Remember, remember, the 5th of November, of gunpowder treason and plot. I know of know
reason why gunpowder treason should ever be forgot. Hello, and welcome back to Jenna Gets
Creative! And today, we're going to talk about the 5th of November, also known as Bonfire
Night here, locally in Newfoundland. So let's get drawing and chatting.
The 5th of November is known as Guy Fawkes Night or Bonfire Night in many places around
the world, but why is that? Today I'm drawing a Guy Fawkes mask, and I'd like to talk to
you about the history of Guy Fawkes Night, who Guy Fawkes was, and what the traditions
are here where I live. But first, if you're new here, don't forget to subscribe and ring
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And of course, as always, if you like this video, don't forget to hit like and leave
a comment down below. I love reading your comments, and I do reply to everyone. If you
have Guy Fawkes Night or Bonfire Night traditions, tell me about them in the comments down below!
I'm also curious to hear from people who don't have this holiday. Is this video the first
you're hearing of it? Let's talk about it! Of course, you might recognize the poem from
the film "V for Vendetta" and you've probably seen the mask in videos from the group known
as "Anonymous." The history I'm about to discuss is where it all comes from.
In 1605 there was an attempted assassination of King James I by a group of 13 individuals
including but not lead by Guy Fawkes. This was known as the Gunpowder Plot. The poem
I recited in the intro is the first six lines of a longer poem about this night. It's called
The 5th of November, and it's an English folk verse with a lot of variations, but those
first six lines are perhaps the most recognized around the world.
The 5th of November, 1605 was the State Opening of Parliament, and the group planned to blow
up the House of Lords during the opening. The primary target was to kill King James
I, but they chose the opening of parliament because it would make several other targets
vulnerable all at once. Many of the King's relatives and the Privy Council would be in
attendance, much of the protestant aristocracy, many senior judges, Bishops of the Church
of England, and of course all the other members of the House of Lords and House of Commons.
They also planned to kidnap the princess, Elizabeth. This was because they could use
her to control the course of politics in England by declaring her queen when everyone else
ahead of her in line (her father, the king, and her brothers) were dead, and because she
was only nine years old, they would install a regent to rule in her place, whom they could
control. This was meant to be Henry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland, who wasn't in
on the plot and had no idea. Revolts in the Midlands were planned to start around the
same time. If you couldn't tell by now, this was a religiously
fueled plot. The Church of England was law at this time, and Catholics were being persecuted.
This is just one of the many times England's history (and indeed the UK's history, more
broadly) that major conflicts have arisen on a basis of Anglican vs. Catholic ideals
and vying for power. Fawkes was going to be the one to light the
fuse on the barrels of gunpowder beneath parliament that night. He would escape across the Thames,
and later leave for the continent. Revolts in the midlands were to start at the same
time as the explosion. This and the rest of the plans were finalized the month before,
during a series of tavern meetings in October. There were a lot of doubts, however, both
among those involved in the plot and among their wives, and several of these individuals
considered warning people not to attend parliament. A letter was delivered during a supper party
at the house of Lord Monteagle on the 26th of October, which read:
"My Lord, out of the love I bear to some of your friends, I have a care of your preservation.
Therefore I would advise you, as you tender your life, to devise some excuse to shift
your attendance at this parliament; for God and man hath concurred to punish the wickedness
of this time. And think not slightly of this advertisement, but retire yourself into your
country where you may expect the event in safety. For though there be no appearance
of any stir, yet I say they shall receive a terrible blow this Parliament; and yet they
shall not see who hurts them. This counsel is not to be condemned because it may do you
good and can do you no harm; for the danger is passed as soon as you have burnt the letter.
And I hope God will give you the grace to make good use of it, to whose holy protection
I commend you." Of course, Lord Monteagle didn't burn the
anonymous letter at instructed. He shared it with the Earl of Salisbury, who shared
it with the Earl of Worcester and with the 1st Earl of Northumberland, but notably not
with the King himself. The plotters knew immediately of the letter, but decided to wait and see
what would happen, rather than cancelling the plot altogether. On the 1st of November,
the letter was finally shown to King James I. Lord Chamberlain Thomas Howard, 1st Earl
of Suffolk, was instructed to search "both above and below" the Houses of Parliament.
Meanwhile, the plotters met for the final time on the 3rd of November, and decided to
continue. They planned to abduct Elizabeth on the 4th, a task assigned to participant
Digby who would conveniently be part of a hunting party at Dunchurch. Participant Percy
visited the Earl of Northumberland to see if he could discern what was being done about
the letter Lord Monteagle had received, and returned convinced that nothing had been done
that would disturb the plot. Several plotters departed for the Midlands.
As the King's men searched "above and below" parliament, as instructed, they first discovered
what they thought was a humble serving man guarding a load of firewood. This was Fawkes,
in disguise, and he informed the men that the firewood belonged to his master, Lord
Percy. This name sent up red flags, and men were sent back to investigate further. This
time when they found Fawkes he was dressed in a hat, a cloak, boots, and spurs. He gave
the name John Johnson when he was arrested, and he was searched for belongings. He had
a lantern, a pocket watch, touchwood, and several slow-burning matches. The king's men
then searched the area more and found 36 barrels of gunpowder hidden under the wood and coal.
News of "John Johnson's" arrest spread, and Fawkes was brought before the King on the
morning of the 5th of November. The rest of the plotters were convinced that
they could still start an uprising and an armed revolt, and 6 of them went on to meet
the hunting party at Dunchurch to convince them that the King and the Earl of Salisbury
were dead. Meanwhile, although "John Johnson" was unwilling to reveal any information while
he was being interrogated, a letter addressed to Guy Fawkes was found on his person. He
then admitted that he had been planning to light the barrels, but insisted that Guy Fawkes
was an alias, and that he had acted alone. The King was impressed by Fawkes' stubbornness,
and described him as having "a Roman's resolution." Fawkes / Johnson and the barrels of gunpowder
were moved to the Tower of London on the 6th of November, where "Johnson" would be tortured.
Several others investigating for the King questioned servants in key houses and discovered
the names of several plotters, but Fawkes denied their participation. "Johnson" (Fawkes)
resisted torture on the 6th and held firm that he had acted alone, but on the 7th he
broke and confessed the truth, which he confirmed during continued torture on the 8th and 9th.
Over the course of those early days after "Johnson's" arrest, the other plotters were
identified and killed, either on site or later during public executions.
For many years following the Gunpowder Plot, the night was commemorated on its anniversary
by the ringing of church bells, special sermons in Anglican churches, and various other public
events. At act was passed in Parliament in January 1606 called the Observance of 5th
November Act, and this act was in place until 1859. Bonfires became a traditional observance
in England, and among the Eastern colonies, fireworks displays were organized. Because
of this, Guy Fawkes Night was also commonly known as Bonfire Night or Fireworks Night
in England and across the world. In England, bonfires and fireworks displays
on the 5th are still common, and in the week leading up to Bonfire Night you might see
figures known as "guys" made by children from old clothing stuffed with newspapers and straw.
These "guys" are exhibited in the streets as fundraising to purchase fireworks. Although
this practise is less common now, it was very common in the 19th century, and thus "guy"
became a colloquial term for a person who dresses oddly, and transformed in the 20th
century to the more general use of "a male person."
In modern times, some parts of the world still celebrate Bonfire Night, though not everyone
knows why it's celebrated. Here in Newfoundland, Bonfire Night is very common, which surprised
me when I moved here from British Columbia, but I never hear people talking about why
it's celebrated or see any "guys" done up at all. It's just an excuse to stand around
a bonfire with family and friends, drink hot chocolate or more adult beverages, and watch
some fireworks. When I was growing up in BC, some family friends who were very proud of
their British heritage combined Bonfire Night with Halloween. Every year in preparation
of Halloween, Mr Foster would make a stuffed "guy" (which I always thought was just another
scarecrow, and for some strange reason he named it Guy) and he gave it a Jack O'lantern
head. We would all go trick or treating around the subdivision with his sons, who were my
age and two years older, and then all our neighbours would gather in the empty lot beside
their house. We all shared hot chocolate, the kids played with sparklers, Mr Foster
and the other dads set off fireworks, and then as the night was wrapping up, Mr Foster
would burn the "guy" in a trash can fire. I didn't understand the reason or significance
of this until many years later when I was studying history in university, and I didn't
know Guy Fawkes Night was still a tradition anywhere else outside of England itself until
I moved to Newfoundland and discovered a thriving Bonfire Night tradition. What about you? Do
you have Bonfire Night? Did you even know about this? Let me know in the comments down
below, and I'll see you again on Thursdays. Bye guys!