Guy Fawkes Night – Bonfire Night..
5th November
On the night of 5th November, throughout Britain, we commemorate the capture of Guy Fawkes with bonfires and fireworks, and by burning an effigy of Guy.
In 1605, a group of Catholics, under the leadership of Robert Catesby, and involving Guy Fawkes, planned to blow up the British Houses of Parliament. In doing so, they would kill the King, maybe even the Prince of Wales, and the Members of Parliament who were making life difficult for the Catholics in Britain.
Guy Fawkes, Britain’s most notorious traitor, was in the cellar of the British parliament with 36 barrels of gunpowder when the authorities stormed it in the early hours of November 5th. He was caught, tortured and executed.
On the very night that the Gunpowder Plot was foiled, on November 5th, 1605, bonfires were set alight to celebrate the safety of the King. Since then, November 5th has become known as Bonfire Night. The event is commemorated every year with fireworks and burning effigies of Guy Fawkes on a bonfire.
Some of the English have been known to wonder, in a tongue in cheek kind of way, whether they are celebrating Fawkes’ execution or honoring his attempt to do away with the government.
http://www.bonfirenight.net
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