Robert Catesby - Gunpowder Plot
Lyra
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Robert Catesby - Gunpowder Plot
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The Catesbys appeared in my earlier thread,
about the links of Eleanor Bull/the Whitneys
with the Herberts, etc. -
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I'm adding here something about Robert Catesby.
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(quote, excerpts)
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Robert Catesby
Born: 1573
Died: 8 November 1605, Holbeache House, Staffordshire
Robert Catesby was the only surviving son of Sir William Catesby
of Lapworth and Anne Throckmorton of Coughton, his elder brother
William having died in infancy. He had an ancient and illustrious
lineage, including being sixth in descent from William Catesby, the
influential councillor of Richard III [1], immortalised not only by
Shakespeare, but in the famous satirical rhyme of Colyngbourne:
"The Cat, the Rat and Lovel our Dog,
Rule all England under a Hog"
Robert's father, Sir William Catesby, was a conscientious adherent
to the Catholic faith, a prime supporter of the Jesuit mission and one
of the leaders of the catholic cause [2], for which he suffered
greatly. In 1581, when Robert was only eight years old, he saw his
father arrested for the first time and tried in Star Chamber, along
with William, Lord Vaux
and his brother-in-law Sir Thomas Tresham [5],
for the harbouring of Father Edmund Campion, and spent most of the
rest of his life in and out of prison for various offences connected
with his recusancy [2]. At one time, his recusancy fines amounted to
one fifth of his considerable estate.[1] The effect of these events on
young Robert can only be guessed at.
Sir William Catesby was later assigned a project, which met with
the approval of Queen Elizabeth, of founding a catholic colony in
America, but this plan was later abandoned in the face of Spanish
hostility. [4]
Through his mother, Robert was related to the major recusant
families of Throckmorton, Tresham, Vaux, Monteagle and Habington, and
was raised in the atmosphere of secrecy and devotion that surrounded
this close-knit, staunchly catholic community.
`
The fact that he was a rich, influential and popular member of the
gentry went a long way in protecting him from the rigours of
recusancy, but not completely. In 1596 he was arrested because of his
known Catholic sympathies as a precautionary measure by the government
during an illness of Queen Elizabeth, and held in the Tower along with
the Wright brothers John and Christopher and Francis Tresham, and only
released on her recovery [9].
With his popularity and reputation amidst the fashionable gallants of
the time as an excellent swordsman, Robert soon came under the sphere
of influence
of Robert Devereux, the Earl of Essex,
whose household his cousin Francis Tresham had entered a few years
before [10], and with whom his friend and cousin by marriage, William
Parker, Lord Monteagle, served in Ireland [11].
When Essex, returning from a commission in Ireland without permission,
fell from royal favour he blamed the influence of Robert Cecil.
Although Essex himself was a protestant, perhaps even puritan, he bore
no malice towards catholics, and many of his closest friends were of
the catholic persuasion. To counteract the support of Cecil, he
actively drew catholics and puritans alike to his cause with the
promise of religious toleration if he was returned to favour and Cecil
removed from the council [12].
`
Robert Catesby died at the raid on Holbeache House on November 8th,
1605; he and Thomas Percy both being shot apparently with a single
bullet. According to Gerard, "Catesby protested at his death in the
field..., that not for themselves, but for the cause of Christ, not
for their wives and children, but for the Church, the spouse of
Christ, and saving so many thousand souls, the children of God, from
eternal flames, they attempted with fire to cut off the chiefest heads
and only causes of that greater ruin." [15]
For whatever can be said and argued about Robert Catesby, given his
willingness to risk all, at least his absolute sincerity, dedication
and firm belief that what he was doing was right cannot be
questioned.
Lyra
Lyra wrote:
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>
>
> Robert Catesby - Gunpowder Plot
>
>
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>
> The Catesbys appeared in my earlier thread *1 ,
>
> about the links of Eleanor Bull/the Whitneys
>
> with the Herberts, etc. -
>
>
> ```````````````````
*1
The thread titled
Lucy family of Charlecote - a marriage with the well-known Herbert/
Earls of Pembroke family
`
especially the post
The Whitneys too! - and the Admiral's wife, and Lord Chamberlain's
daughter ...Lucy family of Charlecote - a marriage with the well-known
Herbert/Earls of Pembroke family
http://groups.google.com/group/humanities.lit.authors.shakespeare/msg/ea96473ce8f5d764
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