What Is The Truth About The Gunpowder Plot?

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Alison Cobb 8HAB                                                                          H/W

29/11/00                                                         

What Is The Truth About The Gunpowder

Plot?

Introduction:

        In November 1605, a group of Catholic plotters had planned to blow up the Houses of Parliament as King James 1 (a Protestant) had up until then, not minded them having their own religion, but now he would not allow them to continue worshipping in their Catholic ways. They planned to blow up the Houses Of Parliament on the day that King James 1 was giving a speech. They planned to get a supply of gunpowder and place it directly underneath where he'd be sitting, in a cellar below.

        All was going well until Lord Monteagle got a letter sent to him warning him to stay out of Parliament on the day of the plot. It was said to be from his cousin, Frances Tresham who was also one of the plotters. Monteagle took the letter straight to the King who had the cellars searched straight away. The first time that the cellar was searched, nothing was found accept some wood and coal. But, soon it was searched again and they found a man who claimed to be John Johnson and was carrying a tinderbox and matches.

        He was put on the rack and tortured, on November 9th he confessed that his real name was Guy Fawkes and that him, Robert Catesby, Francis Tresham and some more people were plotting to blow up the Houses of Parliament.

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        The plotters were arrested, hung, drawn and quartered and then had their heads stuck on to the spikes of Tower Bridge.

This story was told by Robert Cecil, a minister at the time of the event, and has been believed to be the real version. I will look at different sides of the story and see if there is another version which fits best to the evidence.

Possibility 1:

Guy Fawkes was guilty as charged. All accusations made by Cecil were true.        

 I think this could be true as Guy Fawkes was put on the rack and tortured. He ...

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