In the midst of these deliberations Fawkes brought intelligence that the parliament had again been prorogued from the 7th of February to the 3rd of October following. The conspirators therefore separated for a time and in the meanwhile Johu Grant of Norbrook, iu War wickshire, and Robert Winter of Huddington, were sworn iu among their number. lu February (1604-5) their labours were resumed, and the stone wall nearly half broken through. Out, morning while working upon the wall, they suddenly heard a rushing noise in a cellar nearly above their heads. At first they feared they had been discovered; but Fawkes being despatched to reconnoitre, found that one Mright, to whom the cellar belonged, was selling off hie coals in order to remove. Fawkes carefully surveyed this large vault situated immediately below the House of Lords, and perceived its fitness for their purpose. Tho difficulties connected with breaking through the wall, its thickness, the damp of the situation, for water was continually oozing through the stone-work, and the danger of discovery from noise, disposed the confederates to abandon their operations, and to possess themselves of the cellar of Bright. The vault was imme diately hired, and about twenty barrels of powder were carried by night from Lambeth : iron bars and other tools that had been used in mining were also thrown among the powder, that the breach might be the greater, and the whole was covered over with faggots. Lumber of various kinds was placed in the cellar to prevent any suspicion of the curious or the watchful. In May 1605 the preparations were complete : the conspirators having marked the door, in order that it might bo seen if any one entered the vault, consented to separate; before their separation however it was proposed that an attempt should be made to obtain• foreign cooperation by informing Sir William Stanley and Owen of the project. This was agreed to on condition of their being sworn to secrecy, and Fawkes was despatched to Flanders for the purpose of conferring with them. Sir Edmund Baynham was also sent on a mission to the pope, that when the news of the explosion arrived at Rome he might be prepared to negotiate on behalf of the conspirators, and to explain that the design of the plot was the reeatablishmeut of Roman Catholicism. Soon after Fawkes's return from Flanders the parliament was further prorogued from October to the 5th of November. These repeated prorogations alarmed the conspirators, and led them to fear that their project was suspected. Their alarms however having been discovered to be groundless, Catesby purchased horses, arms, and powder, and under the pretence of making levies for the Archduke of Plandera, assembled friends who might be armed in the country when the first blow was struck. As considerable sums of money were necessary for these purposes, it was proposed to admit into the confederacy three wealthy men, Sir Everard Digby [Melee], Ambrose Rookwood of Coldliam Hall, in Suffolk, and Francis Tresham, the son of Sir Thomas Tresham of Rushton, in Northamptonshire. These gentlemen were afterwards sworn in.
As the day of meeting of parliament approached, it was finally determined that Fawkes should fire the mine with a slow match, which would allow him a quarter of an hour to escape. Sir Everard Digby was to assemble a 'lumber of Roman Catholic gentlemen in Warwickshire on the 5th of November under pretence of a hunting party, and Percy was to seize the Prince of Wales, or the Duke of York if the prince should go to the parliament-house with the king. One subject of discussion only arose, whether and how the Roman Catholic peers should be warned of their danger. Each conspirator had friends, if not relations among them; but the danger of commu nicating the project to so largo a number of persons was considered so imminent that they despaired of saving all of them, and it was concluded that uo express notice should bo given them, but only such persuasion, upon general grounds, as might deter them from attending.
Many of the conspirators were averse to this advice and angry at its adoption; and Tresham in particular, for his sisters had married Lords Stourton and Mounteagle. Indeed Tresham so passionately required that Lord Mouuteeglo should have warning of his danger, that very high words ensued; and when he was thwarted in his wishes, he hinted that the money he had promised would not be forth coming; and from this time he ceased to attend their councils.
On Saturday the 26th of October, ten days before tho meeting of parliament, Lord Mouuteagle unexpectedly gave a supper in n house which ho had not lately occupied. Circumstances have given rise to a belief that ho was privy to the plot et the time that be invited his friends, and that the supper was only given as a convenient oppor tunity of discovering the conspiracy to them. Bo this as it may, whilst he was at table a letter was brought to him by one of his pastel, who stated that he bad received it in the street from a stranger, who pressed its instant delivery into his masters hands. Tho letter ran thus :—" My lord out of the love I beare to come of youer freuds have a CaOr of smiler preservacion therefor i would Rape posse as yowe tender youer lyf to dcvyse some exacuso to .Lift of yummy attendance at this parliament for Ood and man bathe concurred to puuiahe the wickednes of this time, and thluke not slightly° of this advertisaneut but retyere youre self into youre contri wbeare yowo may expect the event in safti for thowghe theare be no apparance of anni stir yet i saye they shall receyve a terrible blows thia parliament and yet they ahall not aeie who hurts them, this comical is not to be contemned because it may do yowe good and can do yowe no harme for the dangere is passed as soon as yowe have burnt the letter, and i hope God will give yowe the grace to mak good use of it to whose holy protection i commend yowe." " To the right honorable the Lord Mounteagle." This letter has been ascribed to Anne, the daughter of Lord Vaux, to Miss Abington, Lord Mounteagle'a sister, to Percy, and to others ; but there seem greater reasons for believing that no one of these waa the writer of it, but rather that Tresham was its author. It is a point however we have not room to discuss, and therefore muat refer the inquiring reader to Criminal Trials ' (vol. ii. p. 66) for further remarks upon it.
On the same evening Lord Mounteagla showed the letter to several lords of the council, who with him agreed that no steps should be taken until the king returned from hunting at Royston. The contents of the letter and its communication to many of the council, as well as to the secretary of state, soon reached the ears of the conspiratora ; but though their danger was evident, and the vessel which was to convey Fawkes to Flanders was lying in the river, they made no attempt to escape. All suspected Tresham to be their betrayer, and he was accused by them, but ho vehemently denied the accusation. Since they did not know accurately to what extent their proceedings had been divulged, they had still hope of effecting their design, espe cially as, upon examination, Fawkes found that the cellar was not watched, and had not been disturbed. When however they heard that on the 31st of October the letter had been shown to the king, their hope diminished and their fears increased. Some of the con apirators left London ; others concealed themselves in an obscure lodging; all held themselves ready to atart at a moment's warning.