What was the Gunpowder Plot? Part 22

Whatever may be thought of this particular element of its history, it is perfectly clear that the fas.h.i.+on in which the Plot was habitually set before the English people, and which contributed more than anything else to work the effect actually produced, was characterized from the first by an utter disregard of truth on the part of those whose purposes it so opportunely served, and with such lasting results.

A SUMMARY.

The evidence available to us appears to establish princ.i.p.ally two points,--that the true history of the Gunpowder Plot is now known to no man, and that the history commonly received is certainly untrue.

It is quite impossible to believe that the government were not aware of the Plot long before they announced its discovery.

It is difficult to believe that the proceedings of the conspirators were actually such as they are related to have been.

It is unquestionable that the government consistently falsified the story and the evidence as presented to the world, and that the points upon which they most insisted prove upon examination to be the most doubtful.

There are grave reasons for the conclusion that the whole transaction was dexterously contrived for the purpose which in fact it opportunely served, by those who alone reaped benefit from it, and who showed themselves so unscrupulous in the manner of reaping.

FOOTNOTES:

[423] _Criminal Trials_, ii. I.

[424] _Nugae Antiquae_, i. 374.

[425] _Harleian Miscellany_, iv. 249.

[426] This terrible state of things was alleged as a princ.i.p.al reason for the prorogation of the Parliament for two months and a half. As a matter of fact, the rebels had been overthrown and captured the day before that on which the king's speech was delivered, and news of that event was received that same evening.

[427] _Commons' Journals._

[428] In the preamble of the Act so pa.s.sed we read: "Forasmuch as it is found by daily experience, that many his Majesty's subjects that adhere in their hearts to the popish religion, by the infection drawn from thence, and by the wicked and devilish counsel of Jesuits, seminaries, and other like persons dangerous to the church and state, are so perverted in the point of their loyalties and due allegiance unto the King's majesty, and the Crown of England, as they are ready to entertain and execute any treasonable conspiracies and practices, as evidently appears by that more than barbarous and horrible attempt to have blown up with gunpowder the King, Queen ..." etc., etc.

[429] _Negotiations_, p. 256.

[430] "Our parliament is prorogued till the 18th of next November. Many things have been considerable in it, but especially the zeal of both Houses for the preservation of G.o.d's true religion, by establis.h.i.+ng many good laws against Popery and those firebrands, Jesuits, and Priests, that seek to bring all things into confusion. His Majesty resolveth once more by proclamation to banish them all; and afterwards, if they shall not obey, then the laws shall go upon them without any more forbearance."--Cecil to Winwood, June 7th, 1606 (Winwood, _Memorials_, ii. 219).

[431] In the _Dictionary of National Biography_, and Doyle's _Official Baronage_, this installation is erroneously a.s.signed to 1605.

[432] _Chronicle_, p. 408.

[433] Continuation of Stowe's _Annals_, p. 883.

[434] Letter iii.

[435] At Northumberland's trial Lord Salisbury thus expressed himself: "I have taken paines in my nowne heart to clear my lord's offences, which now have leade me from the contemplation of his virtues; for I knowe him vertuous, wyse, valiaunte, and of use and ornamente to the state.... The cause of this combustion was the papistes seekinge to restore their religion. Non libens dico, sed res ipsa loquitur."--Hawarde, _Les Reportes_, etc.

[436] _History_, vii. 84, note. On this subject Mr. Sawyer, the editor of Winwood (1715), has the following remark: "We meet with some account of his [Northumberland's] offence, though couched in such tender terms, that 'tis a little difficult to conceive it deserved so heavy a punishment as a fine of 30,000 and perpetual imprisonment."

(_Memorials_, iii. 287, note.)

[437] To Winwood, _Memorials_, iii. 287.

[438] _Traditional Memoirs_, p. 214.

[439] _An Answere to certaine Scandalous Papers, scattered abroad under colour of a Catholicke Admonition._ "Qui facit vivere, docet orare."

Imprinted at London by Robert Barker, Printer to the King's most Eccellent Majestie. Anno 1606.

This was published in January, 1605-6, on the 28th of which month Sir W.

Browne, writing from Flus.h.i.+ng, mentions that "my lord of Salisbury hath lately published a little booke as a kynd of answer to som secrett threatning libelling letters cast into his chamber." (Stowe MSS., 168, 74, f. 308.)

[440] On this subject Cornwallis wrote to Salisbury (Winwood, ii. 193): "Many reports are here spread of the Combination against your Lords.h.i.+p, and that five English Romanists would resolve your death. It seems that since they cannot be allowed _Sacrificium incruentum_, they will now altogether put in use their sacrifices of blood. But I hope and suppose that their hearts and their hands want much of the vigour that rests in their wills and their pens. Your Lords.h.i.+p doth take especial courage in this, that they single you out as the chief and princ.i.p.al watch Tower of your Country and Commonwealth, and turn the strength of their malice to you whom they hold the discoverer of all their unnatural and destructive inventions against their prince and country," etc.

[441] P.R.O. _Dom. James I._ xviii. 97, February 27th, N.S., 1606. The original, which is in Latin, has been utterly misunderstood by the Calendarer of State Papers.

[442] Stonyhurst MSS., _Anglia_, iii. 72.

[443] Thomas Howard, cr. 1603.

[444] To the amba.s.sadors.

[445] Father Blount's account is undoubtedly in keeping with what we know of the Earl, and especially of his Countess, who was a sister of Sir Thomas Knyvet, the captor of Guy Faukes. Suffolk, in 1614, became Lord High Treasurer, but four years afterwards grave irregularities were discovered in his office; he was accused of embezzlement and extortion, in which work his wife was proved to have been even more active than himself. They were sentenced to restore all money wrongfully extorted, to a fine of 30,000, and to imprisonment during pleasure.

[446] In this letter all proper names are in cipher, as well as various other words.

[447] _Church History_, x. 40.

[448] We have four Latin epigrams of Milton's, _In proditionem Bombardicam_, which, though pointless, are bitterly anti-Catholic. A longer poem, of 226 lines, _In quintum Novembris_, is still more virulent.

It is somewhat remarkable that the universal Shakespeare should make no allusion to the Plot, beyond the doubtful reference to equivocation in _Macbeth_ (ii. 3). He was at the time of its occurrence in the full flow of his dramatic activity.

[449] See Appendix L, _Myths and Legends of the Powder Plot_.

[450] Brit. Mus. Print Room, Crace Collection, portf. xv. 28. This is reproduced, as our frontispiece.

[451] There was a new moon at 11.30 p.m. on October 31st.

[452] The reasons a.s.signed in the proclamation for this prorogation are plainly insufficient: viz., "That the holding of it [the Parliament] so soone is not convenient, as well for that the ordinary course of our subjects resorting to the citie for their usuall affaires at the Terme is not for the most part till Allhallowtide or thereabouts." Why, then, had the meeting been fixed for so unsuitable a date?

[453] November 7th, 1605. (_Dom. James I._)

[454] Tanner MSS. lxxv. 44.

[455] _Ibid._

[456] On his arrival in England, as...o...b..rne tells us (_Memoirs_, p.

276), King James "brought a new holiday into the Church of England, wherein G.o.d had publick thanks given him for his majestie's deliverance out of the hands of Earle Goury;" but the introduction was not a success, Englishmen and Scots alike ridiculing it. Gunpowder Plot Day was more fortunate.

[457] _Harleian Miscellany_, iv. 251.

APPENDIX A.