this story, and which, here and there, I have previously quoted.1

On finding themselves thus deserted by their friends, "Catesby, who knew the number of Catholics living in Wales and the adjoining counties, suggested to his fellow-conspirators that if they made a rapid march in that direction, they might raise a formidable insurrection. They got again to their horses, rode through Warwick, where they seized some cavalry horses, leaving their own tired steeds in their place, and then went to Grant's house at Norbrook, where, it appears, they were joined by a few servants, and procured some arms.

They then rode across Warwickshire and Worcestershire, to a house belonging to Stephen Littleton (one of their friends). The house was called Holbeach, and was on the borders of Staffordshire. Here they

arrived on Thursday night the seventh of November. On their way they had called upon the Catholics to arm and follow them: 'but not one man,' said Sir Everard Digby, 'came to take our part, though we had expected so many.'

"By this time the conspirators were closely followed by Sir Richard Walsh, sheriff of Worcestershire, attended by many gentlemen, and the whole posse comitatus," or armed force of the country, whom the sheriff had called to his assistance. Although the road was open towards Wales, the hunted men resolved to stand at bay, and defend themselves in the house at Holbeach. If their people had remained

' Knight's "Cabinet History of England," by Mr. C. MacFarlane.

T

firm, they might probably have repulsed the tumultuary assault of the sheriff; but their serving-men stole away during the night. Early on the following morning, Stephen Littleton, who had been admitted into the whole plot, got out of the house and fled through fear; and Sir Everard Digby went off, in order, as he said, to bring up succour. Sir Everard had scarcely got out of the house when some damp gunpowder, which they were drying before a fire, ignited and blew up with a tremendous explosion. Catesby, the contriver of the Gunpowder Treason and Plot, was burnt and blackened and nearly killed; and two or three of the others were seriously injured.

"They now began to fear that God disapproved of their project," since, by a remarkable coincidence, the very same punishment which they had devised for others had, though in a less degree, fallen upon themselves. "And Rookwood, and others, 'perceiving God to be against them, prayed before the picture of our Lady, and confessed that the act was so bloody as they desired God to forgive them.' Robert Winter, filled with horror and affright, stole out of the house, and came up with Stephen Littleton in a wood hard by; and shortly afterwards, Catesby's servant, Thomas Bates, escaped in the same manner.

"About the hour of noon, Sir Richard Walsh surrounded the mansion, and summoned the rebels to lay down their arms. A successful resistance was now hopeless; but, preferring to die where they stood, to suffering the horrid death prescribed by the laws, they refused to surrender, and defied their numerous assailants. Upon this the sheriff ordered one part of

his company to set fire to the house, and another to make an attack on the gates of the court-yard.

"The conspirators, with nothing but their swords in their hands, presented themselves as marks to be shot at; and Thomas Winter was presently hit in the right arm and disabled.

'Stand by me, Tom,' cried Catesby, 'and we will die together.' And presently, as they were standing back to back, they were both shot through the body with two bullets from one musket." Winter seems to have been not mortally wounded, as he was presently taken prisoner, and was afterwards conveyed to London, where he was tried; but we are told that "Catesby crawled into the house on his hands and knees, and, seizing an image of the Virgin Mary, which stood in the vestibule, he clasped it to his bosom and expired.

Two other merciful shots despatched the two brothers, John and Christopher Wright, and another wounded Percy so badly that he died the next day. Rookwood, who had been severely hurt in the morning by the explosion of the powder, was wounded in the body with a pike, and had his arm broken by a bullet. At a rush he was made prisoner, and the other men, wounded and disarmed, were seized within the house."

Of those who had previously escaped, "Sir Everard Digby was overtaken near Dudley by the hue-and-cry, and made fast; Stephen Littleton and Robert Winter were betrayed by a servant of Mrs. Littleton of Hagley, in whose house they had been secreted; Thomas Bates was arrested in Staffordshire: Kay, in Warwickshire.