The History of the Gun-Powder Plot

'Remember, remember! The fifth of November, the gunpower treason and plot; I know no reason why the gunpowder treason should ever be forgot'-thus goes the popular rhyme commemorating the discovery and foiling of the plot led by Guy Fawkes. In compact with his enraged Catholic co-conspirators, the aim was to strike at the heart of the Protestant leadership in hopes of re-establishing the old faith of Rome. Alas, he was caught in a cellar below the House of Lords, among kegs of gun powder, literally match in hand. Ever since, the flames of Bonfire Night have blazed annually in celebration of the King's deliverance. First published in 1804, James Caulfield's The History of the Gun-Powder Plot is the first standalone, comprehensive treatment of this perilous affair-a work neither shaped by royal decree, nor envenomed by partisan satire, nor subordinate to a broader political or religious history. Instead of tedious sermonising, the author unrolls the tale through vivid portraits, starting with the tumultuous Henry VIII, whose reign sowed the seeds of future discord. Here, we meet each actor in turn-the known and the obscure-their ambitions, their grievances, and the choices that led them to the brink of treason. This is no simple retelling, but a deeply personal journey into the lives of those whose fates were tied to one of England's most enduring tragedies.