Foxe - The Book of Martyrs
The mystery of history is not completely dark, since it is a veil which only partially conceals the creative activity and spiritual forces and the operation of spiritual laws. It is commonplace to say that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church yet what we are asserting is simply that individual acts of spiritual decision bear social fruit …For the great cultural changes and historic revolutions that decide the fate of nations or the character of an age is the cumulative result of a number of spiritual decisions … the faith and insight, or the refusal and blindness, of individuals. No one can put his finger on the ultimate spiritual act that tilts the balance, and makes the external order of society assume a new form… Persecution, powerless to destroy or even to shake this new community, made it only the more sensible of its own strength, and pressed it into a more compact body.
The mystery of history is not completely dark, since it is a veil which only partially conceals the creative activity and spiritual forces and the operation of spiritual laws. It is commonplace to say that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church yet what we are asserting is simply that individual acts of spiritual decision bear social fruit …For the great cultural changes and historic revolutions that decide the fate of nations or the character of an age is the cumulative result of a number of spiritual decisions … the faith and insight, or the refusal and blindness, of individuals. No one can put his finger on the ultimate spiritual act that tilts the balance, and makes the external order of society assume a new form… Persecution, powerless to destroy or even to shake this new community, made it only the more sensible of its own strength, and pressed it into a more compact body.
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<strong>Foxe</strong>’s <strong>Book</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Martyrs</strong><br />
Some escaped to Calais, and arriving there with others, who fled to avoid a persecution<br />
which they apprehended on this occasion, were kindly received by the governor; but one <strong>of</strong><br />
them declaring before him, that he was not so much concerned at his exile, as that the powder<br />
plot did not take effect, the governor was so much incensed at his glorying in such an<br />
execrable piece <strong>of</strong> iniquity, that, in a sudden impulse <strong>of</strong> indignation, he endeavoured to throw<br />
him into the sea.<br />
On the 27th <strong>of</strong> January, 1606, eight <strong>of</strong> the conspirators were tried and convicted, among<br />
whom was Sir Everard Digby, the only one that pleaded guilty to the indictment, though all<br />
the rest had confessed their guilt before. Digby was executed on the 30th <strong>of</strong> the same month,<br />
with Robert Winter, Grant, and Bates, at the west end <strong>of</strong> St. Paul's churchyard; Thomas<br />
Winter, Keyes, Rockwood, and Fawkes, were executed the following day in Old Palace yard.<br />
Garnet was tried on the 28th <strong>of</strong> March, "for his knowledge and concealment <strong>of</strong> the<br />
conspiracy; for administering an oath <strong>of</strong> secrecy to the conspirators, for persuading them <strong>of</strong><br />
the lawfulness <strong>of</strong> the[315] treason, and for praying for the success <strong>of</strong> the great action in hand<br />
at the beginning <strong>of</strong> the parliament." Being found guilty, [C] he received sentence <strong>of</strong> death, but<br />
was not executed till the 3d <strong>of</strong> May, when, confessing his own guilt, and the iniquity <strong>of</strong> the<br />
enterprise, he exhorted all Roman Catholics to abstain from the like treasonable practices in<br />
future. Gerard and Hall, two Jesuits, got abroad; and Littleton, with several others, were<br />
executed in the country.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Lord Monteagle had a grant <strong>of</strong> two hundred pounds a year in land, and a pension <strong>of</strong><br />
five hundred pounds for life, as a reward for discovering the letter which gave the first hint<br />
<strong>of</strong> the conspiracy; and the anniversary <strong>of</strong> this providential deliverance was ordered to be for<br />
ever commemorated by prayer and thanksgiving.<br />
Thus was this diabolical scheme happily rendered abortive, and the authors <strong>of</strong> it brought<br />
to that condign punishment which their wickedness merited. In this affair Providence<br />
manifestly interposed in behalf <strong>of</strong> the protestants, and saved them from that destruction<br />
which must have taken place had the scheme succeeded according to the wishes <strong>of</strong> a bigoted,<br />
superstitious, and blood-thirsty faction.<br />
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