CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE
[I.]Historical Evidence[1]
[II.]Guy Fawkes’s Story[17]
[III.]The Later Documentary Evidence[43]
[IV.]Structural Difficulties[77]
[V.]The Discovery[114]
[VI.]The Government and the Catholics[138]
[VII.]The Government and the Priests[173]

ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE
View of the River Front of the House Occupied By Whynniard[Frontispiece]
From a Plan of the Ancient Palace of Westminster, by the late Mr. W. Capon[80]
From a Plan of Part of Westminster, 1685[81]
From a Plan of Part of Westminster, 1739[82]
From a Plan of Westminster Hall and the Houses Of Parliament, 1761[83]
East End of the Prince’s Chamber[88]
Views of the East Side of the House of Lords, &c.[89]
The Four Walls of the so-called Cellar under the House of Lords[109]

CHRONOLOGICAL NOTES

(Political events in italics)

1603.March 24.—Accession of James I.
June 17.—James informs Rosny of his intention to remit the Recusancy fines.
July 17.—James assures a deputation of Catholics that the fines will be remitted.
Aug. 20.—Parry writes to announce the overtures of the Nuncio in Paris.
1604.Feb. 22.—Proclamation banishing priests.
March.—Catesby imparts the design to Winter.
About the beginning of April.—Winter goes to Flanders.
Towards the end of April.—Winter returns with Fawkes.
Early in May.—The five conspirators take an oath, and then receive the sacrament.
May 24.—Agreement for a lease of part of Whynniard’s block of houses.
June.—(Shortly before midsummer Keyes sworn in and intrusted with the charge of the powder at Lambeth).
July 7.—The Royal consent given to a new Recusancy Act.
Aug.—Executions under the Recusancy Act.
Sept 5.—Commission appointed to preside over the banishment of the priests.
Sept. 14.—The Council recommends that the Act shall not be put in force against lay Catholics.
Nov. 28.—Fines required from thirteen Catholics rich enough to pay 20l. a month.
About Dec.—Bates sworn.
About Dec. 11.—The five conspirators begin to dig the mine.
Before Christmas.—The diggers having reached the wall of the House of Lords, suspend their work.
1605.Jan.—The day cannot be fixed.—John Grant and Robert Winter sworn.
About Jan. 18.—Work resumed.
Jan.—Christopher Wright and Keyes brought to join in the work.
About Feb. 2.—Wall of House of Lords excavated halfway through.
Feb. 10.—James orders that the Recusancy Act be fully executed.
March, before Lady Day.—The conspirators begin to work a third time, but finding that the ‘cellar’ is to let, hire it, and having moved the powder into it, disperse.
Oct. 26.—Monteagle receives the letter.
27.—Ward informs Winter.
28.—Winter informs Catesby.
30.—Tresham returns to London.
31.—Winter summons Tresham.
Nov. 1.—Meeting of Tresham with Catesby and Winter.
2.—Winter meets Tresham at Lincoln’s Inn.
3.—Meeting behind St. Clement’s.
4.—Percy goes to Sion. Fawkes taken.
5.—Flight of the conspirators.
6.—Arrival at Huddington at 2 P.M.
7.—Arrival at Holbeche at 10 P.M.
8.—Capture at Holbeche.