Guy Fawkes Day

Henry Perronet Briggs (1793–1844
The Discovery of the Gunpowder Plot and the
Taking of Guy Fawkes

Today is the 5^th of November, which will not mean anything to you unless you are British. Throughout Great Britain bonfires will be lighted tonight in celebration of Guy Fawkes Night. Guy Fawkes was one of 13 Catholic conspirators who attempted to blow up the Palace of Westminster on November 5, 1605. At that time, this is where the House of Lords met and being opening of England’s Parliament, the protestant King James would be attending. Thus they could abolish the entire government in one grand blast. Some cynics have said that Guy Fawkes is "the last man to enter Parliament with honest intentions." To this day on the opening of Parliament, someone is sent to inspect the cellars of Parliament to ensure it is free of explosives.

Unfortunately for Fawkes he was caught red handed with the gunpowder and subsequently taken to the Tower of London and tortured. When asked by one of the lords why he had so much gunpowder, the indomitable Fawkes responded, "To blow you Scotch beggars back to your native mountains." After being tortured he lost his bravado and gave the names of his fellow conspirators. They were all tried and suprizingly enough found guilty. The Attorney General of the time, Sir Edward Coke wasn’t happy to just execute the traitors but told the court that they would each be "put to death halfway between heaven and earth as unworthy of both". They were to have their genitals cut off and burnt before their eyes, their bowels and hearts removed and THEN they would be decapitated and the dismembered parts would be displayed and be fed to the birds!




Photo by William Warby

Effigy of Guy Fawkes in bonfire in Essex

Guy was the last of the 13 to stand on the execution scaffold. When he began to climb the ladder to head up to the noose, he jumped from the gallows and much to the annoyance of his executioners, broke his neck! They still quartered his body and distributed his body parts. King James encouraged Londoners to celebrate his escape from assassination by lighting bonfires on November 5^th. An Act of Parliament designated each 5^th of November as a day of thanksgiving and remained in force until 1859. Now it is a well loved British custom where models of Guy Fawkes are burned in effigy.

English Folk Verse (c.1870)


The Fifth of November

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!