The Gunpowder Plot

The Facts

On the night of November 4^th 1605, a man, Guido Fawkes, was discovered in a cellar beneath the Houses of Parliament. He was standing guard over several barrels of gunpowder. The intention was to blow up the Houses of Parliament on November 5^th.  Guido Fawkes was an explosives expert who had served in the Spanish army.  Fawkes was one of a Catholic group who wanted to see the King replaced with a Catholic monarch.  The members of the group were - Robert Catesby, Guido (Guy) Fawkes, Thomas Winter, John Wright and Thomas Percy.  The group recruited others who were sympathetic to their cause. One of the recruits was Francis Tresham whose brother in law Thomas Monteagle was a Member of Parliament.   Tresham was worried about his brother-in-law’s safety and sent him a letter warning him not to go to parliament.  Tresham alerted the authorities.  Fawkes was arrested and after being tortured he revealed the names of the other conspirators.  Guido Fawkes made a signed confession.  Catesby and Percy were killed resisting arrest. The others were tried for treason, found guilty and executed.   The Protestant View - The Catholic Conspirators were Guilty

This picture shows the conspirators hatching the plot to blow up the King and parliament. They are grouped close together which shows that they are hatching a secret plot.

Robert Catesby, Guido (Guy) Fawkes, Thomas Winter, John Wright and Thomas Percy were known to be Catholics.  Guido Fawkes was a Dutch explosives expert. He was not English so he must have come to England specially to set the explosives.  Francis Tresham was only thinking of his brother-in-law’s safety when he sent the letter.  Gunpowder was not normally kept in the cellars under the Houses of Parliament. It was obviously put there by the conspirators.  Guido Fawkes revealed the names of the conspirators.  Guido Fawkes made a signed confession.

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