Gunpowder Plot

The Gunpowder Plot of 1605 was a desperate but failed attempt by a group of provincial English Catholic extremists to kill King James I of England, his family, and most of the Protestant aristocracy in one fell swoop by blowing up the Houses of Parliament during the State Opening. The conspirators had then planned to abduct the royal children, not present in parliament, and then incite a revolt in the Midlands.

The plot in popular culture

The plot is immortalised in the popular verse:

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: Remember, remember the fifth of November,

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: gunpowder, treason and plot,

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: I see no reason why gunpowder treason

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: should ever be forgot.

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: Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes,

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: 'twas his intent

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: to blow up the King and the Parliament.

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: Three score barrels of powder below,

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: Poor old England to overthrow:

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: By God's providence he was catch'd

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: With a dark lantern and burning match.

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: Holloa boys, holloa boys, make the bells ring.

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: Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King!

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: Hip hip hoorah!

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(traditionally the following verses were also sung, but they have fallen out of favour because of their content)

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: A penny loaf to feed the Pope.

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: A farthing o' cheese to choke him.

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: A pint of beer to rinse it down.

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: A faggot of sticks to burn him.

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: Burn him in a tub of tar.

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: Burn him like a blazing star.

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: Burn his body from his head.

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: Then we'll say ol' Pope is dead.

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: Hip hip hoorah!

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: Hip hip hoorah!

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In the dystopian science fiction graphic novel, V for Vendetta, V, a mysterious anarchist who disguises and models himself as a latter day Guy Fawkes, finally explodes the abandoned parliament buildings on a future November 5 as his first move to bring down the nation's fascist tyranny.

Related Topics:
Dystopia - Science fiction - Graphic novel - V for Vendetta - Anarchist - November 5 - Fascist - Tyranny

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The Gunpowder Plot is also the topic of a several songs and ballads–of note, John Lennon's song "Remember" ends with the phrase "the fifth of November" and an explosion.

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