<HTML><HEAD></HEAD>
<BODY dir=ltr>
<DIV dir=ltr>
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; COLOR: #000030; FONT-SIZE: 14pt">
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoBodyText><FONT
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">OK, it’s a little long and slightly out of period, but
it’s history and interesting.</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoBodyText><FONT
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"></FONT> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoBodyText><FONT
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Remember, remember the fifth of November, <BR>Gunpowder
treason and plot. <BR>We see no reason <BR>Why gunpowder treason <BR>Should ever
be forgot! <BR><BR>Guy Fawkes, guy, t'was his intent <BR>To blow up king and
parliament. <BR>Three score barrels were laid below <BR>To prove old England's
overthrow. <BR><BR>By God's mercy he was catch'd <BR>With a darkened lantern and
burning match. <BR>So, holler boys, holler boys, let the bells ring. <BR>Holler
boys, holler boys, God save the King.<BR><BR>And what shall we do with him?
<BR>Burn him! </FONT><BR style="mso-special-character: line-break"><BR
style="mso-special-character: line-break"></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoBodyText><FONT
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"></FONT> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">For 400 years,
bonfires have burned on November 5th to mark the failed Gunpowder Plot.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The tradition of Guy Fawkes-related
bonfires actually began the very same year as the failed coup. The Plot was
foiled in the night between the 4th and 5th of November 1605. Already on the
5th, agitated Londoners who knew little more than that their King had been
saved, joyfully lit bonfires in thanksgiving. As years progressed, however, the
ritual became more elaborate. </FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">In 1605,
thirteen young men planned to blow up the Houses of Parliament. Among them was
Guy Fawkes, Britain's most notorious traitor. </FONT><BR
style="mso-special-character: line-break"><BR
style="mso-special-character: line-break"></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">After Queen
Elizabeth I died in 1603, English Catholics who had been persecuted under her
rule had hoped that her successor, James I, would be more tolerant of their
religion. James I had, after all, had a Catholic mother. Unfortunately, James
did not turn out to be more tolerant than Elizabeth and a number of young men,
13 to be exact, decided that violent action was the answer. </FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">A small group
took shape, under the leadership of Robert Catesby. Catesby felt that violent
action was warranted. Indeed, the thing to do was to blow up the Houses of
Parliament. In doing so, they would kill the King, maybe even the Prince of
Wales, and the Members of Parliament who were making life difficult for the
Catholics. Today these conspirators would be known as extremists, or terrorists.
</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<DIV
style="mso-element: frame; mso-element-frame-hspace: 3.75pt; mso-element-wrap: auto; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-element-left: right; mso-element-top: .05pt; mso-height-rule: exactly">
<TABLE style="COLOR: #000000" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=right hspace="0"
vspace="0">
<TBODY>
<TR>
<TD
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; PADDING-LEFT: 3.75pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 3.75pt; PADDING-TOP: 0in"
vAlign=top align=left>
<P
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-element: frame; mso-element-frame-hspace: 3.75pt; mso-element-wrap: auto; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-element-left: right; mso-element-top: .05pt; mso-height-rule: exactly"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"></SPAN></P></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">To carry out
their plan, the conspirators got hold of 36 barrels of gunpowder - and stored
them in a cellar, just under the House of Lords. </FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">But as the
group worked on the plot, it became clear that innocent people would be hurt or
killed in the attack, including some people who even fought for more rights for
Catholics. Some of the plotters started having second thoughts. One of the group
members even sent an anonymous letter warning his friend, Lord Monteagle, to
stay away from the Parliament on November 5th.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The warning letter reached the King, and
the King's forces made plans to stop the conspirators. </FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoBodyText><FONT
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Guy Fawkes, who was in the cellar of the parliament with
the 36 barrels of gunpowder when the authorities stormed it in the early hours
of November 5th, was caught, tortured and executed. </FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">It's unclear if
the conspirators would ever have been able to pull off their plan to blow up the
Parliament even if they had not been betrayed. Some have suggested that the
gunpowder itself was so old as to be useless. Since Guy Fawkes and the other
conspirators got caught before trying to ignite the powder, we'll never know for
certain. </FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Even for the
period, which was notoriously unstable, the Gunpowder Plot struck a very
profound chord for the people of England. In fact, even today, the reigning
monarch only enters the Parliament once a year, on what is called "the State
Opening of Parliament". Prior to the Opening, and according to custom, the
Yeomen of the Guard search the cellars of the Palace of Westminster. Nowadays,
the Queen and Parliament still observe this tradition.</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">On the very
night that the Gunpowder Plot was foiled, on November 5th, 1605, bonfires were
set alight to celebrate the safety of the King.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Since then, November 5th has become
known as Bonfire Night.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The event
is commemorated every year with fireworks and burning effigies of Guy Fawkes on
a bonfire.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Some of the English have
been known to wonder, in a tongue in cheek kind of way, whether they are
celebrating Fawkes' execution or honoring his attempt to do away with the
government.</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<DIV
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; COLOR: #000030; FONT-SIZE: 14pt">Caitlin,
Carolyn, Lyn, Mom, Grandma<BR>So much to do; so little attention
span.....</DIV></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>