The Gunpowder Plot

A detailed Summary of The Gunpowder Plot

The Gunpowder Plot of 1605 was a result of the inconsistent policies of King James I toward English Catholics. An attempt to increase toleration for, if not completely convert England back to the Catholic faith, the Gunpowder Plot was a well planned, well funded, but miserable catastrophe for the Catholic church. The plot, which was intended to help with the advancement of Catholicism, set the church back dramatically and established distrust between the state and the Catholic church that was virtually irreparable. The aftermath of the plot was devastating to the church. King James made existing laws against Catholics more severe and passed several new laws immediately after the Gunpowder Act was revealed. The plot also increased the national hatred of "popery". The Gunpowder Plot of 1605 proved to be a major setback to the status of the Catholic's in England.

The final years of Queen Elizabeth's reign brought troubled times for Catholics all over England. During her reign, the penalties for practicing Catholicism dramatically increased, making life for Catholics much harder and more expensive. Mass in England could not be practiced publicly or privately. If a Catholic priest were discovered, he w

Over the next few days, the conspirators waited to see what had been discovered through the letter. They conlcluded, through information they had received, that the letter had not unformed the government of their plans, and they continued cautiously with their preparations for the quickly approaching event. On the night before Parliament was supposed to open, Guy Fawkes was caught in the cellar beneath the Parliament building with the gunpowder and the tools needed to fire it. He was arrested immediately and brought before the king. Fawkes was then submitted to torture until he agreed to reveal the details of the plot. Fawkes eventually revealed the names of all his fellow conspirators.

Both Father Gerard and Father Garnet were very uneasy. Even though they did not conceive the plot, it was their teachings that inspired the plot. Now, they were being asked to determine whether the plot was right or wrong. Father Gerard is thought to have supported the plot. Garnet maintained a neutral course. He protested Catesby's violence weakly, and when informed of the details of the plot, he never tried to discourage the conspirators.

Not only did the Gunpowder Plot cause the death of the thirteen conspirators; it also caused the death of Henry Garney, the Jesuit priest who didn't even wish to be associated with the plot.

ould be jailed, and if charged with treason, often executed. English subjects who did not attend the Catholic Church were taxed greatly, making life for wealthy Catholics more difficult, and life for poor Catholics close to impossible. Many Catholics simply hid their religion. Jesuit priests were banned completely from England and had to hide in the home of courageous Catholic women. Queen Elizabeth's death in 1603 was considered a relief for some Catholics because it signified the end of a reign that has brought much complication and suffering into the lives of many Catholics.

On October 26, 1605, ten days before the expected meeting of Parliament, William Parker, Lord Monteagle, received a letter that would cause the plot to unravel. The letter was delivered by an unknown messenger and was an attempt to warn Monteagle not to attend the opening of Parliament. The letter spoke of the great calamity that would take place at that meeting, but apparently did not discuss the specifics of the plot. Monteagle immediately sent the letter to Robert Cecil, James' Secretary of State. The conspirators were told about the letter within a few hours after Cecil received it.

On May 20, 1604, Robert Catesby , Thomas Winter, John Wright, Thomas Percy, and Guy Fawkes met to discuss their plans, beginning a long period of planning and perfecting their plot. At this meeting, they met together and swore an oath on the Holy Sacrament to blow upjames and the House of Parliament the next time the Parliament met. The conspirators first rented property near the Parliament house. From there, they began digging a tunnel that they hoped would bring them directly under their target. However, the tunnel quickly became unusabl

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Category: History