What was the Gunpowder Plot? Part 23

NOTES ON THE ILl.u.s.tRATIONS.

_Frontispiece. The Powder Plot. I._

FROM the Crace Collection, British Museum, _Portf._ xv. 20. Thus described in the catalogue of the collection:

"A small etching of the House of Lords. Guy Fawkes in the foreground.

W.E. exc. 1605."

This plate is of exceptional interest as having been executed within five months of the discovery of the Plot, _i.e._, previously to March 25th, 1606, the first day of the year, Old Style.

Guy Faukes is represented as approaching the House of Commons (St.

Stephen's Chapel), not the House of Lords, as the catalogue says.

_t.i.tle-Page._

Obverse, or reverse, of a medal struck, by order of the Dutch senate, to commemorate the double event of the discovery of the Gunpowder Plot and the expulsion of the Jesuits from Holland. Drawn from a copy of the medal in pewter, by Paul Woodroffe. The design here exhibited is thus described in Hawkins and Frank's _Medallic Ill.u.s.trations_:

"The name of Jehovah, in Hebrew, radiate, within a crown of thorns."

"Legend, chronogrammatic,

Non DorMItastI AntIstes IaCobI"

[which gives the date 1605]

On its other face the medal bears a snake gliding amid roses and lilies [symbolizing Jesuit intrigues in England and France], with the legend _Detectus qui latuit. S.C._ [Senatus Consulto]."

This is reproduced on the cover.

_Group of Conspirators_ (p. 3).

From a print published at Amsterdam.

Eight conspirators are represented, five being omitted, viz., Grant, Keyes, Digby, Rokewood, and Tresham.

Bates, as a servant, wears no hat.

_The Houses of Parliament in the time of James I._ (pp. 56-7).

Restored from the best authorities, and drawn for the author by H.W.

Brewer.

_Ground Plan of House of Lords and adjacent Buildings_ (p. 59).

Extracted from the "Foundation plan of the Ancient Palace of Westminster; measured, drawn and engraved by J. T. Smith" (_Antiquities of Westminster_, p. 125)

_The House of Lords in 1807_ (p. 61).

From J.T. Smith's _Antiquities of Westminster_.

This sketch, made from the east, or river, side, was taken during the demolition of the buildings erected against the sides of the Parliament House. These were put up previously to the time when Hollar made his drawing of the interior (temp. Charles II.), which shows the walls hung with tapestry, the windows having been blocked up.

According to a writer in the _Gentleman's Magazine_ (No. 70, July, 1800), who signs himself "Architect," in a print of the time of James I.

the tapestry is not seen, and the House "appears to have preserved much of its original work." The only print answering to this description which I have been able to find exhibits the windows, but is of no value for historical purposes, as it is a reproduction of one of the time of Queen Elizabeth, the figure of the sovereign alone being changed. This engraving is said to be "taken from a painted print in the Cottonian Library," of which I can find no trace. [B. Mus., K. 24. 19. b.]

To the left of our ill.u.s.tration is seen the gable of the Prince's Chamber. The door to the right of this opened into the cellar, and by it, according to tradition, Faukes was to have made his exit.

In front of this is seen part of the garden attached to Percy's lodging.

_Interior of "Guy Faukes' Cellar"_ (p. 71).

Two views of the interior of the "cellar," drawn by H. W. Brewer, from elevations in J.T. Smith's _Antiquities of Westminster_, p. 39.

The remains of a b.u.t.tery-hatch, at the southern end, testify to the ancient use of the chamber as the palace kitchen; of which the Earl of Northampton made mention at Father Garnet's trial.

The very ancient doorway in the eastern wall, seen on the left of the picture, was of Saxon workmans.h.i.+p, and, like the foundations beneath, probably dated from the time of Edward the Confessor, who first erected this portion of the palace, most of which had been rebuilt about the time of Henry III. By this doorway, according to some accounts, Faukes intended to escape after firing the train, though others a.s.sign this distinction to one near the other end.

These two ill.u.s.trations were originally prepared for the _Daily Graphic_ of November 5th, 1894, and it is by the courtesy of the proprietors of that journal that they are here reproduced.

_Vault under the East End of the Painted Chamber_ (p. 73).

From Brayley and Britton's _Palace of Westminster_, p. 247.

This has been constantly depicted and described as "Guy Faukes' Cellar."

_Arches from Guy Faukes' Cellar_ (p. 75).

Drawn for the author by H. W. Brewer.

Sir John Soane, who in 1823 took down the old House of Lords, removed the arches from the "cellar" beneath it, to his own house in Lincoln's Inn Fields, now the Soane Museum, where they are still to be seen in a small court adjoining the building. They do not, however, appear to have been set up precisely in their original form, being dwarfed by the omission of some stones, presumably that they might occupy less s.p.a.ce.

In our ill.u.s.tration they are represented exactly as they now stand, with the modern building behind them. Some incongruous relics of other stonework which have been introduced amongst them have, however, been omitted.

The architecture of these arches, and of the adjacent Prince's Chamber, a.s.signs them to the best period of thirteenth century Gothic.

_Cell at S.E. corner of Painted Chamber_ (p. 83).

Often styled "Guy Faukes' Cell."