GPS Newsletter Issue No. 1

The Gunpowder Plot Society Newsletter
Issue No. 1 - April 1998

Contents of this Issue

Newsletter Editorial - David Herber
The Marriage of Guy Fawkes and Maria Pulleyn - David Herber
Modern-day Descendants of the Wintour Family of Huddington Court - Douglas Burbury
Samhain and the Gunpowder Plot - James Kiefer
Macbeth and the Gunpowder Plot - Caius Marcius
1607 Virginia and the Gunpowder Plot Aftermath- Steven C. Smith
The Descendants of John Wright - Some were Gunpowder Plotters - Daniel L. Wright and David Herber
In the Next Issue - Upcoming Articles
News and Information
A Glossary of Terms

Disclaimer - The Gunpowder Plot Society takes no responsibility for the historical accuracy of any articles it reproduces, this responsibility lies solely with the original author. Any questions relating to such accuracy should be directed to the author where possible. Unless stated (or where permission has been given by the original author), all articles are reproduced verbatim from the originally submitted source.

Newsletter Editorial
By David Herber

So, why are we doing this you may ask ?

It is a curious thing for a historical event to be so popularly celebrated, not only when the celebration is for something that was prevented from happening, but also when there are a great many public misunderstandings about that event, and the story of it is liberally sprinkled with both conjecture and falsehood. The celebration of the Gunpowder Plot is truly a cultural enigma that has done nothing in almost 400 years to dispel some commonly-held misconceptions. It is difficult to tell whether this is because those areas of conjecture have not been researched thoroughly other than by writers seeking nothing more than petty sensationalism, or because people are so comfortable with the historical treatment of the plot.

Much of what we accept as the true story of the Gunpowder Plot, comes down to us through only a handful of recognised documents and manuscripts. These contemporary artifacts have been poured over by countless historical writers, each of whom surprisingly offers his or her own interpretation. One writer tells us that all the plotters were under the direction of the government, and were seeking to totally discredit all Catholics in England through the careful manipulation of the Earl of Salisbury, another tells us Christopher Wright was the traitor, and yet another claims Catesby was killed at Holbeche to silence him. All offer alternatives to the accepted story that Francis Tresham betrayed his friends by informing his brother-in-law William Parker of the dastardly plot led by Guy Fawkes to blow up the Parliament.

It is this conjecture, and the crucial position this event holds in post-Elizabethan England, that leads most people to the intrigue of the Gunpowder Plot. If we allow ourselves to put aside the school history lessons and the folk tales and look at some of the truths behind the shroud that has been so cleverly draped over this part of our past, we are able to see more about ourselves, and the reasoning behind this historically important event, as well as the machinations that both led up to and followed on from it.

It is my belief that there are still many more things to be uncovered, many more truths to be discovered, and many more myths to be dispelled. While on this journey, it is our hope that we can raise awareness by creating more interest in the Plot and other contemporary issues that were instrumental in its design. We also hope that we can generate discussion, and lay to rest some of the misinformation that has been woven into the fabric of our history. It is a tall order, we know, and some may even ask us what right we have to challenge history, but we all have a right to question that which we don't understand.

The Gunpowder Plot Society was founded mid-1997 by Jennie O'Brien, Douglas Burbury, and David Herber to help achieve these goals. Since each of us began researching this topic, we have been continually amazed at the apparent haphazard, arbitrary and selective nature of the research carried out, the unwillingness of writers to extend theories, the ease with which historians craft only some of the facts into their stories, ignoring those that simply don't fit, and the remarkable lack of actual field research. Such activities are not unfortunately restricted to authors of lesser notoriety, but are evident in what many claim are definitive guides to the subject.

The objective of this newsletter is to provide fellow Tudor/Stuart enthusiasts and researchers with a forum for publication and discussion of their work. Some of this research is new, some speculatory, and some is an extension of previous research, but it all provides additional insights into the subject. The newsletter will also provide information relating to the activities of the Gunpowder Plot Society, and as such will act as our official mouthpiece. I hope you enjoy reading the first of many newsletters, and I look forward to receiving your comments, and your articles.

Finally, I would like to personally thank everyone for showing their interest and support and joining our mailing list. It is encouraging to see the numbers growing steadily, and the positive feedback we are receiving.

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In the Next Issue - Upcoming Articles

The next Newsletter will contain several more interesting articles, including the first hand experiences of Jennifer O'Brien and her month long research trip to England. Jennie visited most of the main locations, including Holbeche House, Ashby St Ledgers, and Coughton Court, as well as spending extended periods in the British Library and Public Records Office. In time, a great deal of what she found will appear on the Gunpowder Plot Society Web Site.

There will also be the first of three articles on the life of Francis Tresham in the Tower. Part 1 will concentrate on the state of the family fortune, his arrest, incarceration and his confession. Part 2 will look at the conjecture surrounding his death, and Part 3 will investigate the theory that he actually escaped from the Tower, and was allowed to flee to Spain under the alias Matthew Bruninge.

Douglas Burbury will also outline the development of the GPS web site, and what the aims of it are, as well as describing the work that is currently in the pipeline, and how you can help us. As the resident genealogist, he will also be doing a fairly detailed article on the inter-relationships between the principal plotters.

Lastly, we will be hoping to announce our involvement in the first official project of the Gunpowder Plot Society, assuming the administrative details which are still being finalised at present can be completed. This will be a fantastic opportunity for us, and is quite a coup.

There are also articles in the pipeline about the attempt to have Father Henry Garnet beatified, the guilt or innocence of the Earl of Northumberland, the recusant network in the English Midlands, and a series of short biographies on some of the conspirators' allies and the men who opposed them.

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News and Information

This section of the Newsletter will deal with what is currently happening around the world with regard to research and publication. We also hope to include interesting links to a wide range of historical internet sites, and to resources that may assist researchers. These sites will not always be directly related to the Gunpowder Plot, but will offer additional avenues of investigation to interested aprties.

In recent months, some interesting articles have appeared in a number of publications relating to the Gunpowder Plot.

Family History Monthly No.27 (Dec 97) - Wright: Brenda Ralph Lewis Looks at the Inventive Wrights
Unfortunately there were a number of errors within this article relating to the Wright family from Holderness, which made for a rather poorly researched piece.

Heritage - A Celebration of Britain - Family at Court
An interesting article on the current Throckmorton family and Coughton Court, with some excellent photographs and a visitors timetable. Pictures include the Priest's Hole, and the Elizabethan courtyard.

History Today - February 98 - When Less is More: Chastleton House
This article also appeared in the National Trust magazine. It is an interesting piece which curiously does not mention that it was once owned by Robert Catesby and was sold to help fund the Gunpowder Plot. Instead, the article mentions the building was begun around 1607. Perhaps this implies that this is not the original Chastleton inherited by Robert from his grandmother.

There is rumour also from more than one source that English novelist William Boyd, is presently writing a screenplay based on Antonia Fraser's novel Faith and Treason.

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