CHAPTER I.
HOW GUY FAWKES WAS PUT TO THE TORTURE.
Intimation of the arrest of Guy Fawkes having been sent to the Tower,his arrival was anxiously expected by the warders and soldiers composingthe garrison, a crowd of whom posted themselves at the entrance ofTraitor's Gate, to obtain a sight of him. As the bark that conveyed theprisoner shot through London Bridge, and neared the fortress, notice ofits approach was given to the lieutenant, who, scarcely less impatient,had stationed himself in a small circular chamber in one of the turretsof Saint Thomas's or Traitor's Tower, overlooking the river. He hastilydescended, and had scarcely reached the place of disembarkation, whenthe boat passed beneath the gloomy archway, the immense wooden wicketclosed behind it; and the officer in command springing ashore, wasfollowed more deliberately by Fawkes, who mounted the slippery stairswith a firm footstep. As he gained the summit, the spectators pressedforward; but Sir William Waad, ordering them in an authoritative tone tostand back, fixed a stern and scrutinizing glance on the prisoner.
"Many vile traitors have ascended those steps," he said, "but none sofalse-hearted, none so bloodthirsty as you."
"None ever ascended them with less misgiving, or with lessself-reproach," replied Fawkes.
"Miserable wretch! Do you glory in your villany?" cried the lieutenant."If anything could heighten my detestation of the pernicious creed youprofess, it would be to witness its effects on such minds as yours. Whata religion must that be, which can induce its followers to commit suchmonstrous actions, and delude them into the belief that they are piousand praiseworthy!"
"It is a religion, at least, that supports them at seasons when theymost require it," rejoined Fawkes.
"Peace!" cried the lieutenant, fiercely, "or I will have your viperoustongue torn out by the roots."
Turning to the officer, he demanded his warrant, and glancing at it,gave some directions to one of the warders, and then resumed hisscrutiny of Fawkes, who appeared wholly unmoved, and steadily returnedhis gaze.
Meanwhile, several of the spectators, eager to prove their loyalty tothe king, and abhorrence of the plot, loaded the prisoner withexecrations, and finding these produced no effect, proceeded to personaloutrage. Some spat upon his face and garments; some threw mud, gatheredfrom the slimy steps, upon him; some pricked him with the points oftheir halberds; while others, if they had not been checked, would haveresorted to greater violence. Only one bystander expressed the slightestcommiseration for him. It was Ruth Ipgreve, who, with her parents,formed part of the assemblage.
A few kindly words pronounced by this girl moved the prisoner more thanall the insults he had just experienced. He said nothing, but a slightand almost imperceptible quivering of the lip told what was passingwithin. The jailer was extremely indignant at his daughter's conduct,fearing it might prejudice him in the eyes of the lieutenant.
"Get hence, girl," he cried, "and stir not from thy room for the rest ofthe day. I am sorry I allowed thee to come forth."
"You must look to her, Jasper Ipgreve," said Sir William Waad, sternly."No man shall hold an office in the Tower who is a favourer of papacy.If you were a good Protestant, and a faithful servant of King James,your daughter could never have acted thus unbecomingly. Look to her, Isay,--and to yourself."
"I will, honourable sir," replied Jasper, in great confusion. "Take herhome directly," he added, in an under tone to his wife. "Lock her uptill I return, and scourge her if thou wilt. She will ruin us by herindiscretion."
In obedience to this injunction, Dame Ipgreve seized her daughter'shand, and dragged her away. Ruth turned for a moment to take a last lookat the prisoner, and saw that his gaze followed her, and was fraughtwith an expression of the deepest gratitude. By way of showing hisdisapproval of his daughter's conduct, the jailer now joined thebitterest of Guy Fawkes's assailants; and ere long the assemblage becameinfuriated to such an ungovernable pitch, that the lieutenant, who hadallowed matters to proceed thus far in the hope of shaking theprisoner's constancy, finding his design fruitless, ordered him to betaken away. Escorted by a dozen soldiers with calivers on theirshoulders, Guy Fawkes was led through the archway of the Bloody Tower,and across the Green to the Beauchamp Tower. He was placed in thespacious chamber on the first floor of that fortification, now used as amess-room by the Guards. Sir William Waad followed him, and seatinghimself at a table, referred to the warrant.
"You are here called John Johnson. Is that your name?" he demanded.
"If you find it thus written, you need make no further inquiry from me,"replied Fawkes. "I am the person so described. That is sufficient foryou."
"Not so," replied the lieutenant; "and if you persist in this stubborndemeanour, the severest measures will be adopted towards you. Your solechance of avoiding the torture is in making a full confession."
"I do not desire to avoid the torture," replied Fawkes. "It will wrestnothing from me."
"So all think till they have experienced it," replied the lieutenant;"but greater fortitude than yours has given way before our engines."
Fawkes smiled disdainfully, but made no answer.
The lieutenant then gave directions that he should be placed within asmall cell adjoining the larger chamber, and that two of the guardshould remain constantly beside him, to prevent him from doing himselfany violence.
"You need have no fear," observed Fawkes. "I shall not destroy my chanceof martyrdom."
At this juncture a messenger arrived, bearing a despatch from the Earlof Salisbury. The lieutenant broke the seal, and after hurriedlyperusing it, drew his sword, and desiring the guard to stationthemselves outside the door, approached Fawkes.
"Notwithstanding the enormity of your offence," he observed, "I find hisMajesty will graciously spare your life, provided you will reveal thenames of all your associates, and disclose every particular connectedwith the plot."
Guy Fawkes appeared lost in reflection, and the lieutenant, conceivinghe had made an impression upon him, repeated the offer.
"How am I to be assured of this?" asked the prisoner.
"My promise must suffice," rejoined Waad.
"It will not suffice to me," returned Fawkes. "I must have a pardonsigned by the King."
"You shall have it on one condition," replied Waad. "You are evidentlytroubled with few scruples. It is the Earl of Salisbury's convictionthat the heads of many important Catholic families are connected withthis plot. If they should prove to be so,--or, to be plain, if you willaccuse certain persons whom I will specify, you shall have the pardonyou require."
"Is this the purport of the Earl of Salisbury's despatch?" asked GuyFawkes.
The lieutenant nodded.
"Let me look at it," continued Fawkes. "You may be practising upon me."
"Your own perfidious nature makes you suspicious of treachery inothers," cried the lieutenant. "Will this satisfy you?"
And he held the letter towards Guy Fawkes, who instantly snatched itfrom his grasp.
"What ho!" he shouted in a loud voice; "what ho!" and the guardsinstantly rushed into the room. "You shall learn why you were sent away.Sir William Waad has offered me my life, on the part of the Earl ofSalisbury, provided I will accuse certain innocent parties--innocent,except that they are Catholics--of being leagued with me in my design.Read this letter, and see whether I speak not the truth."
And he threw it among them. But no one stirred, except a warder, who,picking it up, delivered it to the lieutenant.
"You will now understand whom you have to deal with," pursued Fawkes.
"I do," replied Waad. "But were you as unyielding as the walls of thisprison, I would shake your obduracy."
"I pray you not to delay the experiment," said Fawkes.
"Have a little patience," retorted Waad. "I will not balk your humour,depend upon it."
With this, he departed, and repairing to his lodgings, wrote a hastydespatch to the Earl, detailing all that had passed, and requesting awarrant for the torture, as he was apprehensive, if the prisoner exp
iredunder the severe application that would be necessary to force the truthfrom him, he might be called to account. Two hours afterwards themessenger returned with the warrant. It was in the handwriting of theKing, and contained a list of interrogations to be put to the prisoner,concluding by directing him "to use the gentler torture first, _et sicper gradus ad ima tenditur_. And so God speed you in your good work!"
Thus armed, and fearless of the consequences, the lieutenant summonedJasper Ipgreve.
"We have a very refractory prisoner to deal with," he said, as thejailer appeared. "But I have just received the royal authority to puthim through all the degrees of torture if he continues obstinate. Howshall we begin?"
"With the Scavenger's Daughter and the Little Ease, if it please you,honourable sir," replied Ipgreve. "If these fail, we can try thegauntlets and the rack; and lastly, the dungeon among the rats, and thehot stone."
"A good progression," said the lieutenant, smiling. "I will now repairto the torture-chamber. Let the prisoner be brought there without delay.He is in the Beauchamp Tower."
Ipgreve bowed and departed, while the lieutenant, calling to anattendant to bring a torch, proceeded along a narrow passagecommunicating with the Bell Tower. Opening a secret door within it, hedescended a flight of stone steps, and traversing a number of intricatepassages, at length stopped before a strong door, which he pushed aside,and entered the chamber he had mentioned to Ipgreve. This dismalapartment has already been described. It was that in which Viviana'sconstancy was so fearfully approved. Two officials in the peculiar garbof the place--a sable livery--were occupied in polishing the varioussteel implements. Besides these, there was the chirurgeon, who wasseated at a side table, reading by the light of a brazen lamp. Heinstantly arose on seeing the lieutenant, and began, with the otherofficials, to make preparations for the prisoner's arrival. The twolatter concealed their features by drawing a large black capoch, orhood, attached to their gowns over them, and this disguise addedmaterially to their lugubrious appearance. One of them then took down abroad iron hoop, opening in the centre with a hinge, and held it inreadiness. Their preparations were scarcely completed when heavyfootsteps announced the approach of Fawkes and his attendants. JasperIpgreve ushered them into the chamber, and fastened the door behindthem. All the subsequent proceedings were conducted with the utmostdeliberation, and were therefore doubly impressive. No undue hasteoccurred, and the officials, who might have been mistaken for phantomsor evil spirits, spoke only in whispers. Guy Fawkes watched theirmovements with unaltered composure. At length, Jasper Ipgreve signifiedto the lieutenant that all was ready.
"The opportunity you desired of having your courage put to the test isnow arrived," said the latter to the prisoner.
"What am I to do?" was the reply.
"Remove your doublet, and prostrate yourself," subjoined Ipgreve.
Guy Fawkes obeyed, and when in this posture began audibly to recite aprayer to the Virgin.
"Be silent," cried the lieutenant, "or a gag shall be thrust into yourmouth."
Kneeling upon the prisoner's shoulders, and passing the hoop under hislegs, Ipgreve then succeeded, with the help of his assistants, who addedtheir weight to his own, in fastening the hoop with an iron button.This done, they left the prisoner with his limbs and body so tightlycompressed together that he was scarcely able to breathe. In this statehe was allowed to remain for an hour and a half. The chirurgeon thenfound on examination that the blood had burst profusely from his mouthand nostrils, and in a slighter degree from the extremities of his handsand feet.
"He must be released," he observed in an under tone to the lieutenant."Further continuance might be fatal."
Accordingly, the hoop was removed, and it was at this moment that theprisoner underwent the severest trial. Despite his efforts to controlhimself, a sharp convulsion passed across his frame, and the restorationof impeded circulation and respiration occasioned him the most acuteagony.
The chirurgeon bathed his temples with vinegar, and his limbs beingchafed by the officials, he was placed on a bench.
"My warrant directs me to begin with the 'gentler tortures,' and toproceed by degrees to extremities," observed the lieutenant,significantly. "You have now had a taste of the milder sort, and mayform some conjecture what the worst are like. Do you still continuecontumacious?"
"I am in the same mind as before," replied Fawkes, in a hoarse but firmvoice.
"Take him to the Little Ease, and let him pass the night there," saidthe lieutenant. "To-morrow I will continue the investigation."
Fawkes was then led out by Ipgreve and the officials, and conveyed alonga narrow passage, until arriving at a low door, in which there was aniron grating, it was opened, and disclosed a narrow cell about four feethigh, one and a few inches wide, and two deep. Into this narrowreceptacle, which seemed wholly inadequate to contain a tall andstrongly-built man like himself, the prisoner was with some difficultythrust, and the door locked upon him.
In this miserable plight, with his head bent upon his breast,--the cellbeing so contrived that its wretched inmate could neither sit, norrecline at full length within it,--Guy Fawkes prayed long and fervently;and no longer troubled by the uneasy feelings which had for some timehaunted him, he felt happier in his present forlorn condition than hehad been when anticipating the full success of his project.
"At least," he thought, "I shall now win myself a crown of martyrdom,and whatever my present sufferings may be, they will be speedily effacedby the happiness I shall enjoy hereafter."
Overcome, at length, by weariness and exhaustion, he fell into a sort ofdoze--it could scarcely be called sleep--and while in this state,fancied he was visited by Saint Winifred, who, approaching the door ofthe cell, touched it, and it instantly opened. She then placed her handupon his limbs, and the pain he had hitherto felt in them subsided.
"Your troubles will soon be over," murmured the saint, "and you will beat rest. Do not hesitate to confess. Your silence will neither serveyour companions nor yourself." With these words the vision disappeared,and Guy Fawkes awoke. Whether it was the effect of imagination, or thathis robust constitution had in reality shaken off the effects of thetorture, it is impossible to say, but it is certain that he felt hisstrength restored to him, and attributing his recovery entirely to themarvellous interposition of the saint, he addressed a prayer ofgratitude to her. While thus occupied, he heard--for it was so dark hecould distinguish nothing--a sweet low voice at the grating of the cell,and imagining it was the same benign presence as before, paused andlistened.
"Do you hear me?" asked the voice.
"I do," replied Fawkes. "Is it the blessed Winifred, who againvouchsafes to address me?"
"Alas, no!" replied the voice; "it is one of mortal mould. I am RuthIpgreve, the jailer's daughter. You may remember that I expressed somesympathy in your behalf at your landing at Traitor's Gate to-day, forwhich I incurred my father's displeasure. But you will be quite sure Iam a friend, when I tell you I assisted Viviana Radcliffe to escape."
"Ha!" exclaimed Guy Fawkes, in a tone of great emotion.
"I was in some degree in her confidence," pursued Ruth; "and, if I amnot mistaken, you are the object of her warmest regard."
The prisoner could not repress a groan.
"You are Guy Fawkes," pursued Ruth. "Nay, you need have no fear of me. Ihave risked my life for Viviana, and would risk it for you."
"I will disguise nothing from you," replied Fawkes. "I am he you havenamed. As the husband of Viviana--for such I am--I feel the deepestgratitude to you for the service you rendered her. She bitterlyreproached herself with having placed you in so much danger. How did youescape?"
"I was screened by my parents," replied Ruth. "It was given out by themthat Viviana escaped through the window of her prison, and I was thuspreserved from punishment. Where is she now?"
"In safety, I trust," replied Fawkes. "Alas! I shall never behold heragain."
"Do not despair," returned Ruth. "I will try to effect your liber
ation;and though I have but slender hope of accomplishing it, still there is achance."
"I do not desire it," returned Fawkes. "I am content to perish. All Ilived for is at an end."
"This shall not deter me from trying to save you," replied Ruth; "and Istill trust there is happiness in store for you with Viviana. Amid allyour sufferings, rest certain there is one who will ever watch over you.I dare not remain here longer, for fear of a surprise. Farewell!"
She then departed, and it afforded Guy Fawkes some solace to ponder onthe interview during the rest of the night.
On the following morning Jasper Ipgreve appeared, and placed before hima loaf of the coarsest bread, and a jug of dirty water. His scanty mealended, he left him, but returned in two hours afterwards with a party ofhalberdiers, and desiring him to follow him, led the way to thetorture-chamber. Sir William Waad was there when he arrived, anddemanding in a stern tone whether he still continued obstinate, andreceiving no answer, ordered him to be placed in the gauntlets. Uponthis, he was suspended from a beam by his hands, and endured five hoursof the most excruciating agony--his fingers being so crushed andlacerated that he could not move them.
He was then taken down, and still refusing to confess, was conveyed to ahorrible pit, adjoining the river, called, from the loathsome animalsinfesting it, "the dungeon among the rats." It was about twenty feetwide and twelve deep, and at high tide was generally more than two feetdeep in water.
Into this dreadful chasm was Guy Fawkes lowered by his attendants, who,warning him of the probable fate that awaited him, left him in totaldarkness. At this time the pit was free from water; but he had not beenthere more than an hour, when a bubbling and hissing sound proclaimedthat the tide was rising, while frequent plashes convinced him that therats were at hand. Stooping down, he felt that the water was alive withthem--that they were all around him--and would not, probably, delaytheir attack. Prepared as he was for the worst, he could not repress ashudder at the prospect of the horrible death with which he was menaced.
At this juncture, he was surprised by the appearance of a light, andperceived at the edge of the pit a female figure bearing a lantern. Notdoubting it was his visitant of the former night, he called out to her,and was answered in the voice of Ruth Ipgreve.
"I dare not remain here many minutes," she said, "because my fathersuspects me. But I could not let you perish thus. I will let down thislantern to you, and the light will keep away the rats. When the tideretires you can extinguish it."
So saying, she tore her kerchief into shreds, and tying the slipstogether, lowered the lantern to the prisoner, and without waiting toreceive his thanks, hurried away.
Thus aided, Guy Fawkes defended himself as well as he could against hisloathsome assailants. The light showed that the water was swarming withthem--that they were creeping by hundreds up the sides of the pit, andpreparing to make a general attack upon him.
At one time, Fawkes determined not to oppose them, but to let them worktheir will upon him; but the contact of the noxious animals made himchange his resolution, and he instinctively drove them off. They werenot, however, to be easily repulsed, and returned to the charge withgreater fury than before. The desire of self preservation now got thebetter of every other feeling, and the dread of being devoured alivegiving new vigour to his crippled limbs, he rushed to the other side ofthe pit. His persecutors, however, followed him in myriads, springingupon him, and making their sharp teeth meet in his flesh in a thousandplaces.
In this way the contest continued for some time, Guy Fawkes speedinground the pit, and his assailants never for one moment relaxing in thepursuit, until he fell from exhaustion, and his lantern beingextinguished, the whole host darted upon him.
Thinking all over, he could not repress a loud cry, and it was scarcelyuttered, when lights appeared, and several gloomy figures bearingtorches were seen at the edge of the pit. Among these he distinguishedSir William Waad, who offered instantly to release him if he wouldconfess.
"I will rather perish," replied Fawkes, "and I will make no furthereffort to defend myself. I shall soon be out of the reach of yourmalice."
"This must not be," observed the lieutenant to Jasper Ipgreve, who stoodby. "The Earl of Salisbury will never forgive me if he perishes."
"Then not a moment must be lost, or those ravenous brutes will assuredlydevour him," replied Ipgreve. "They are so fierce, that I scarcely liketo venture among them."
A ladder was then let down into the pit, and the jailer and the twoofficials descended. They were just in time. Fawkes had ceased tostruggle, and the rats were attacking him with such fury that his wordswould have been speedily verified, but for Ipgreve's timelyinterposition.
On being taken out of the pit, he fainted from exhaustion and loss ofblood; and when he came to himself, found he was stretched upon a couchin the torture-chamber, with the chirurgeon and Jasper Ipgreve inattendance. Strong broths and other restoratives were then administered;and his strength being sufficiently restored to enable him to converse,the lieutenant again visited him, and questioning him as before,received a similar answer.
In the course of that day and the next, he underwent at intervalsvarious kinds of torture, each more excruciating than the preceding, allof which he bore with unabated fortitude. Among other applications, therack was employed with such rigour, that his joints started from theirsockets, and his frame seemed torn asunder.
On the fourth day he was removed to another and yet gloomier chamber,devoted to the same dreadful objects as the first. It had an archedstone ceiling, and at the further extremity yawned a deep recess. Withinthis there was a small furnace, in which fuel was placed, ready to bekindled; and over the furnace lay a large black flag, at either end ofwhich were stout leathern straps. After being subjected to the customaryinterrogations of the lieutenant, Fawkes was stripped of his attire, andbound to the flag. The fire was then lighted, and the stone graduallyheated. The writhing frame of the miserable man ere long showed theextremity of his suffering; but as he did not even utter a groan, histormentors were compelled to release him.
On this occasion, there were two personages present who had neverattended any previous interrogation. They were wrapped in large cloaks,and stood aloof during the proceedings. Both were treated with the mostceremonious respect by Sir William Waad, who consulted them as to theextent to which he should continue the torture. When the prisoner wastaken off the heated stone, one of those persons advanced towards him,and gazed curiously at him.
Fawkes, upon whose brow thick drops were standing, and who was sinkinginto the oblivion brought on by overwrought endurance, exclaimed, "It isthe King;" and fainted.
"The traitor knew your Majesty," said the lieutenant. "But you see it isin vain to attempt to extort anything from him."
"So it seems," replied James; "and I am greatly disappointed, for I wasled to believe that I should hear a full confession of the conspiracyfrom his own lips. How say you, good Master chirurgeon, will he endurefurther torture?"
"Not without danger of life, your Majesty, unless he has some days'repose," replied the chirurgeon, "even if he can endure it then."
"It will not be necessary to apply it further," replied Salisbury. "I amnow in full possession of the names of all the principal conspirators;and when the prisoner finds further concealment useless, he will changehis tone. To-morrow, the commissioners appointed by your Majesty for theexamination of all those concerned in this dreadful project, willinterrogate him in the lieutenant's lodgings, and I will answer with mylife that the result will be satisfactory."
"Enough," said James. "It has been a painful spectacle which we havejust witnessed, and yet we would not have missed it. The wretchpossesses undaunted resolution, and we can never be sufficientlygrateful to the beneficent Providence that prevented him from workinghis ruthless purpose upon us. The day on which we were preserved fromthis Gunpowder Treason shall ever hereafter be kept sacred in ourchurch, and thanks shall be returned to Heaven for our wonderfuldeliverance."
r /> "Your Majesty will act wisely," replied Salisbury. "The Ordinance willimpress the nation with a salutary horror of all Papists andtraitors,--for they are one and the same thing,--and keep alive a properfeeling of enmity against them. Such a fearful example shall be made ofthese miscreants as shall, it is to be hoped, deter all others fromfollowing their cause. Not only shall they perish infamously, but theirnames shall for ever be held in execration."
"Be it so," rejoined James. "It is a good legal maxim--_Crescentemalitia, crescere debuit et poena_."
Upon this, he left the chamber, and, traversing a number of subterraneanpassages with his attendants, crossed the drawbridge near the BywardTower to the wharf, where his barge was waiting for him, and returned init to Whitehall.
At an early hour on the following day, the commissioners appointed tothe examination of the prisoner, met together in a large room on thesecond floor of the lieutenant's lodgings, afterwards denominated, fromits use on this occasion, the Council Chamber. Affixed to the walls ofthis room may be seen at the present day a piece of marble sculpture,with an inscription commemorative of the event. The commissioners werenine in number, and included the Earls of Salisbury, Northampton,Nottingham, Suffolk, Worcester, Devon, Marr, and Dunbar, and Sir JohnPopham, Lord Chief Justice. With these were associated Sir Edward Coke,attorney-general, and Sir William Waad.
The apartment in which the examination took place is still a spaciousone, but at the period in question it was much larger and loftier. Thewalls were panelled with dark lustrous oak, covered in some places withtapestry, and adorned in others with paintings. Over the chimney-piecehung a portrait of the late sovereign, Elizabeth. The commissioners weregrouped round a large heavily carved oak table, and, after somedeliberation together, it was agreed that the prisoner should beintroduced.
Sir William Waad then motioned to Topcliffe, who was in attendance withhalf a dozen halberdiers, and a few moments afterwards a panel waspushed aside, and Guy Fawkes was brought through it. He was supported byTopcliffe and Ipgreve, and it was with the greatest difficulty he coulddrag himself along. So severe had been the sufferings to which he hadbeen subjected, that they had done the work of time, and placed morethan twenty years on his head. His features were thin and sharp, and ofa ghastly whiteness, and his eyes hollow and bloodshot. A large cloakwas thrown over him, which partially concealed his shattered frame andcrippled limbs; but his bent shoulders, and the difficulty with whichhe moved, told how much he had undergone.
On seeing the presence in which he stood, a flush for a moment rose tohis pallid cheek, his eye glowed with its wonted fire, and he tried tostand erect--but his limbs refused their office--and the effort was sopainful, that he fell back into the arms of his attendants. He was thusborne forward by them, and supported during his examination. The Earl ofSalisbury then addressed him, and enlarging on the magnitude andhorrible nature of his treason, concluded by saying that the onlyreparation he could offer was to disclose not only all his own criminalintentions, but the names of his associates.
"I will hide nothing concerning myself," replied Fawkes; "but I shall befor ever silent respecting others."
The Earl then glanced at Sir Edward Coke, who proceeded to take downminutes of the examination.
"You have hitherto falsely represented yourself," said the Earl. "Whatis your real name?"
"Guy Fawkes," replied the prisoner.
"And do you confess your guilt?" pursued the Earl.
"I admit that it was my intention to blow up the King and the whole ofthe lords spiritual and temporal assembled in the Parliament House withgunpowder," replied Fawkes.
"And you placed the combustibles in the vault where they werediscovered?" demanded Salisbury.
The prisoner answered in the affirmative.
"You are a Papist?" continued the Earl.
"I am a member of the Church of Rome," returned Fawkes.
"And you regard this monstrous design as righteous and laudable--asconsistent with the religion you profess, and as likely to uphold it?"said the Earl.
"I did so," replied Fawkes. "But I am now convinced that Heaven did notapprove it, and I lament that it was ever undertaken."
"Still, you refuse to make the only reparation in your power--you refuseto disclose your associates?" said Salisbury.
"I cannot betray them," replied Fawkes.
"Traitor! it is needless," cried the Earl; "they are known to us--nay,they have betrayed themselves. They have risen in open and armedrebellion against the King; but a sufficient power has been sent againstthem; and if they are not ere this defeated and captured, many days willnot elapse before they will be lodged in the Tower."
"If this is the case, you require no information from me," rejoinedFawkes. "But I pray you name them to me."
"I will do so," replied Salisbury; "and if I have omitted you can supplythe deficiency. I will begin with Robert Catesby, the chief contriver ofthis hell-engendered plot,--I will next proceed to the superior of theJesuits, Father Garnet,--next, to another Jesuit priest, FatherOldcorne,--next, to Sir Everard Digby,--then, to Thomas Winter andRobert Winter,--then, to John Wright and Christopher Wright,--then, toAmbrose Rookwood, Thomas Percy, and John Grant, and lastly, to RobertKeyes."
"Are these all?" demanded Fawkes.
"All we are acquainted with," said Salisbury.
"Then add to them the names of Francis Tresham, and of hisbrother-in-law, Lord Mounteagle," rejoined Fawkes. "I charge both withbeing privy to the plot."
"I have forgotten another name," said Salisbury, in some confusion,"that of Viviana Radcliffe, of Ordsall Hall. I have received certaininformation that she was wedded to you while you were resident at WhiteWebbs, near Epping Forest, and was cognisant of the plot. If captured,she will share your fate."
Fawkes could not repress a groan.
Salisbury pursued his interrogations, but it was evident, from theincreasing feebleness of the prisoner, that he would sink under it ifthe examination was further protracted. He was therefore ordered toattach his signature to the minutes taken by Sir Edward Coke, and wasplaced in a chair for that purpose. A pen was then given him, but forsome time his shattered fingers refused to grasp it. By a great effort,and with acute pain, he succeeded in tracing his Christian name thus:--
"Guido"]
While endeavouring to write his surname, the pen fell from his hand, andhe became insensible.