Guy Fawkes Treason

"Remember, remember,

The 5th of November."

We all know the little ditty from school, but do we actually remember what happened on the 5th of November. If you're English, then I'm sure you do. But in America, you might want a little refresher.

Guy Fawkes, who was a member of the Gunpowder Plot, was arrested. He was guarding the explosives that had been placed under the House of Lords, or Parliament.



Guy Fawkes was a Catholic, and believed that England should be under Catholic rule once again.

Right before his execution, which was scheduled for January 31st of 1606, Fawkes jumped from the scaffolding where he was going to be hung, and broke his neck, to avoid the humiliation and mutilation of a hanging.

Guy Fawkes day is celebrated in England to this very day, where they burn an effigy of Guy Fawkes and chant the Guy Fawkes poem.

However, Guy Fawkes was only one person in the plot against the king.

Robert Catesby, a staunch Catholic, decided that England should be ruled by a Catholic monarch, instead of the Protestant one that was on the throne.

 He was the mastermind behind the Gunpowder plot. After news of Fawkes' arrest reached him, he realized that his group of followers was gone. Catesby made his final stand alone, at Holbeche House in Staffordshire, against 200 armed men. He was shot, and later, when they found his body, they discovered that he was still clutching a picture of the Virgin Mary in his hands.

Catesby had also enlisted the help of Robert and Thomas Wintour, who were cousins to Catesby, John and Christopher Wright,  and Thomas Percy.

I'm sure you're wondering which king it was they had attempted to assassinate.

King James the 1st of England, and also King James the 6th of Scotland.

Yes, he is one and the same man. He ruled over both England and Ireland, and Scotland.

King James became King of Scotland, in place of his mother, the famous Mary, Queen of Scots. He was 13 months old at the time.

Of course, he did not gain full control of Scotland until 1583, when he was actually old enough.

In 1603, he succeeded the last Tudor of England and Ireland, Elisabeth the 1st.

The King James version of the Bible is named after this King James, because he funded it.

He also forced the Church of England and the Catholic Church to work together on translating the Bible, so they could cross check each other. Both churches had a terrible habit of adding to and taking away from the Bible, so that the Bibles that each Church had were completely adulterated.

During King James' reign, a lot of the most famous works of literature were created. Not only was the King James Bible written, but this was during the time of Shakespeare, John Donne, Ben Johnson, and Sir Francis Bacon.

Catesby hated King James because he showed no favoritism to the Catholics, and was barely tolerant of them. He thought that the Protestant King was being unfair, and wanted a Catholic monarch instead.

The Gunpowder Plot failed. All the conspirators were arrested or killed immediately. Those who were not killed on the spot were eventually sentenced to death.

Every year, on the 5th of November, the arrest of Guy Fawkes is celebrated. In England, an effigy of Guy Fawkes is burned. Fireworks and parties follow.

So now you know what the 5th of November is all about.

Remember, remember! 

The fifth of November, 

The Gunpowder treason and plot; 

I know of no reason 

Why the Gunpowder treason 

Should ever be forgot!

Guy Fawkes and his companions

Did the scheme contrive,

To blow the King and Parliament

All up alive.

Threescore barrels, laid below,

To prove old England's overthrow.

But, by God's providence, him they catch,

With a dark lantern, lighting a match!

A stick and a stake

For King James's sake!

If you won't give me one, 

I'll take two,

The better for me,

And the worse for you.

A rope, a rope, to hang the Pope,

A penn'orth of cheese to choke him,

A pint of beer to wash it down,

And a jolly good fire to burn him.

Holloa, boys! holloa, boys! make the bells ring!

Holloa, boys! holloa boys! God save the King!

Hip, hip, hooor-r-r-ray!