the words with which the' Chambers brothers conclude their article on the Gunpowder Plot, that "the clergy in general, whether secular or regular, and the entire Catholic community, with the exception of a score of fanatics, were innocent of all participation in the plot.'' —The Plot and the Plotters.—_ I have noted the vulgar and popular conception of the man Guido Fawkes. Hownear it is to the reality may be gauged from the following:—Fawkes was commended to the English dissentients by "his devotion to the Catholic cause, his high courage, and. in an age of dissoluteness, his purity of life." Ho was " a nun of great piety, '•of exemplary temperance, of mild and chcer,ful .demeanor, an enemy to broils and dis--'"putes, a faithful friend," and remarkable lor hi? punctual attendance upon religious observances." In Flanders "his society was •sought by all the most distinguished in the archduke's camp for nubility and virtue." That is the historic as opposed to the imaginary portrait, and the curious, who car.--to do so, may contrast the life and char acter of this'high-soulcd fanatic witli ti>court of his most sacred Majesty James I. of England and VI. of Scotland, as briefly 'et forth in Green's •Short History' and ' Isaac Disraeli's 'Sketch of the Age of tin First English Stuart lung.' Thomas Winter having failed in his mis sion to the Spanish envoy, induced Fawkes, whom he had met, to accompany him to England, where, on their arrival, they visited the originator and prime mover in the plot, Robert Calesby, as well a« John Wright and Percy. Their meetings were secret, and a solemn oath was taken by the five " never to disclose, directly or indiiectly. ! by word or circumstance, the matter that i shall be proposed," after which Catesby disclosed his plan. It was approved and continued, the conspirators afterwards hearin" mass and receiving the Sacrament. All the elements associated with deeds of darkness, of which drama or romance tells, were 1 in evidence! Obscure meeting rooms, closed douis, silent greetings, long cloaks, 'slouch haN, swords, dark lanterns, mysterious passage-ways, sign and' countersign, and so on. Fawkes became! the. leading spirit. The work harmonised with his fervid' and unique fanaticism. lie labored in the cause with the zeal of a maityr, ami was sustained by a fervor as ecstatic as that which, in the beginnings of Israel, nerved Jael lo enter i he'tent and slay the sleeping Sisci-i ; or, in the years that were to conn-, that enabled Charlotte Corclay to approach and stab Marat as lie sat in his bath. Dis"uiscd and under feigned mimes, the conspirators hired a house adjoining the Parliament House, and there commenced the 'on" and laborious task of undermining the dividing wall. They also engaged a bmldiu.. on the opposite side of the river, where they stored wood, coals, faggots, iron bars, and "uniHiwdcr, which were subsequently ferried aero;r the river in small quantities, so as to avoid suspicion. All worked at the digging, and excavating, but it was slow, painful, ana. disappointing. Fortune, however, favored them. They weic able to secure an empty and commodious' ccl.ar immcdi:it«lv uoJi the House of Lords, and here they stored their powder, which wa:l hidden in hainpcry, their coiih and wood, the whole being carelessly covered with lumber to as to conceal their purpose shouia any chance visitor enter. By May everything was ready, but as Parliament on, tiot meet till October they dispersed in order not to be seen together. Fawkes alont staving on in London. As tho time drcv, near it was imperative that others shou.d be admitted to the secret, and the five grew to thirteen, whilst yet others were advised that something was to happen. "This addition in numbers was necessary to enable the conspirators to perfect their A-ll designs. The King and Prince o Wales it was thought, would be killed by the explosion, the Duke of York was to be seized, or. failing him, the Princess Elizabeth. Then all were to meet together •in Warwickshire, a rising was to be proclaimed,, a new King chosen, the Protestants driven, out. and Catholic grievances rHitcd Truly the most daring as web as the most atrocious of plots, but hard y an elaborate conspiracy on tie part of the Catholic Church for the overthrow 01 protestantism in England. The King of Spain had in fact, declined the invitation of the most, bitter of the English Catholic party to land an ar.av in England, and the actual authors of the "gunpowder plot were a mere handful of people. It was the fewness of their number that led to the exposure of their villainous intent. Many, staunch Catholic noblemen would be present m Parliament on the opening day, and several of the "an" became anxious lor the saiety of relatives and friends. All sorts, of- expedients were sugsccted to warn them, but each involved an element of danger. Catcsbv alone was prepared to let friend and foo perish in the explosion. 'lhey must all .be blown up," he cried. Meanwhile the meeting of the Chambers was further adjourned to the fifth day of .November, 1605. Fawkes had all his plans perfected; the train was laid; tho slow iuse kept ready, the means of escape decided on ; and he himself watched silently in the dark cellar night ami day, listening for the dread signal. That signal never came The hearts of some of the conspirators failed them, and more than one letter was received bv members of the nobility, in wihich "real, danger was hinted at should they venture to attend the opening of Parliament. The best known of these, that to Lord Mount-eagle, said, inter alia: "As yowe tender vouer lyf to devyse some excuse to shift of your attendance at this parlcament for god and man hath concurred . to punishe the wickednea of this tvme." Lord Salisbury also knew what was going on, though he did not immediately act on Francis Tresham's betrayal, preferring to wait until he could strike the more certainly; whilst it is believed that the French Court had learned something, and had advised England to be on guard. The result is well known. An examination was made bv the Lord Chamberkui of the vaults under the Houses of Parliament the day before the opening, and " Fawkes was seen standing in a corner guarding his treasures." The- Lord Chamberlain hurried to tho King, and again "at midnight on the eve of the now memorable fifth of November" - a party under the charge of Sir Thomas Kncvet, a.magistrate of Westminster, made a descent on the house caught Fawkes as he was shutting the door, and .searched the cellars thorourbly. The sequel was prompt, and terrible. Pound and guarded, Fawkes was taken to Whitehall, where he was personally examined by tho King in the Royal Bedchamber. The prisoner admitted everything, declared his intentions, and expressed his regrets for his failure, but not a single name of his fellc-w-eriminals escaped his lips. He was then taken to the Tower, w4ere torture was applied. The poor wretch was twice placed upon tho rack, and after' the second infliction, or, according to some, the threat of a second period of agony, he confessed to the names of tho sworn conspirators. It was an unnecessary cruelty, as most of his companions in crime had been either shot or arrested. Hume denies that torture was used, but the publication of the State papers of the- time places the accuracy of the charge beyond.doubt. On the 26th January, 1606, there was a splendid gathering of England's wisest and loveliest rn Westminster Hall, and Sir Everard Digby, Guido Fawkes, the two Winters, Rookwood, Grant, Keyes, and Bates were brought up from the Tower to stand their trial. The Lord Chief Justice of England, Sir John Popham, presided, and he was surrounded by the flower of the nobility and the Bfndh. Sir Edward Coke, tho Attorney-General, prosecuted.. A verdict of guilty was returned. The men were taken' back to the Tower; three days later | they were pinioned and bound to hurdles, I jpiacedon sledaes, and dragged; bo-the-scaf-

> fold in St. Paul's Churchyard. Here they met their fate, .amid the execrations of the multitude. Fawkes was the la.t to pay the penalty of his crime. Sick, weak, mangled, he tad to be helped up the ladder. He stood for a few momenta feebly mumbling entreaties for forgiveness and admissions of guilt, and then lie turned, and the axe fell. Thus perished at the age of thirty-six a man who, by virtue of his unique talents, the fascination of his personality, and the greatness of his crime, has. gained an immortality of infamy. i But the Gunpowder Plot cannot honestly be used as a weapon against the Roman Catholic Church. That Church, like all churches that have meddled in politics and striven in temporal affairs, has many crimes laid to its charge, but to refer to the conspiracy which 300 years ago to-day was brought to light as a gigantic and farreaching effort on behalf of the Catholic Churcfli to extirpate Protestantism, and forcibly convert Kngland to her doctrines, is to make a charge that is not sustained by the evidence. In the words of Mr Alexander Charles Ewald, F.S.A., of the Record Office, from whose ' Stories From the Stale Papers' I have drawn portions of the above sketch, not only were many of the chief conspirators converts from Protestantism, and the Old Catholic element in a minority, there being only four representatives among tie plotters, but " we have no evidence that the mass of the English Catholics approved of the plot. On the contrary, such testimony as we possess proves their repugnance of it, and their honor that such a deed should have been considered as authorised by the teaching .•if their Church. . . . The conspirators

bclonged to a body then hostile to the Church, the Pope knew nothing of the deed that was to be perpetrated, and we have no evidence of any of the Catholics of the secular party being accomplices in the Gunpowder treason." And here, I Ihink, I may leave the matter.