Chapter 1: The Plot is made

Maurice Anglesey, Head of the new Association pondered over his latest find. He was trying to trace the actions of the Association from its early days; the current documents he was reading had been put onto microfiche and then stored away. They had been forgotten until the archivists found it.

Maurice read the documents and shook his head, this was astounding! It was part of English history but the involvement of the Association was unknown, his hands found the telephone and he dialled a number.

"High Commander, Maurice here ... I have something that you might be interested in." He said and arranged a meeting with Cathy and 'the Three Musketeers' as her group was known.

In the study of Alpha 3 Maurice sat in a comfortable chair, with Cathy and her people was also Robert de Sable who Cathy had invited knowing his interest in History — as he'd been part of it — he was sitting back with his eyes closed as Maurice spoke.

"It's amazing these documents, it's based on reports made by an Association cleric within the group, although his name isn't known, it starts back in the year 1604." He said

"But that's pre-historic!" Kathy said dismissively.

"Miss Kathy! That is medieval not pre-historic, didn't I teach you anything?" Jameson their Butler/tutor spoke from his post behind Cathy rolling his eyes.

"Well you know what I mean, how can it be of any interest?" Kathy said from her seat.

"You'll never know until you listen, now remember your posture and pay attention." Jameson said watching the young woman change her position, he nodded his approval.

"Now that we've got that out of the way, as I said this started in the year 1604, when James I was on the throne. He had brought hope to the Roman Catholics as his mother was a known opponent of Elizabeth's religion and that he was married to a Dutch Roman Catholic. In February of 1604 following two attempts on his life, he made a speech that threw all the hopes of the Roman Catholics into despair." Maurice said his voice starting to drone in the way of all history teachers.

"I remember this from when I was in the Dreamtime, the head of the Organisation then was Robert Cecil, he was created Baron Cecil of Essindene in 1603. He got wind of a plot and tried to avoid it." Robert said.

"Just so, his Association counterpart was Thomas Howard, who had just succeeded Robert Devereux, following his deposal from the Court of the Crown. Under his rule he became aware of the unrest that the speech of the King was giving, indeed it was a message from a servant of Robert Catesby that revealed that it was more than just a rumour."

"Maurice, if you want - and also to save your throat — shall we tap into the Chaplains' for their memories of the event." Robert said.

"Can they do that? I mean won't it be like they're taking us over?" Charlotte asked.

"No, they are passive; it's just like watching a film, only you'll understand what they're feeling." Robert explained.

"Okay but I don't want to hear all those thee's and thou's." Kathy complained.

"You'll hear them in your own language, English. Don't worry about it." Robert said with a smile on his lips.

"Well what about..." Kathy began.

"Kat just leave it, relax and let the Chaplains take over." Cathy said.

"That's Kathy!" Kathy said and automatically heard Cathy reply 'whatever.' Then she closed her eyes and concentrated, around her the others also closed their eyes.

Jameson looked at the relaxed people and sighed, "Once again I miss out. Well I better see what cook is preparing for dinner tonight." He said and quietly left the room.

"I told you Catesby the king is going to change his religion to that of the Puritans. If we're not careful then they'll put us back into the Tower, for what? Just obeying the Papal rule? It was our religion before Henry rebelled." Thomas Wintour was saying.

"I know Thomas, what with all the furore with Parliament calling us excommunicates and the fines that we're unable to pay it's getting too much to remain in England, we need to do something!" Robert Catesby said. His mind going back to February of that year (1604), where the new King James had ordered all Bishops to hunt down Catholics priests, which made the secret passages and cupboards in Catholic's housed more like hiding places for those being hunted. His father's marriage to the Protestant Leigh woman gave Catesby a Puritan background, but it was well known that he was a Catholic.

"True, it's been harder since those two failed plots, why those idiots couldn't plan their ideas properly. The only way I see is to remove that bastard from the throne and to make sure none of his issue survives, and then we can raise the rabble to ask for a proper King from Holland to rule, after all he is married to a Dutch Queen." Jack Wright said. Referring to the Bye Plot and the Main Plot both in 1603

"Alright, try to see if we can get Philip to convince James to change his mind, you do know the man to see?" Catesby said to Winter who nodded.

"Yes, his name is Constable Don Juan de Velasco; I'll try to get him to ask James to give us the same rights as everyone else." Winter said.

Catesby nodded, "Fine ... but just in case, we need someone who's knowledgeable about mining and black-powder, I was told of such a man, Fawkes was his name. I think he's in the Spanish pay at the moment, but he's the one we'll need ... that's if things go wrong with Constable."

"I don't know him, but I think I can find out about him, I'll see Stanley about this (Sir William Stanley was actually Fawkes commander). Winter said, "What are you thinking about?" He asked.

Catesby shook his head, "I'm not really sure at the moment ... but if Constable can't get things done then I'm thinking about that Surprise Plot (Bye Plot), you know they were going to blow up James, but I don't think they thought it out properly ... leave it with me and I'll have something I know it."

Back in the present Sir Robert de Sable spoke to the group. "Constable did speak to King Philip of Spain, but failed to get him to convince James to reconsider his repression of Catholics in England, and so it was in May 1604 that the plotters met again, this time with Fawkes in the party, also Thomas Percy was in attendance, they met in a house in Bucher's Row.

"But where's the Organisation in this, why haven't we seen anything of them?" Charlotte asked.

"Because they don't know about this just yet, Cecil has spies working in the Spanish courts of course but they can only attend certain meetings, he did get a report that Constable was trying to get Philip to put pressure on James and had sent a message that James would find any such ideas hard to accept." Robert told her

"But why would he do that? The Organisation was supposed to help the Catholics; they were the ones following the Pope." Kathy said.

This time Cathy spoke up in response, "It was decided that the Organisation would support the reigning monarch in England, regardless of the faith of the King, or Queen, it came to a head when King Henry VIII decided to move away from the Pope. It nearly brought the Organisation down at the time." She said.

"Quite true, it was a worrying time for us, but we came through it and for a time were stronger." Robert said, "Now let's carry on." He added focusing the groups attention to the Clerics.

Thomas Percy looked up at the small house that he'd been directed to, it was stupidity itself to talk of plots and plans when nothing was actually being done, he knocked on the door and it was opened by a woman, Percy bowed, "Mistress Herbert? I believe my friends are here?" Percy said and was admitted to where he saw several people he knew and one that he didn't. He was annoyed and then said, "Shall we always, gentlemen, talk and never do anything?"

Catesby shook his head, "Percy, Percy, not here! Let me introduce you, I think you know, Winter, and John Wright? This is Fawkes! Father Gerard is upstairs waiting for us, but first I need an oath from everyone here." He looked around the group, noting that Mrs. Herbert had left them alone — the least she knew the better.

Catesby raised his hand in which he held a bible, "You shall swear by the blessed trinity and by the sacrament you are prepared to receive, never to disclose directly or indirectly by word or circumstances the matter that shall be proposed to you, to keep secret nor desist from the execution thereof until the rest shall give you leave?" and all the men agreed.

Their next step was to take communion with Father John Gerard; this was now done in secret because of the actions of the crown in trying to rid the country of Catholics.

After the service, and when Father Gerard had left, they then held their meeting, Percy was surprised. "You mean that you're actually going to do something? You're not just talking about things in general?" He said and noticed that the new man Fawkes seemed just as lost as he was.

Catesby nodded to Winter and Wright who took Fawkes to one side while he spoke to Percy. "Listen Thomas, there's nothing else we can do as far as I can see, with Parliament agreeing with the King we can't just get rid of him, we have prune them all." He said.

Percy frowned, "But doesn't that go against the faith? I mean can't we convince them to change their minds?" He asked.

Catesby shook his head, "No, I learnt at the school that Allen ran that sometimes normal things have to be put aside for the good of the faith, it was in a thesis by Martin de Azpilcueta, we cannot guide them and so for the faith they should be removed." He said seriously.