Guy Fawkes

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Guy Fawkes (April 13, 1570- January 31, 1606), was a member of a group of Catholic conspirators who endeavoured to blow up the Houses of Parliament in England in 1605. The plot was uncovered and the barrels of gunpowder defused before any damage was done.

Fawkes was born at Stonegate in Yorkshire. The Gunpowder Plot was concocted in May of 1604 with Robert Catesby, Thomas Percy, John Wright and Robert Wintour. In March 1605, the conspirators rented a cellar beneath Parliament through Thomas Percy; Fawkes assisted in filling the room with gunpowder which was concealed beneath bric-a-brac. On November 5th, Fawkes was arrested in the cellar; on his person were a watch, slow matches and touchpaper.

Fawkes was interrogated under torture. Since torture was forbidden except by the express instruction of the monarch or the Privy Council, King James I in a letter of November 6 stated: "The gentler tortours are to be first used unto him, et sic per gradus ad mia tenditur [and thus by increase to the worst], and so God speed your goode worke". On November 7, Fawkes confessed all and revealed the names of his co-conspirators. His signature after torture is strikingly shaky.

A nominal trial then ensued, at which the sentences had already been predetermined. On January 31, 1606, Fawkes, Wintour, and a number of others implicated in the conspiracy were taken to Old Palace Yard in Westminster. There they were hanged, drawn and quartered.

According to historian Antonia Fraser, the gunpowder was taken to the Tower of London and would have been reissued if in good condition, or otherwise sold for recycling. However a sample of the gunpowder may have survived -- in March 2002 workers at the British Library, investigating archives of John Evelyn, found a box containing various samples of gunpowder and several notes: "Gunpowder 1605 in a paper inscribed by John Evelyn. Powder with which that villain Faux would have blown up the parliament." and "Gunpowder. Large package is supposed to be Guy Fawkes' gunpowder." and "But there was none left! WEH 1952".

Guy Fawkes Night (often referred to as bonfire night) is (usually) celebrated on November 5th with bonfires and fireworks, or the closest Friday or Saturday night. Sometimes, an effigy of Guy Fawkes is burnt on the fire. In previous centuries, an effigy of the Pope might also be burnt. Children sometimes set up a guy in the streets in the days beforehand and ask for a "penny for the guy".

Remember, remember, the fifth of November,
Gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason why Gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot.
-- traditional verse

Guy Fawkes appears in the 2002 List of "100 Great Britons" (sponsored by the BBC and voted for by the public), alongside such other greats as David Beckham, Aleister Crowley, Winston Churchill and Johnny Rotten.

In an interesting example of semantic progression, Guy Fawkes has become immortalised by one of the most common words in the English language, particularly in American spoken English. The burning on 5 November of an effigy of Fawkes, known as a "guy," led to the use of the word "guy" as a term of general reference for a man, as in "some guy called for you." In the 20th century, under the influence of American popular culture, "guy" gradually replaced "fellow," "bloke," "chap" and other such words throughout the English-speaking world.

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