FAWKES, faks, Guy, or Gumo 11570-1606). An English conspirator. The son of Edward Fawkes, a Protestant ecclesiastical proctor and notary, he was born in York. Under a step father's influence he became a Roman Catholic, and after coming into possession and disposing of his father's rroperty, he enlisted as a soldier of fortune in the Spanish Army, serving in Flanders. He returned to England on the acces sion of James 1. (James VI. of Scotland). and became associated with Catesby and other con spirators. who hoped to restore Roman Catholi cism by blowing up the King. his Ministers. Lords. and Commons, at the assembling of the Houses of Parliament on November 5. 1605. Fawkes was chosen to he the chief agent in the deed, and when he was arrested all arrangements had been made for applying the fuse to the train lead ing to barrels of gunpowder which had been stored in a cellar of the Houses of Parliament. Though lie at first refused to divulge the names of his companions, he finally succumbed to torture, con fessed. and was hanged and quartered. with sev
eral of his aecomplices, January 31, IMO. Par liament set apart November 5th forever as a day of thanksgiving. The commemoration of the event, although fast dying out, still prevails, espeeially in cathedral towns, where grotesque effigies called 'Guy Fawkes.' or `Guys.' with high cap and lantern, after being carried in procession through the streets by fantastically garbed and masked attendants, are committed to the flames of huge bonfires. (See I II"NPOWDER Con sult: True and Perfect Motion (London, 1606), reprinted. with new ma I eris ls, as The Gunpowder Treason (London. 1079) ; Nowell. Stole Trials: \\Inwood• ticnioriols vidA.. London, 1725) : 7'he Fawkes of York in the Six nib Century ( London, 1350m ; Gardiner, Wbot the Gunpowder Plot Was ()minion, It497) ner, History of England ( London, 11493-95) Hazlitt's articles justifying Fawkes, in the No vember Examiner (London, 1821).