of Queen Elisabeth; the principals in which, for their time, were, Garnet, the provincial of the Jesuits in England, Baldwin in Flanders, and Creswel in Spain: these were the great projectors and encouragers of that which was called the Spanish Treason, in the last year of Queen Elisabeth; and which when defeated in by her death, and the peace that issued upon it betwixt the crowns of England and Spain, they were put upon new counsels, and forced to take other measures for the prosecution of it.

It was in December, in the year 1601, that Thomas Winter was sent into Spain, by the joint advice of Henry Garnet and Oswald Tesmond, Jesuits, and of Robert Catesby and Francis Tresham, gentlemen of good quality and reputation, to try what could be done for their assistance, that were ready to sacrifice their lives and fortunes for the Catholick cause; and to assure the King of Spain, that, could they but prevail with him to send over an army, they would have in readiness fifteen hundred or two thousand horses for the service. With Winter was sent over Oswald Tesmond, and by them a letter to Creswel, the Jesuit, then residing there; by whose mediation the motion was readily hearkened to, and Don Pedro Francesa, second secretary of state, and the Duke of Lerma did assure them of the king's furtherance and help; and, in the conclusion, the Count of Miranda particularly told them, that his master had resolved to bestow 200,000 crowns to that use, half to be paid that year, and the rest the next following; and that, at Spring, he would, without fail, set footing in England.

About the latter end of the year, Thomas Winter returns with this joyful news, and they were now busy in preparing for it, and almost every day expecting the arrival of these forces, when of a sudden all was dashed by the death of Queen Elisabeth, which was March the twenty-fourth, 1602. Upon this, one of the Wrights is immediately dispatched into Spain, to give the king notice of it; and about the same time was Guy Fawkes sent, with letters and commission, from Sir William Stanley, Hugh Owen, and Baldwin the Jesuit (who were then in Flanders, and ready to attend and to prosecute the same design) but that king told them, that he was now otherwise resolved, and it became him not to hearken to such proposals, after he had sent ambassadors to the new king of England to treat of a peace. It was now, therefore, fit either to let their design fall, or to betake themselves to some other course to effect it: but the former their temper and their principles would not permit; and therefore, since they could not promise themselves success therein by force, they did contrive how, without any noise, or visible and open preparations, it might be obtained.

That a king or queen, who is an heretick, may be deposed or killed, was current doctrine amongst them, in the time of Queen Elisabeth, and what they had been taught from Father Creswel, or whoever was the author of the book called Philopater, and by Tresham, in his book De Officio hominis Christiani, found with them about this time. And, though the king was not formally declared and proceeded against, as such, yet it was thought sufficient, by them, that the pope on Maun. day-Thursday, did censure and condemn all hereticks in the general, as Guy Fawkes and others of them did confess; and therefore the question

was not so much about the lawfulness of it, as about the order that was to be observed, and the way that was fit to be taken in it. Catesby, who was no novice in these affairs, and that, from his acquaintance with Parsons, when in England, and Garnet, and the other Jesuits (to whose order he and his family, from Campian down to this time, were particularly devoted) had learned great skill and subtlety, quickly contrived this for them; and, when Percy, who was of the house of Northumberland, and at that time one of the king's pensioners, according to the bluntness of his temper, did offer himself for the service, and that he would, without any more ado, undertake to assassinate the king, this wary gentleman replied: That would be too dear a purchase, when his own life would be hazarded in it; and it was unnecessary, when it might as well be accomplished without it; and so acquaints him, in part, with what was intended.

Before this was fit to be fully communicated, he thought it necessary, that there should be some care taken to oblige all to secrecy; for which purpose, an oath was devised, that every one should take, and which was accordingly administered to them by Gerard the Jesuit.

oath was:

The

"You shall swear by the blessed Trinity, and by the sacrament you 66 now purpose to receive, never to disclose, directly nor indirectly, by "word or circumstance, the matter that shall be proposed to you to "keep secret; nor desist from the execution thereof, until the rest shall give you leave."

This was taken, and the sacrament upon it received by Catesby, Percy, Christopher Wright, Thomas Winter, and Fawkes, in May, 1604.

Upon which, Catesby communicated the whole, and told them, that, at the meeting of the parliament, which now drew on, they would have a fair opportunity to consummate all their wishes, and without being observed or discovered, by one fatal blow to destroy the king, the prince, the duke, and the parliament at once; for, as long as there were those branches of the royal family remaining, to what purpose would it be to make away the king? And, as long as there was a parliament in being, what should they get, if they could not as well destroy the branches, as the root? Therefore his design was to extirpate at once all the seeds of heresy, and, by a train of powder conveniently laid under the house, in which at that time they should all be assembled, to blow them up, and their cause together. This was what the confederates very well approved of, and now they united counsels and endeavours to carry it on.

The first thing to be considered was the hiring of the house, and this Percy undertook, and, having, not without some difficulty, persuaded the present tenant, Ferris, to quit it, he became immediate tenant to Whinyard, keeper of the wardrobe; at whose disposal it was, in the intervals of parliament. The house was committed to the care of Fawkes, as being least known, who, the better to conceal himself, changed his name to Johnson, and gave himself out to be Percy's servant. Whilst they were thus busy in contriving and carrying on their plot, the parliament was prorogued till February the seventh, upon which they dispersed themselves into several countries; but, to lose no time, did

think of taking in some other persons, whom they might confide in, and expect some help from. Catesby was sensible, that he had given Thomas Bates, a servant of his, that attended him, too great cause of suspicion, and upon examination found him to have observed somewhat from his proceedings, and therefore invited him into the undertaking; but he, somewhat surprised at the horror of it, began to decline it, till his master referred him for advice to Tesmond; unto whom imparting it in confession, the subtle priest both invited him to it, as a work of great merit, and obliged him to secrecy and fidelity therein. Then were Robert Keyes, and the other Wright, gentlemen, and Ambrose Rockwood, and John Grant, and Robert Winter, esquires, admitted into the number. In Michaelmas-term they met again, and then they thought fit to provide a storehouse for the timber which they should use in the mine that they intended to make, and for the powder and other materials; from whence they might fetch it, as occasion served. And such a place they found and took at Lambeth. December the eleventh, they began to work; but, what from the difficulty of the work (the wall, that they were to make their way through, being three ells thick) what from their want of skill in it, and of being used to such kind of labour, they found that their time would be too short for their enterprise, and they began to despair of success in it. But, when under this irresolution and discouragement, their hopes were revived by two unexpected accidents: for, first, the parliament was adjourned to the fifth of October following; by which means they should have time before them. And, then, they had an opportunity of hiring a vault much more for their turn, than the mine which they had so long employed themselves in. This they came to the knowledge of, upon this occasion: as they were one day busy at their work, they were not a little frighted by an unusual noise on the other side of the wall, which made them think that they were betrayed, and to betake themselves to their weapons, with a resolution of dying upon the place. But Fawkes, who was sent out to make discovery, returns with joy to tell them, that it was only the removing of coals, that were laid in the adjoining vault or cellar, which was now to be let. This they presently hire; thither they brought their stores. By this means they gained a double advantage: First, that their business was brought into a less room, which was more for their ease and safety; and, then, that they were rid of their hard, and, but upon such a cause, to them intolerable labour; for this was a mine, as it were, already, and what was so well situated by its being almost under the royal throne, that they could not have chose any thing more commodious. And now they were at leisure, not so much to think of this design (for that was brought to its head, and what they reckoned themselves sure of) as how to carry on the other part of it. The king and Prince Henry, they did not doubt, would fall in this common calamity; but the duke, being but four years old, they thought would be absent; of him, therefore, Percy took the charge, and said, he would attend about the chamber till the blow was given, and then in a trice conveigh him away, with the help of two or three, that should be ready on horseback: which they might the more easily do, as many of the court would be that day upon attendance, and perish with the rest; and the others would by it be put

into confusion, and unprovided to make any opposition. As for the Lady Elisabeth, she might be reserved, and her name made use of by them in stilling and composing the minds of the people, and for making good whatever they thought fit to use her authority in; and her they might the more easily gain into their hands, as she was now at the Lord Harrington's at Comb-Abbey in Warwickshire, whereabouts they might securely be, under the pretence of an hunting-match, and with the first news there surprise her.

In the mean time, was care taken to give notice to those abroad, whom they might trust; and, in March 1605, is Fawkes sent over to Sir William Stanley and Hugh Owen, and with letters from Garnet to Baldwin, the Legier Jesuit in Flanders. Sir William was absent, but, having first administered the oath of secrecy to Owen, he acquaints him with the plot; who promised to give his utmost assistance, and to dispose Sir William to it (whom he thought it not fit, for the present, to communicate it to, for fear he might be discovered, and fail in a design, that he was then about, in the court of England.)

To the twenty barrels of powder, laid in at first, they added, in July, twenty more with bars of iron and massy stones, and at the last made up the number thirty-six; over which they laid a thousand billets and five hundred faggots. And, at a meeting at the Bath of Percy and Catesby, it was agreed, that Catesby should take in whom he thought fit; who thereupon engaged Sir Everard Digby, that promised to advance fifteen hundred pounds towards it; and Mr. Francis Tresham, that gave him assurance of two thousand pounds.

All things thus being in a readiness, the parliament was again prorogued till the fifth of November; upon which they retired, with a promise of meeting about ten days before: at which time, Catesby being informed by Winter, at a house by Enfield-chace, that the prince was not likely to be present with the king, there was another plot laid to surprise him, if it should so happen.

The time drew very near, and they, that had passed so long without discovery, seemed now to be above the fear of it. All things had so happily concurred to further their design, and they had all approved themselves to be so trusty in it, that they were more concerned how to manage their success, than to fear it. But God, that had a reserve of favour for us, and that doth delight in catching the wise in their own craftiness, suffered them to proceed thus far in it, that the detection and overthrow of it might appear to be more from his, than man's providence. When Catesby first thought of this, the great difficulty, with him, was about the lawfulness of destroying the innocent with the guilty for the blow would know no difference betwixt a Catholick and an Heretick, betwixt a friend or foe. When the nobles and the commons, those that were a part of that assembly, and those that came to be auditors and spectators only; those that were within, and those that were without the house; when no less than thirty thousand must perish at once by it (as Barclay saith it was computed) it must needs be, that many, whom they wished well to, and that also (if they knew it) would wish well to their cause, must be part of the sacrifice. What an havock would thirty-six barrels, or nine or ten thousand pounds, of

:

powder make, loaded thus with bars of iron, massy stones, and great pieces of timber? How would it tear the foundations of the strongest buildings, throw down all the tops of the neighbouring houses, and bury all within the ruins of both? What would become of their friends and allies, those that they had received much kindness from; and others, who neither did, nor knew how to do them an injury? How many families must they undo, by the loss of relations, estates, and records which were there deposited? This, and much more, was what they well foresaw, and what they could not foresee without some kind of horror, if they had but one spark of humanity left untouched by their unnatural religion. What must therefore be done? To whom should he resort for counsel, but to his fast friend, Father Garnet? To him he opens the case. (as far as it was fit, and as far as the other was willing to know of it) after this manner :

"Whether, for the good and promotion of the Catholick cause (the 66 necessity of time and occasion so requiring) it be lawful, or not, 66 amongst many nocents, to destroy and take away some innocents also? To which the Jesuit replies: "That, if the advantage was greater, on "the side of the Catholicks, by the destruction of the innocent with the nocent, than by the preservation of both, it was doubtless lawful;" further explaining himself by this comparison: "That if, at the taking "of a town possessed by the enemy, there happen to be seen friends, "they must undergo the fortune of war, and the general and common "destruction of the enemy."

66

With this answer Catesby was satisfied, and with this answer he satis. fied others; telling them, that it was the resolution of the case given by the provincial.

But yet, though this did thus compose their minds, and what they were generally satisfied with, yet there wanted not one that, having a kindness for the Lord Monteagle, eldest son to the Lord Morley, sent this note to him, by the hands of one of his foot-boys, that was abroad in the evening of the Saturday was se'nnight before the appointed time for the meeting of the parliament.

My LORD,

"Out of the love I bear to some of your friends, I have a care of your preservation: therefore I would advise you, as you tender your "life, to devise some excuse to shift off your attendance at this parlia"ment; 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 own country, where you may expect the event in "safety for, though there be no appearance of any stir, yet, I say,

they shall receive a terrible blow this parliament, and yet they shall "not see who hurt them. This counsel is not to be contemned, be"cause it may do you good, and can do you no harm; for the danger "is past, as soon as you shall have burned this letter; and I hope God "will give you the grace to make good use of it; to whose holy protec❝tion I commend you."

The letter was without date or subscription; and the hand, in which it was writ, was hardly legible, and the contents of it so perplexed, that the lord knew as little what to make of it, as whence it came: but yet,