Happy Guy Fawkes Day.
If you’re not British, or haven’t seen “V” For Vendetta, then you may not be familiar with the nursery rhyme or the Gunpowder Plot Conspiracy. (“V” For Vendetta is quite a good movie by the way.) Here is a video briefly explaining the history of the phrase, “Remember, remember, the 5th of November”.
A fact of note, the Parliament Building (House of Lords) which the Catholic conspirators were attempting to blow up in 1605 is not the same as the building that is used today. The mediaeval House of Parliament was twice destroyed by fire. The lantern that Guy Fawkes was carrying that night in 1605 survives in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. To this day it is customary for the Yeomen of the Guard to search the cellars of the Parliament Building before the official State Opening in November.
It’s also worth noting that Guy Fawkes was only a minor player in the conspiracy, but given that he was the one caught “red-handed”, he’s the one that was immortalized.
Share some British history and trivia with your friends!
The Fifth of November
Remember, remember!
The fifth of November,
The Gunpowder treason and plot;
I know of no reason
Why the Gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot!
Guy Fawkes and his companions
Did the scheme contrive,
To blow the King and Parliament
All up alive.
Threescore barrels, laid below,
To prove old England’s overthrow.
But, by God’s providence, him they catch,
With a dark lantern, lighting a match!
A stick and a stake
For King James’s sake!
If you won’t give me one,
I’ll take two,
The better for me,
And the worse for you.
A rope, a rope, to hang the Pope,
A penn’orth of cheese to choke him,
A pint of beer to wash it down,
And a jolly good fire to burn him.
Holloa, boys! holloa, boys! make the bells ring!
Holloa, boys! holloa boys! God save the King!
Hip, hip, hooor-r-r-ray!
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