Newsademic British English edition 260

part o f the U K ’s parliament. This 
group’s plan became known as the 
Gunpowder Plot.

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12th November 2015 
N e w s a d e m ic .co m ™
 - British English edition 
page 
17
Robert Catesby was the leader 
o f the group. Fawkes was in charge 
o f the explosives. Members of 
the group secretly took barrels of 
gunpowder to a room in the cel­
lar underneath the House o f Lords. 
Fawkes stayed in the cellar to guard 
the barrels. Then, the authorities re­
ceived an unsigned letter. It warned 
them what was about to happen.
On 5th November 1605 rooms in 
the cellar were searched. The gun­
powder was found. Fawkes was ar­
rested and tortured. Other members 
o f the group were caught. A few 
months later they were put on trial. 
All were found guilty o f treason 
and executed. The following year 
the parliament made a new rule. It 
stated that 5th November must be 
commemorated every year. Many 
people did this by ringing church 
bells and lighting bonfires.
The tradition continued. People 
used to set up bonfires in their own 
gardens. Nowadays, towns and vil­
lages organise larger public events. 
Usually there is a large fire and 
firework display. A figure known 
as a guy (meaning Guy Fawkes) is 
made out of paper stuffed into old 
clothes. It is placed on top of the 
fire and burnt.
The biggest 5th November event 
takes place in a town called Lewes. 
There, 17 burning crosses are car­
ried through the town. They com­
memorate 17 Protestant men from 
Lewes who were burned at the stake. 
This happened when Mary the First 
(1553 - 1558) was England’s mon­
arch. She was a Catholic queen. In 
Lewes, flaming barrels of tar are 
rolled through the streets. Tradition­
ally, effigies of Guy Fawkes and 
Pope Paul the Fifth are burnt on a 
huge bonfire. Pope Paul the Fifth 
was the leader of the Roman Catho­
lic Church in 1605. □
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