The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-11-06 00:00:00

THE GUNPOWDER PLOT.

SOME ACCOUNT OF THE RISE, PROGRESS, DISCOVERY
AND OVERTHROW OF THE GUNPOWDER TREASON
OTHERWISE CALLED THE POPISH PLOT OF 1605 & 6.

'orn a Corre

The year 1605-6 furnishes the world with an event not to
be parallelled in the whole range of history ; namely, the
Gunpowder plot, which affords a striking instance of the de-
pravity of the human mind when blinded by religious preju-
dices. The papists disappointed when Mary Stuart would
not mitigate the laws in their favour, began now to think of
overthrowing the_government ; and in this they were merely

acting up to the intolerant and persecuting principles of the
Council of Trent, which commands them to destroy heretics.
Robert Catesby, a gentleman descended from an ancient fa-
mily, of good pacts, and master of a considerable estate, was
it would seem, the first who harboured the idea of overturn-
ing the English government; and in order to carry his design
into execution, he made several journeys to the court of
Philip, king of Spain, in order to procure an army of Span-
iards to land in England. Having opened his mind to Tho-
mas-Percy, a descendant of the house of Northumberland
Percy, in a fit of enthusiastic zeal, hinted t
sassinating the king. Catesby answered
even if successful, 'conk

I, before

sure and ample vf
i

Kent hou,

A and

That the attempt
t possibly remove the evil, anc

'eeping revenge was

d a feu;

1 alt be des-
Td upon the

;he first

,portunity of a

wsily I

Ye run untie,
ler prop erlj

, ?mu Oury all our enemies in one common ruin.'
was highly pleased with the contrivance of Catesby

Winter, who was immediately despatched to Flanders in
search of the notorious Guy Faukes, whose zeal, and des-
perate enterprize they were well acquainted with. Faukes
was soon found, and soon entered into the damnable con-
spiracy, with all the ardour of biggotted enthusiism. A
house was hired in Percy's name, adjoining that in which the
parliament was to assemble ; and it was arranged to carry a
mine from the cel!ar, under the room in which the King was
delivering his speech to both houses, to set fire to the maga-
zine, and destroy the whole assembled parliament by one
dreadful blast ; and thus make, as they said, the very spot
where laws for proscribing the catholic religion had been
made, the scene of this dreadful catastrophe. These con-
sultations were held in the month of December, in the pre-
ceding year; and it being expected that parliament would
meet in February, they began immediately their accursed la-

bour of borm

carried it on with astonishit

perseverance.- Relieving one another by turns, the work
never flagged ; and that no alarm might be given to the
neighbourhood, they took the precaution to enter Percy's
house by night, and carry with them their provisions suffici-
ent to support them. They had also provided themselves
with fire arms, and ammunition, fully determined, in case of
being discovered, to perish rather than be taken. When
they had penetrated a considerable way into the wall which
divided the cellar of Percy's house from that under the
House of Lords, they were greatly terrified at a noise that
seemed to proceed from the other side of the wall; and upon
inquiry it was found that the place whence the noise pro-
ceeded was a large coal vault under the House of Lords, that
the coals were selling off, and that the vault was to be let to
the highest bidder. This opportunity was not to be neglect-
ed. Percy immediately hired the place, deposited in it more
than twenty barrels of powder, and covered the whole over
with faggots. Everything was now ready for the dreadful
Llast ; but the parliament being prorogued to the fifth of
November, the conspirators had more time to finish their dia-
bolical undertaking. More faggots were carried into the
vault, and the door boldly thrown open, as if it contained
nothing dangerous, or that ought to be concealed. The
great success which the conspirators had hitherto enjoyed in
their infernal undertaking rendered them confident of suc-
cess, and they began to deliberate on the ensuing part of
their project. The Duke of York, whose tender age prevent-
ed his being present at the opening of parliament, they
agreed must be secured, as well as his sister, the Princess
Elizabeth, who was then at Lord Harrington's, in Warwick-
shire. Percy undertook to secure and assassinate the Duke;
and Sir Everard Digby, Ambrose Rokewood, and John
Grant, who were now let into the secret of the conspiracy,
engaged to assemble their friends under pretence of a hunt-
ing match, seize that Princess and immediately proclaim her
queen. Some proposed to apply immediately to foreign
courts for assistance, but this was thought too dangerous a
step ; and, it was resolved to make no application of that
kind till the plot had taken effect.
The conspirators waited impatiently for their day of ven-
geance, and the horrid secret, though communicated to above
twenty persons, had been religiously kept for almost a year
and a half. No remorse, no pity, no fear of punishment, no
hope of reward, had as yet induced any single conspirator
either to abandon the enterprise, or to disclose the cursed
secret. Popery seemed to have extinguished every generous
feeling in their breasts, when a mere act of private friendship
saved the nation from inevitable destruction. It was this:—
About ten days before the meeting of parliament, Lord
Monteagle, a Roman Catholic peer, son to Lord Morley, re-
ceived the following letter, which had been delivered to his
servant by a person unknown : _

" My Lord,—Out of the love I bear to some of your
friends, I have a care for 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 yourself into your country, where you may expect the

_ .
event in safety; for though there be no appearance of any
stir, yet I say they will receive a terrible blow this parlia-
ment, and yet they shall not see who hurts them. This coun-
sel is not to be contemned, because it may do you good, artd
can do you no harm ; for the danger is past as soon as you
have burnt this letter ; and I hope God will give you grace
to make good use of it, to whose holy protection I commend
you."

The letter was shown, by Lord Monteagle to his Majesty,
who conjectured, from the serious and earnest manner of its
style, that something very dangerous and important was in-
tended, and that the effect, which was represented to be at
once both sudden and terrible, seemed to denote some con-
trivance by gunpowder ' • and his Majesty was therefore of
opinion that search should be made in the vaults under the
parliament-house, on the day previously to the assembling of
its members. Accordingly, on the 4th of November the lord
chamberlain visited all the places about the parliament-house,
and, lo !. in one of the corners of the cellar stood Guy Fawkes,
who passed for Percy's servant. The lord chamberlain was
struck with the appearance of the man, in whose countenance
all the marks of ferocious courage were conspicuously paint-
ed. Percy was known to be a rigid Papist, and to reside
very little in town; and the large quantity of fuel found in
the cellar was therefore considered something extraordinary.
On this account it was thought necessary to make a more

particular inspection of the cellar, but in such a manner as
should render the search effectual, without giving the least
alarm. These resolutions being taken, Sir Thomas Knevet,
a justice of the peace, with proper attendants, was sent, about
midnight, to examine the cellar, under pretence of searching
for stolen goods. Fawkes had just finished all his prepara-
tions, and was coming out of the cellar, when Knevet arrived.
The daring conspirator was immediately seized ; and after
removing the billets, the barrels of powder were discovered.
Fawkes had a dark lantern in his hand, and matches, with
every thing necessary for setting fire to the powder, were
found in his pockets. The guilt of this determined conspi-

rator was now sufficiently apparent, and knowing that all de-
nial would he in vain, he avowed the design, and averred that
it would have been executed on the morrow, at the same
time expressing the utmost regret that he had lost the op-
portunity of setting fire to the powder, and of softening his
own death with the pleasure of perishing with his enemies.
He expressed the same intrepid boldness when examined be-
fore the council, but shortly afterwards made a full disclo-
sure of the whole plot, and of every person concerned in it.
The conspirators were all Roman Catholics, and the princi-
pal part of thenk at this time resided in town ; and though
they knew that the letter to Monteagle had alarmed the mi-
nistry, and even that a search was intended to be made by
the lord chamberlain, yet they never abandoned their hopes
of success fill they heard that Fawkes was taken. It was
then, indeed, too evident that the whole plot was discovered,
and they fled immediately into Warwickshire, where Sir
Everard Digby, persuaded that the attempt had succeeded,
was already in arms to seize the Princess Elizabeth, who had
prevented their design by taking refuge in Coventry.
The whole country was now alarmed, and Sir Richard
Walsh, high constable of 'Worcestershire, assisted by a great
number of the inhabitants, surrounded the conspirators in
Holbeach, the seat of Sir Stephen Littleton. The number
of the conspirators, including all their attendants, did not ex-
ceed 80; but notwithstanding their inferiority, they prepared
for a vigorous defence, determined either to perish or escape.
But misfortune still pursued them ; for having put some
moist powder before a fire to dry, a spark from the coals set
it on tire, and some of them were so burned that they were
scarce able to handle their weapons. Their case was despe-
rate, and no means of escape appearing, unless by forcing
their way through the assailants, they made a desperate sally
for that purpose. Catesby (who first proposed the manner
of the plot) and Percy were both killed. Thomas Winter,
Grant, Digby, Rookewood, and Bates were taken prisoners,
and brought to London, where the former made an ample
confession of the whole conspiracy. Several others were con-
fined in the country, and some few, making their escape, fled
to the continent.

STOCKHOLM, Oct. 20.—Charles Napier Bey,, optician to
the Pasha of Egypt, who is provided with strong recom-
mendations of his skill, particularly in the cure of squinting,
has been brought before the Gottenburgh police by the town
physician because he had there undertaken to perform opera-
tions. However, Dr. Evert, the prosecutor, has not attempt-
ed to charge him with improper medical practice, or failure
to cure. It appears therefore very injudicious to put impedi-
ments lei the way of so useful an object, especially in a coun-
try where it is a very general complaint that too many peo-
ple see things awry.—Aftonblatt.
WHIG PRINCIPLES ILLUSTRATED.—" D—n the loco
focos !" said a cidertie the other day, giving an exposition of
his own and his candidate's principles—" they say that all
who do business on borrowed capital ought to break ! That
doctrine is at war with My interest. I'm in favour of the
credit system ; and if I could only borrow a crowbar, how
easy I could open a good grocery somewhere.—Savannah
Telegraph.
THE QUEEN AND HER PARENTS' DEBTS.—At the con-
clusion of the year 1839, it was found that the Queen, though
not in debt, had expended every shilling of her income, a
fact that led to the knowledge of proceedings on her part
with which, even now, the public are not generally acquainted.
The painful circumstances of pecuniary difficulty in which her
Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent was left a widow, are
no secret. These circumstances had naturally led to involve-
ment in debt on her own account, which gave that excellent
Princess great pain. It was the firm and honourable resolve
of the Royal Victoria, that the name of neither of her be-
loved parents should be discussed in the senate of her coun-
try with requisitions for the payment of debts. After paying
her father's debts with interest, out of the savings of her
maiden reign, she resolved that her living parent's heart should
no longer be loaded with the worst of anxieties. But she
kept her intentions secret, and invited herself to breakfast
with her illustrious mother, on the last birthday of the
Duchess, who saw a packet directed to her on the breakfast
table by the side of her plate. On opening it, the Duchess of
Kent found it contained receipts for every outstandin,, debt
she had in the world. The wisdom of this action, preceding
as it did, the premeditated change in her Majesty's life, was
great ; for expenses: she foresaw, would inevitably increase,
upon her after marriage, which might leave her in the painful
predicament of unfulfilled good intentions. Such a position
by no means suits the sterling, though unpretending charac-
ter of our Queen. She could encounter personal privation,
but not the' relinquishment of the good she had from child-
hood bent all the energies of her character on doing. Yes,
nothing less than personal privation, for she had set her mind
about this time, on possessing a pair of bracelets of a new
pattern, which had been sent to her for her approval. Their
price amounted but to the humble sum of X 25. Just as she
was fitting them on, one of her ladies entered with a petition.
from a veteran officer who had served under the Duke of
Kent. The widow and her family were in great and unde-
served distress. The Queen listened to the narrative, took
off the bracelets, replaced them silently in their case, and
handed over the X 25 with which she meant to have purchased
them to the relief of the widow. Her honourable and dutiful
feelings towards her parents had first made £25 an object to
her, and she then sacrificed that small sum, which might have
procured her a personal indulgence, to charity.— Queen Vic-
toria/nu; her Birth to her Bridal.

CELEBRATION OF THE FIFTH OF NOVEMBER

IN LIVERPOOL

The thanksgiving service appointed by the rubric to be
held in the Church of England, in commemoration of the
happy escape of James the First and the Parliament from the
plot formed by popish conspirators for their destruction,
were celebrated yesterday in most of the churches of Liver-
pool. Both morning and evening sermons were delivered in
St. Jude's, Christ Church, All Saints', St. Mary's, and
others, by the Rev. Hugh M'Neile, the Rev. Fielding Ould,
the Rev. M. Crotty, the Rev. W. Mansfield, the Rev. J.
Baylee, the Rev. T. D. Gregg, and others. The churches
were attended by large congregatidns, notwithstanding the
calls of business and the disadvantages of an unpromising day.
Last evening, the Rev. Hugh M'Neile (who had been
preaching in Mr. Stowell's church, at Salford, Manchester,
in the forenoon) delivered a most argumentative and eloquent
discourse to an overflowing congregation, in St. Jude's. He
selected the subject of his discourse from the 78th Psalm,
from the 4th to the 7th verse. "We will not hide them from
our children, spewing to the generation to come the praises
of the Lord and his strength, and his wonderful works that
he bath done. For he established a testimony in Jacob, and
appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers
that they should make there known to their children. That
the generation to come might know them, even the children
which should be born : who should announce and declare
them to their children : that they might set their hope in
not forget the works of God but keep his com-
aments."

God, and

The rev. gentler

began by sheaving that contention had

existed from immediately after the commencement of the
world, and that God had done wonderful things for the chil-
dren of Israel. The present was a day of commemoration,
not of events in the history of Israel, but of events in the
history of England. The God of Israel was the God of
England. His dealings, and the principles of his govern-
ment, were the same ; and with the history of England in
our hands. we had much cause to thank God for the won-
derful works he had done. But here there was a difficulty.
We encountered an embarrassment at the outset, because
the history of England was not the word of Divine inspira-
tion. In tracing the history of our country, therefore, we
were liable to fall into mistakes. We had not the commis-
sion of Moses, of Samuel, and of Ezra, who were in-
spired by the infallible spirit of God ; but we were obliged
to take the pages of Hume, of Smollett, of Lingard,
of Spottiswoode—men fallible at the best, and who often
walked by prejudice or passion. But, notwithstanding
this embarrassment, facts were facts, and they were to
be distinguished from the comments of man. Facts
were the doings of Divine Providence • and, making all
allowance for the mistakes, wilful or undesigned, of histo-
rians, and for the partisan comments made upon facts,
we had derived such a substantial knowledge of facts as
enabled us to give God thanks for his merciful dealings in our
country. The reverend gentleman, after some additional ob-
servations, traced the original introduction of Christianity in
these islands, glancing at its history from that period to the
time when the council of Nice was held. He shewed that
the creed called the Nicene creed, now used in the services
of the Church of England, was framed at that council, but
that twelve articles were added to that creed by the church of
Rome, which was the foundation of the contention between
her and the Church of England. Contention arose,
which the reverend gentleman followed through a va-
riety of stages in English history, shewing, at each stage,
how popery systematically aimed at the ruin of this
country till the issue of the famous bull of Pope Pius the
Fifth. This bull, it will he known to those who are acquainted
with the leading points of the controversy, concludes with
an horrible anathema against heretics. Many attempts were
made on the Queen's (Elizabeth's) life in consequence of it,
and finally it produced the diabolical conspiracy, the happy
escape from which was the subject of the present thanks-
giving since. The sermon concluded by a most energetic
call on Protestants to come forward and defend their coun-
try from the encroachments of the papal system ; but this
brief sketch will utterly fail in giving any idea of its breadth
of view and general characteristic of vigorous eloquence. It
occupied upwards of two hours in delivery.

The following is the solemn unrepealed act of parliament,
passed after the barbarous gunpowder plot, as au awful
warning to the nation, to the clergy especially, who are ex-
pressly commanded by this act, and by the. special com-
mand of each successive Sovereign, printed in the Common
Prayer Book, that, after morning prayer, or preaching.
they shall always, on the fifth day of November, read pub-
licly, distinctly, and plainly, this act of parliament.
" Act 3, James 1., Chapter 1.

" Forasmuch as Almightie God !lath. in all ages showed his
power and mercy in the miraculous and gracious deliverance
of his Church, and in the protection of religious Kings and
States, And that no Nacion of the Earth bath bene blessed
with greater benefitts then this Kingdotne now enjoyeth,
having the true and free profession of the Gospell under our
moste gracious Soveraigne Lorde Kinge that ever Reigned
therein, enriched with a most hopefull and plentiful! progenie
proceeding out of his Royal! loynes prornysing continuance
of this happines and profession to all Posteritie ; the which
many malignant and devilishe Papists Jesuits and Semynarie
Priests muche envying and fearing Conspired most horriblie,
when the King's most excellent Majestic, the Queene the
Prince, and all the Lordes spiritual! and temporal! and Co-
mons should have bene assembled in the upper Howse of Par-
liamente uppon the fifte day of November in the yeere of our
Lord 1605 suddenly to have blowen up the said whole Howse
with Gunpowder; AN INVENCION SOE INHUMANE,
BARBAROUS AND CRUELL, AS THE LIKE WAS
NEVER BEFORE HEARD OF, and was (as some of the
principal)Conspirators thereof confesse) purposely devised and
concluded to be done in the saide Howse, that where sundrie
necessarie and Religious lawes for preservation of the Church
and State were made, which they falsely and slaunderously
terme cruel! !awes enacted against them and theire Religion,
both place and persons should be all destroyed and blowen
upp at once, which would have turned to the utter ruine of
this whole Kingdome had it not pleased Almighty God, by
inspiring the King's most Excellent Majesty with a Divine
Spiritt to interpret some darke phrases of a letter shewed to
his Majesty above and beyond all ordinary Construction,
thereby miraculously discoveiiug this hidden Treason not
many howrs before the appointed tyme, for the execution
thereof : Therefore the King's most Excellent Majestie the
lordes spirituall and Temporal!, and all his Majestie's faith-
full and lovinge Subjects DOE MOST JUSTLY AC-
KNOWLEDGE THIS GREATE AND INFINITE
BLESSING TO HAVE PROCEEDED MERELY
FROM GOD HIS GREAT MERCY, AND TO HIS
MOST HOLY NAME DOE ASCRIBE ALL THE
HONOUR GLORY AND PRAISE. And to the end this
unfained thankfullness may never be forgotten, but be had
in a perpetual Remembrance that all ages to come may yeeld
Praises to his Divine Majestie for the same and have in me-
mory this joyful Day of deliverance.

" THEREFORE ENACTED by the King's
most Excellent Majestie the lordes Spirituall and temporall
and the Comons in the present Parliament assembled and by
the Authority of the same, That all and singuler Ministers in
every Cathedrall and Parishe Church or other usuall Place
for Comon Prayer within this Realme of England and the
Dominions of the same shall alwaies uppon the fifte day of
November say Morninge Prayer and GIVE UNTO ALL-
MIGHTIE GOD THANKES FOR THIS MOST HAP-
PY DELIVERANCE. And that all and every person and
persons .inhabiting within this Realme of England and the
Dominions of the same, shall alwaise uppon that day dili-
gently and faithfully resort to the Parishe Church or Chappell
accustomed, or to some usuall Church or Chappell where the
said Morning Prayer Preaching or other Service of God shall
be used, and then and there abide orderly and soberly during
the tymc of the said Prayers Preaching or other Service of
God there to be used and ministered.

" And because all and everie Person may be put in mynde
of this duety and be the better prepared to the saide Holy
Service, Be it enacted by Authority aforesaid, That everie
minister shall give warning to his Parishioners publikely in
the Churche at Morning Prayer the Sunday before everie
such Mt day of November, for the due observacion of the
saide day. And that after Morning Prayer or preaching
upon the said fift day of November they read publikely dis-
tinctly and playnlie this p:esent Acte."

We must not forget to remind our friends that the annual
meeting of the Operative Protestant Association will be held
to-night, in the Royal Amphitheatre. Mr. M'Neile will