| Guy Fawkes Gunpowder plot1605The picture is of the 'Gunpowder Plot' conspirators
The plotters as depicted from the time. Thomas Bates, Robert Wintour, Christopher Wright, John Wright, Thomas Percy, Guy Fawkes, Robert Catesby and Thomas Wintour "Remember remember" has several versions:-The most popular and the one we all remember Remember, remember the fifth of November,
Gunpowder treason and plot.
We see no reason
Why gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot!The traditional version Please to remember the fifth of November gunpowder treason and plot
I see of no reason why gunpowder treason Should ever be forgot
Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, 'twas his intent
To blow up the King and the Parliament.
Three score barrels of powder below
Poor old England to overthrow... The version as reproduced from the Tower of London archive Remember, remember the fifth of November,
gunpowder, treason and plot,
I see no reason why gunpowder treason
should ever be forgot.
Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes,
'twas his intent
to blow up the King and the Parliament.
Three score barrels of powder below,
Poor old England to overthrow:
By God's providence he was catch'd
With a dark lantern and burning match.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, make the bells ring.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King!
Hip hip hoorah!
Guy Fawkes & the Gunpowder PlotWords of "Remember Remember" refer to Guy Fawkes with origins in 17th century English history. On the 5th November 1605 Guy Fawkes was caught in the cellars of the Houses of Parliament with several dozen barrels of gunpowder. Guy Fawkes was subsequently tried as a traitor with his co-conspirators for plotting against the government. He was tried by Judge Popham who came to London specifically for the trial from his country manor Littlecote House in Hungerford, Gloucestershire. Fawkes was sentenced to death and the form of the execution was one of the most horrendous ever practised (hung ,drawn and quartered) which reflected the serious nature of the crime of treason. The Tradition begins...The following year in 1606 it became an annual custom for the King and Parliament to commission a sermon to commemorate the event. Lancelot Andrewes delivered the first of many Gunpowder Plot Sermons. This practice, together with the nursery rhyme, ensured that this crime would never be forgotten! Hence the words " Remember , remember the 5th of November" The poem is sometimes referred to as 'Please to remember the fifth of November'. It serves as a warning to each new generation that treason will never be forgotten. In England the 5th of November is still commemorated each year with fireworks and bonfires culminating with the burning of effigies of Guy Fawkes (the guy). The 'guys' are made by children by filling old clothes with crumpled newspapers to look like a man. Tradition allows British children to display their 'guys' to passers-by and asking for " A penny for the guy". November fires and burning a "guy" four hundred years before Fawkes Although our celebrations on November 5th are associated with Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot, it has its roots in a more ancient tradition. From the 13th century, the word “guy” was used to mean a dummy or effigy. Bonfires and “guys” were part of our ancient religion. The beginning of November marked the start of the pagan year and the first day of winter. Bonfires were lit and torches carried in processions. Sacrifices were also made to drive away evil spirits. These were really Festivals of Light in much the same way as the Hindu Festival of Diwali. After the Gunpowder Plot, the guy on the bonfire came to represent Guy Fawkes. Although our celebrations on November 5th are associated with Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot, it has its roots in a more ancient tradition. From the 13th century, the word “guy” was used to mean a dummy or effigy. Bonfires and “guys” were part of our ancient religion. The beginning of November marked the start of the pagan year and the first day of winter. Bonfires were lit and torches carried in processions. Sacrifices were also made to drive away evil spirits. These were really Festivals of Light in much the same way as the Hindu Festival of Diwali. After the Gunpowder Plot, the guy on the bonfire came to represent Guy Fawkes. Although our celebrations on November 5th are associated with Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot, it has its roots in a more ancient tradition. From the 13th century, the word “guy” was used to mean a dummy or effigy. Bonfires and “guys” were part of our ancient religion. The beginning of November marked the start of the pagan year and the first day of winter. Bonfires were lit and torches carried in processions. Sacrifices were also made to drive away evil spirits. These were really Festivals of Light in much the same way as the Hindu Festival of Diwali. After the Gunpowder Plot, the guy on the bonfire came to represent Guy Fawkes. Fireworks over 2000 years old! Chinese crackers were probably the first fireworks to be made about 2000 years ago. They are still used in China today to celebrate weddings, births and religious festivals and to scare away evil spirits. Fireworks were used for centuries in ancient Indian and Siamese religious ceremonies. Some of the rockets were 8-10 feet long and were attached to bamboo canes which were 40 feet high! Fireworks were certainly used in Europe by the 14th Century they were probably brought back from the East by the Crusaders and used for entertainment. The use and popularity of fireworks was initiated by the Monarchy. The first recorded fireworks in England were at the wedding of King Henry VII in 1486. They gained popularity during the reign of Henry VIII and By Elizabethan times (1558-1603) there was a fireworks master. Queen Elizabeth I created this post so that someone would be in charge of organising displays for great occasions. James II even knighted his fireworks master after a particularly excellent show of fireworks at his coronation.
Links to more information on the gunpowder plot:-Treason |
| Fantastic site related to the recent Channel 4 history series. This section covers the Gunpowder Plot in detail, providing information plus suggestions on what might have happened. |
| The Gunpowder Plot - conspiracy or not? |
| Excellent summary of the two sides with both the traditional story and the conspiracy story. Read them to help you decide. [from |
| The Gunpowder Plot Society |
| An extremely well presented and fascinating site that leads visitors carefully through information. Was the official explanation wrong? |
| BBC History - Gunpower Plot |
| Associated with the game (see the link below) these pages offer a detailed summary of events around the Gunpowder Plot. |
| Was Guy Fawkes tortured? |
| Online visual source activity by the Public Record Office. Clear presentation with some excellent focused tasks. |
| High Treason in 1605 |
| More excellent and valuable information that includes a lot of multimedia to present the case. Great detail, with full explanations. |
| BBC Gunpowder Plot game |
| Entertaining game where students are required to search the cellars of the House of Parliament answering questions to try and find the gunpowder. |
| The Gunpowder Plot pages |
| A site that promises a great deal, yet is, at the time of writing, somewhat cluttered. This means the beneficial information is difficult to access. Some very good material though! |
| Frequently asked questions |
| Based on the UK Parliament's website, 10 frequently asked questions about the Gunpowder Plot - all with a well explained answer! Link to downloadable material. |
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