Hanged, Drawn & Quartered: The Inhuman Execution of Guy Fawkes

PART 2:

petition King Philip III for support in launching a Catholic rebellion in England although his mission was unsuccessful it demonstrated Fork’s growing commitment to the Catholic cause and his willingness to take bold action during this visit he met with the con of Castile Juan de Velasco who described Forks as a man of great piety and of exemplary Temperance upon his return to England in 16004 Forks found a country still hostile to Catholics despite the Ascension of James the first to the throne many Catholics had hoped that

James the son of Mary Queen of Scots would be more tolerant of their faith their hopes were quickly dashed as James continued and even intensified the persecution of Catholics it was in this atmosphere of disappointment and Desperation that Forks was introduced to Robert catesby the charismatic leader of what would become known as the Gunpowder Plot they met at the duck and Drake Inn in the Strand London a popular meeting place for Catholic dissidents catesby’s audacious plan to blow up the houses of Parliament during the state opening

killing the King and much of the Protestant nobility appealed to Fork’s military experience and religious Zeal as Forks later confessed the nature of the disease required so sharp a remedy the Powder Keg that almost ignited a tail of treason and gunpowder in the shadowy underbelly of early 17 century London a group of disgruntled Catholic conspirators huddled in secret their Whispers barely audible above the crackling fire it was May 20th 1604 and in a small house on butcher Row in the Strand a plan was taking shape that would shake the very

foundations of England at the heart of this clandestine Gathering was Robert catesby a charismatic 33-year-old gentleman from lapworth warshire whose fervent Catholic faith had been pushed to its limits by years of persecution under Protestant rule catesby who had already been involved in the failed Essex rebellion of 16001 was no stranger to sedition his family had suffered greatly for their faith his father had spent time in prison and paid Hefty fines for recusancy the Gunpowder Plot as it would come to be known was born out of

desperation and religious fervor King James I who had ascended to the throne just a year earlier in 16003 had dashed the hopes of English Catholics who had expected greater tolerance under his Reign instead James had intensified the persecution declaring in his first speech to Parliament on March 19th 160 for I will make them conform themselves or I will Harry them out of the land these words echoed in catesby’s mind as he outlined his audacious plan to his fellow conspirators the plot was as simple as it was devastating to blow up the House

of Lords during the state opening of parliament killing the King his family and the Protestant ruling Elite in one Fell Swoop in the uing chaos the conspirators plan to kidnap the king’s young daughter princess Elizabeth from tomb Abbey near Coventry and install her as a Catholic Monarch it was a plan of breathtaking ambition and terrifying consequences reminiscent of the babington plot of 1586 that had aimed to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I and place Mary Queen of Scots on the English Throne gathered around catesby that

fateful night were his cousin Thomas winto a 33-year-old lawyer from huddington Court Worcestershire John Wright a 36-year-old Yorkshire gentleman known for his skill with a sword Thomas Percy A 44-year-old nobleman and distant relative of the powerful Earl of North umberland and Guy Forks a 34-year-old soldier from York who had adopted the Italian version of his name Guido during his time fighting for Catholic Spain in the low countries each man brought unique skills to the conspiracy Wintour a skilled linguist who spoke Latin Greek

and several modern languages had connections on the the continent Wright along with his brother Christopher who would later join the plot was known for his swordsmanship and had been involved in the Essex Rebellion alongside catesby Percy as gentleman pensioner provided an air of aristocratic legitimacy and had access to the Royal Court but it was Guy forks with his military experience and expertise in explosives gained during the 80 years war who would become the Lynch pin of the operation as the conspiracy grew so did

its ranks over the following months the plotters carefully recruited others to their cause Francis tram a 37-year-old gentleman from Rushton northamptonshire whose father had been imprisoned with Kates for harboring the Jesuit priest Edmund Campion in 1581 joined the group everard Digby a 25-year-old knight from Stoke dry Rutland was brought in for his wealth and connections Robert Wintour Thomas’s 36-year-old brother also joined the Inner Circle each was sworn to secrecy with a solemn oath taken on a Prayer Book in a

ceremony conducted by the Jesuit priest John Gerard at catesby’s lodgings in Lambeth by March 1605 the group had swelled to 13 members a number that would later be seen as an ill Omen the conspirators were well aware of the stakes as Shakespeare wrote in his play McBeth first performed in 16006 just months after the plot’s discovery to show an felt sorrow is an office which the false man does easy the logistics of the plot were daunting the conspirators needed to acquire a large quantity of gunpowder and find a way to plant it directly

beneath the House of Lords Fortune seemed to smile on them when Thomas Percy using his position as a gentleman pensioner managed to rent a ground floor Sellar from John winard Keeper of the king’s wardrobe this Cellar extended right under the Parliament building providing the perfect location for their explosives over the following months the plotters smuggled 36 barrels of gunpowder into the cellar disguising them as coal and firewood this amount of explosives estimated at about 2,500 kg would have been more than enough to reduce the

houses of Parliament to Rubble guy Forks using the Alias John Johnson and posing as Percy’s servant was tasked with guarding the gunpowder and preparing the fuse his military experience made him the ideal candidate for this crucial role Forks took his responsibility seriously spending long hours in the Dank Cellar ready to light the fuse at a moment’s notice his dedication was such that when later asked by King James what he would have done if he had been discovered he replied with chilling resolve I would have blown you up house

self and all this cold determination would later earn him great grudging admiration from the King himself who described Forks as possessing a Roman resolution as the date of the state opening of parliament approached tension among the conspirators mounted the original date of February 7th 16005 had been postponed due to fears of the plague which had killed more than 30,000 londoners in 1603 alone the new date was set for November 5th and the plotters saw this delay as Divine Providence giving them more time to perfect their plan during this time

they also began to prepare for the aftermath of the explosion Kates be arranged for a Hunting Party to gather at dun Church in warshire ostensibly for a deer hunt but actually to serve as a cover for the planned Uprising in the Midlands however cracks began to appear in the conspiracy some of the plotters particularly Francis tram began to have second thoughts about the scale of Destruction they were planning whose brothers-in-law Lord Monteagle and Lord storton would be present at the state opening was especially troubled on

October 26th an anonymous letter was delivered to William Parker fourth Baron monagle warning him to avoid attending Parliament on the night of November 4th 16005 guy Forks descended into the cellar for the last time ready to light the fuse that would change the course of English History he carried with him a pocket watch given to him by Percy set to go off at the appointed hour and a slow match and touchwood for igniting the Gunpowder the watch a relatively new invention at the time symbolized the Precision Timing required for the plot’s

success little did Forks know that his every move was being watched the king having been shown the mon Eagle letter had insisted on a search of the parliament buildings saying the letter might be written by a fool but could only be counterfeited by a wise Nave the fuse that failed unraveling the gunpowder plot’s Final hours in the crisp autum air of London in 16005 a single letter would spark a chain of events that would unravel the most audacious conspiracy England had ever faced on the evening of October 26th as the city prepared for the

upcoming State opening of parliament Lord William Parker fourth Baron monagle sat down to supper at his house in hawkton little did he know that the letter delivered to him that night would change the course of history the house located on what is now hawkton Street was a grand Tuda Mansion befitting mon Eagle’s status as a peer of the realm the missive penned in a scrawling hand was as cryptic as it was alarming my Lord it began out of the love I bear to some of your friends I have a care of your preservation therefore I would advise

you as you tender your life to devise some excuse to shift your attendance at this Parliament the letter went on to warn of a terrible blow to be struck against Parliament cautioning that the danger would be over as quick as it is subtle the identity of the Letter’s author remains a mystery to this day though many historians believe it was written by Francis tram one of the conspirators and Monte agle’s brother-in-law this act of betrayal would later be echoed in Shakespeare’s words from MC Beth written shortly after

these events there’s daggers in men’s Smiles mon Eagle perplexed by the Letter’s contents immediately rode to whiteall Palace to show it to Robert Cil first Earl of Salsbury and the King’s spy Master cile a shrewd and calculating man who had uncovered numerous plots against the crown recognized the gravity of the warning however he chose to bite his time hoping to catch the conspirators red-handed cil’s patience was leg he had spent years carefully cultivating a network of spies and informants throughout England and Europe his Motto

video aacho I see and say nothing perfectly encapsulated his approach to statecraft as the days ticked by tension mounted in the corridors of Power King James I upon being shown the letter on November 1st interpreted it with a flash of insight that would prove crucial the more I think upon the letter he declared the more do I find it to be confused and the last words the danger is passed as soon as you have burnt the letter are likely to imply the danger to be great and sudden the king insisted on a thorough search of the parliament

buildings James who had authored A Treatise on witchcraft called demonology in 1597 was known for his intellectual curiosity and his belief in Divine Right his interpretation of the letter would L to be seen as evidence of his self-proclaimed role as God’s representative on Earth on the night of November 4th 16005 as London lay shrouded in darkness Sir Thomas niit keeper of Westminster palace led a search party through the Warren of cellers beneath the House of Lords the air was thick with anticipation and the

musty scent of damp Stone as they descended into the Gloom lanterns casting Long Shadows on the walls They Came Upon a sight that would etch itself into the annals of English History the Palace of Westminster originally built in the 11th century had been the seat of the English Parliament since the 13th century its labyrinthine cellers some dating back to Medieval Times provided the perfect hiding place for The Conspirator deadly cargo there in a Cellar rented by Thomas Percy stood a man calling himself John

Johnson he was dressed for travel with a cloak boot and Spurs as if ready for a swift departure this was in fact guy Forks the explosives expert of the Gunpowder Plot caught in the act of guarding 36 barrels of gunpowder enough to reduce Parliament to Rubble Forks a man of 35 years with a soldier’s bearing and a fanatic’s resolve remained remarkably composed when questioned about his presence he coolly replied that he was a servant of Thomas Percy the seller’s tenant his demeanor was so convincing that net might have left him

be had it not been for the king’s insistence on a thorough search Fork’s composure in the face of capture would later Inspire the English proverb keep your powder dry a reminder to maintain one’s composure in difficult situations as the search party moved deeper into the cellar they discovered the deadly cache hidden beneath piles of firewood and coal the realization of what they had stumbled upon sent a chill through the men they had uncovered a plot of unprecedented scale and audacity the 36 barrels contained an estimated

2,500 kg of gunpowder to put this in perspective the largest non-nuclear explosion ever created by humans the British bang experiment of 1947 used 4,144 tons of surplus wartime explosives and created a blast wave that traveled at 720 mph the explosion had it occurred would have been devastating likely destroying much of Westminster and damaging buildings as far away as whiteall Forks was immediately arrested and brought before the king and his privy Council in the early hours of November 5th his resolve even in the face of capture was

remarkable when asked by one of the Scottish courtiers present why he had collected so much gunpowder Forks replied with grim humor to blow you Scotch Beggars back back to your native mountains this Defiance echoed the words of another famous Rebel William Wallace who had declared two centuries earlier I could not be a traitor to Edward for I was never his subject King James both terrified and fascinated by the plot against his life personally supervised Fork’s interrogation in a letter he described the prisoner as possessing a Roman

resolution indeed Fork’s initial interrogation yielded did little as he steadfastly refused to name his co-conspirators or provide details of the plot the king who had narrowly escaped assassination in the [ __ ] conspiracy of 1600 was determined to get to the bottom of this new threat to his Reign however the King was determined to extract a confession on November 6th he issued a warrant authorizing torture the gentler ts are to be first used unto him etk per gradus ad Ima tendit and so by degrees proceeding to the worst Forks

was transferred to the Tower of London where he would face the cruel ministrations of the rack the Tower with its long history of housing political prisoners had seen many famous inmates including s Walter rally who was coincidentally imprisoned there at the time of Fork’s arrest the tower a grim fortress on the banks of the temps had long been a place of dread for those accused of treason in its dank Chambers Fork would endure unimaginable Suffering The Rack a fish device designed to stretch the body to its limits was

employed with brutal efficiency inch by agonizing inch Fork’s body was pulled apart his joints dislocating with sickening pops the torture was supervised by William ward leftenant of the tower who had previously overseen the interrogation of other Catholic plotters including the Jesuit priest John Gerard for two days Forks resisted his body broken but his will intact however on November 7th his resolve finally crumbled in a confession signed with a shaky hand barely legible due to the torture he had endured Forks revealed

the full extent of the plot and named his co-conspirators the confession still preserved in the National Archives provides a chilling account of the conspirators plans including their intention to tunnel under Parliament before they discovered the convenient seller the signature on this confession a far cry from his usual firm hand tells a story of its own where once he’d signed his name with a flourish as Guido Forks now he could barely manage a trembling Guido this signature preserved in the National Archives serves as a

chilling Testament to the ordeal he had endured the stark contrast between his earlier signatures and this final tortured scroll has led some historians to question the legitimate y of the confession echoing the words of the Roman historian tacitus men are more ready to believe what they least understand as news of the plot spread London erupted in a frenzy of Celebration and anti-catholic sentiment bonfires were lit across the city burning Effigies of the Pope alongside those of guy Forks in the aftermoth the

other conspirators were swiftly rounded up some including the plot’s Mastermind Rob catesby died resisting arrest in a shootout at halbes house in Staffordshire on November 8th the house a Tudor Manor dating from the 16th century still stands today its walls bearing the scars of that fateful day the survivors including Forks were tried for high treason in Westminster Hall on January 27th 16006 the trial presided over by Sir John poam Lord Chief Justice of England was a spectacle of judicial theater with the accused facing a foregone

conclusion Justice’s Grim theater the spectacle of treason Reckoning on a frostbitten January morning in 16006 the Great Hall of Westminster palace buzzed with a palpable tension the vaulted ceiling witnessed to centuries of Royal Banquets and political intrigues now echoed with the murmers of anticipation as London’s Elite jostled for Prime positions they had come to witness the trial of the century The Men Who had dared to plot the annihilation of King Lords and Commons in one Fell Swoop the hall itself built in 1097 under William II

had seen its share of historic trials including that of William Wallace in 1305 and Sir Thomas Moore in 1535 now it would add another chapter to its storied history among the accused guy Forks cut a gaunt figure his frame once robust from years of soldiering in Flanders was now a shadow of its former self ravaged by weeks of interrogation in the Tower of London alongside him stood seven co-conspirators Robert Wintour Thomas winter Ambrose Rookwood Robert Keys Thomas Bates sir everard Digby and John grant their faces were

etched with a mixture of defiance and resignation the weight of their failed plot hung heavy in the air as tangible as the chains that bound the their wrists the trial presided over by the formidable Sir John poam Lord Chief Justice of England commenced on January 27th 16006 poam known for his harsh sentences and unwavering loyalty to the crown glowed down at the accused from his elevated bench his reputation preceded him he had presided over the trials of Sir Walter rally and the Earl of Essex both of which had ended in death

sentences the charges were read out out in ringing tones that reverberated through the hall high treason against his majesty King James I attempted regicide and conspiracy to subvert the true religion of England the gravity of these charges was underscored by the treason act of 1351 which defined high treason as encompassing any attempt to Compass or imagine the death of The Sovereign as the evidence was presented gasps and murmurs rippled through the assembled crowd the prosecution led by the eloquent sir Edward kooch painted a

vivid picture of The Conspirator nefarious plans kooch whose legal Acumen was matched only by his theatrical flare held aoft a lantern the very one found with forks in the cellers beneath Parliament behold he thundered the light that would have ushered in our Darkness Ko’s oratory was renowned he had famously prosecuted the ear of Essex in 16001 declaring the law is the Safeguard of Liberty now he turned that same skill against forks and his co-conspirators the defendants denied legal council as was customary in cases

of high treason were left to speak for themselves some like Robert Keys maintained a stoic silence others such as Sir everard Digby pleaded for mercy on account of their Noble birth Digby whose wife Anne throck [ __ ] was a cousin of Francis tresham suspected of writing the warning letter to Lord monteal appealed y to the Court’s sense of class loyalty Forks when called upon spoke in a voice horar from torture but unwavering in conviction the trial was a foregone conclusion a piece of political theater designed to showcase the king’s

Mercy in allowing due process even as it inexorably marched towards a predetermined verdict after a mere one-day proceeding all eight men were found guilty the speed of the trial was not unusual for the time the trial of the babington plotters in 1586 had lasted only 2 days Lord chief justice poppen his voice carrying the weight of the realm pronounced the sentence you are to be drawn on hurdles to the place of execution where you shall be hanged by the neck cut down alive your body opened and your heart and bowels taken

out and burnt before your eyes then your head to be cut off and your body divided into four quarters this gruesome sentence standard for high treason had its origins in the reign of Edward I and was designed not just to punish but to utterly destroy the traitor in Body and Soul the grizzly spectacle of their execution was set for January 30th and 31606 in the old Palace yard at Westminster mere Steps From the Parliament building they had sought to destroy as Dawn broke on the 30th London stirred with a maab excitement thousands

flocked to witness the gruesome pageant of State retribution jostling for space on rooftops and makeshift scaffolds public executions were a common form of entertainment in jaab in England the execution of the Earl of Essex in 16001 had drawn crowds of 30,000 to Tower Hill the first day saw the execution of Sir everard Digby Robert wintor John Grant and Thomas Bates each man was dragged on a wooden Hurdle from the tower to Westminster a journey of public humiliation through streets lined with jeering crowds the route took them past

landmarks such as St Paul’s Cathedral and Ludgate Hill where the severed heads of previous traitors served as Grim reminders of the Fate that awaited them at the scaffold they faced their final moments with varying degrees of composure Digby ever the Aristocrat addressed the crowd with eloquence expressing remorse not for the plot itself but for its failure his last words I am a Catholic and a Gentleman spoke volumes about the social and religious tensions that had led to the plot the following day it was the turn

of forks Thomas wintor Ambrose Rookwood and Robert keys to meet their fate Forks once the very embodiment of the plot’s Menace was now a broken man yet as he climbed the ladder to the Gallows a flicker of his old Defiance returned in a final act that would echo through history forks leapt from the scaffold breaking his neck and cheating the Executioner of his Grim task this act of defiance or perhaps desperation would later be immortalized in the words of the 17th century poet John Dryden great wits are sure to Madness

near Allied and thin partitions do their bounds divide the other conspirators were not so fortunate the crowd watched in horrified Fascination as the full brutality of their sentence was carried out the men were hanged until Nearly Dead then cut down and disemboweled while still conscious their hearts were torn out and burned before their fading eyes a symbolic destruction of the seat of their treasonous intentions the Executioner a man named Edward Dunn was known for his skill in prolonging the agony of The Condemned he

had previously officiated at the execution of the priest John Bost in 1594 and his reputation for cruelty was well established as the day wore on and the grizzly work continued even the most bloodthirsty Spectators began to pale John Dunn the metaphysical poet who witnessed the executions would later reflect any man’s death diminishes me because I am involved in mankind Don who had Catholic sympathies and connections to some of the conspirators was deeply affected by the spectacle his poem no man is an island

is thought to have been inspired in part by these events the the sheer barbarity of the punishments intended to serve as the ultimate deterrent instead SED seeds of sympathy in some quarters the impact of the executions rippled through English society for Catholics already Under Suspicion and facing increasing restrictions it marked a dark new chapter the government used the plot as justification for even harsher penal laws against Catholics including the popish recusant act of 16005 which imp osed crippling fines on those who

refused to attend Anglican services this act along with the oath of Allegiance introduced in 16006 created a climate of fear and suspicion that would persist for Generations Embers of rebellion the fiery Legacy of guy Fork’s KN as Twilight descends on the 5th of November the crisp autumn air across Britain crackles with anticipation in countless towns and Villages from the Scottish Highlands to the Cornish Coast bonfires begin to flicker to life their Flames licking at the darkening Sky the acrid scent of smoke mingles with the

sugary Aroma of toffee apples and the sharp Tang of gunpowder children their faces are glow with excitement clutch sparklers that paint ephemeral patterns in the night this is bonfire night also known as guy Fork’s night a uniquely British celebration that has endured for over 4 centuries in the words of the 17th century poet John Milton it’s a night when the city do of its own accord Blaze with a thousand bonfires in the immediate aftermath of the failed Gunpowder Plot King James I declared November 5th a day of Thanksgiving the

people of London relieved at their narrow escape from catastrophe lit bonfires to celebrate the king’s survival this spontaneous outpouring of joy and relief would soon be codified into law in January 1606 the observance of the 5th of November Act was passed mandating that the day be commemorated annually with special church services and the lighting of bonfires the ACT remained in force until 1859 making it one of the longest standing pieces of legislation in English History as the years passed the celebrations evolved taking on new

customs and traditions by the 1630s fireworks had become a common feature of the festivities their inclusion was both symbolic and practical a nod to the gunpowder that had failed to ignite in 16005 and a spectacular way to light up the Autumn night the first recorded use of fireworks in these celebrations comes from a 1636 account by the antiquarian John Stow who described squibs and crackers being set off in London’s streets interestingly the development of fireworks in England owes much to to the Royal pyrotechnician John bate who

published The Mysteries of Nature and art in 1634 including detailed instructions for making fireworks perhaps the most iconic tradition associated with bonfire Knight is the burning of the guy this practice began in the early 18th century with children creating Effigies of guy Forks using old clothes stuffed with straw or newspaper these guys would be paraded through the streets with children asking passers by for a penny for the guy to raise money for fireworks the Effigies would then be thrown onto the bonfire a symbolic

punishment of the long dead conspirator this tradition was immortalized in TS Elliot’s poem The Hollow Men 1925 with the lines a penny for the old guy I remember the Dead Man’s Penny the burning of the guy took on a life of its own often reflecting the political and social tensions of the Day In 1832 during the height of debates over electoral reform Effigies of the Duke of Wellington and other opponents of the Reform Bill were burned alongside or instead of guy Forks in 1867 a guy depicting the phenian leader Michael

Barrett was burned in London reflecting tensions over Irish nationalism this tradition of burning Effigies of unpopular figures continues in some places today most notably in Lewis East Sussex where elaborate Effigies of controversial public figures are paraded through the town before being consigned to the flames in recent years figures such as Donald Trump Boris Johnson and Vladimir Putin have all been given the guy treatment in Lewis as the centuries passed the religious and political significance of bonfire night began to fade replaced by

a more secular celebration of community and tradition the rhyme remember remember the 5th of November gunpowder treason and plot once a genuine call to commemorate a thwarted attack became a playful incantation for children the figure of guy Forks himself underwent a curious transformation in the public imagination evolving from reviled traitor to a symbol of anti-establishment rebellion this shift was noted by the historian Antonia Fraser who wrote in her book The Gunpowder Plot Terror and faith in one , 65 in

1996 guy Forks has been reincarnated in the 20th century as a kind of anti-hero at least to the young this shift was particularly evident in the late 20th and early 21st centuries the 1980s graphic novel V for Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd later adapted into a film in 2005 reimagined Forks as an anarchist hero fighting against a totalitarian government the stylized guy Forks mask worn by the protagonist became an icon of protest movements worldwide most notably adopted by the hacker group Anonymous in 2011 Time magazine named

this mask as the person of the year recognizing its widespread use in protests from Wall Street to the Arab Spring despite these cultural shifts bonfire Knight remains a beloved tradition in the United Kingdom each year over 3,000 public fireworks displays are held across the country attracting millions of Spectators the largest of these events like the Lewis bonfire celebration or London’s Battery Park display can draw crowds of over 30,000 people the Lewis celebrations in particular are known for their scale and

intensity involving six bonfire societies and multiple processions through the town the author Louie de Bernier once described the Le celebrations as a Pagan fire festival with a veneer of historical meaning the scale of these celebrations has led to some controversy in recent years environmental concerns about air pollution from bonfires and fireworks have prompted some local councils to seek Alternatives in 2019 Lambeth Council in London replaced its traditional fireworks display with a laser light show citing both

environmental and cost concerns similarly in 2018 the town of dunde in Scotland replaced its bonfire with a fire Garden of flaming sculptures these changes reflect growing awareness of environmental issues echoing the words of naturalist sir David atanur the future of humanity and indeed all life on earth now depends on [Music] us yet for many Britains bonfire Knight remains an essential part of the Autumn calendar a night when communities come together to share in a spectacle of light and warmth as the days grow

shorter and colder the food associated with the night toffee apples baked potatoes and warming soups speaks to its nature as a Harvest Festival as much as a historical commemoration in Yorkshire it’s traditional to eat Parkin a sticky ginger cake on bonfire night the origins of this tradition are unclear but some link it to the Region’s strong guy Forks connections Forks was born in York and attended St Peter’s in the city in some parts of the country particularly in the north of England bonfire Knight Traditions have taken on unique local

flavors in otter St Mary Devon the night is marked by the spectacular and dangerous custom of tar barreling where participants race through the streets carrying flaming barrels of tar on their shoulders this tradition which dates back to the 17th century sees 17 barrels of increasing size carried through the town culminating in a midnight Barrel weighing 30 kg in Yorkshire children recite a different version of the classic rhyme plot plot Thou shalt not be forgot while York’s on hill and Us’s stream doth Glide this local variation

reflects York’s connection to guy forks and the enduring nature of regional Traditions as the Sparks Fly upward and the guy Burns a new each year those messages continue to be written in fire against the November Sky a testament to the enduring power of tradition and the everchanging nature of cultural memory in the glow of the bonfire we see not just the reflection of a 4y old plot but the face of Britain itself Ever Changing yet somehow Timeless its history and future intertwined in the dancing flames of a

November night remember it was the poet John Dunn who wrote in 1626 he keeps his soul alive with the food of Fame how precient those words seem now as we witness Fork’s name echoing through the centuries fed by bonfires and fireworks Rhymes and rry so as the last sparkler Fizzles out and the bonfires glow Fades we bid farewell to guy Fork’s night but fear not for in The Whisper of every November wind in the crackle of every Flame the spirit of the fifth lives on ready to ignite our imaginations once more when autumn returns