Modern-day Descendants of the Wintour Family of Huddington Court By Douglas Burbury
Prelude to the Search The Wintour family of Huddington Court in Worcestershire played a prominent role in the events of the Gunpowder Plot. Two of the principal conspirators - Thomas and Robert Wintour - were brothers who belonged to this family. Their half-sister Dorothy was also the wife of another principal plotter, John Grant of Norbrook, Warwickshire. I first became interested in the Gunpowder Plot because of a legend which linked the Burbury family with the Wintours of Huddington. My 7th great-grandfather, William Burbury, married Elizabeth Winter in 1743 in the parish of Leek Wootton, near Coventry in Warwickshire. The legend states that this Elizabeth Winter was "... daughter of Winter of Haddington Court, Worcester, who was a descendant of the Thomas Winter who, with his brother Robert, and cousin, Sir Edward Catesby [sic], suffered death for their complicity in the Gunpowder Plot." The source for this statement was a book written by my great-grandfather Alfred Burbury in 1938. I also have a copy of a handwritten family tree which has the same sentence in an almost verbatim form written at the bottom. This particular family tree came from an elderly, unmarried Burbury lady in England, and was compiled during the early 1920s. As far as I knew, no-one in the family had ever attempted to establish the genuineness of this legend. Thus I decided to see if I could find out myself whether the legend was true or not. And as I started to delve into the matter, I began to find other people whose families had a similar legend. In most cases the story was basically the same - their family claimed descent from the Wintour family of Huddington Court. Unfortunately, none of these contacts had been able to find definitive proof of the link - it was merely a "claim", or a "family legend". An Outline of the Wintour Family There is controversy surrounding the early origins of the Wintour family. Some accounts say that the family was descended from a knight who came over to England with William the Conqueror, whereas others say the family was originally Welsh. The family acceded to the estates of Huddington in Worcestershire when a Roger Wynter married Joan de Hodington, heiress of Huddington and Cassy. A few generations later, the family split into two principal branches - the "Huddington" branch, from which were descended the Gunpowder Plotters Robert and Thomas; and the "Lydney" branch, from which were descended notable historical figures as Admiral Sir William Wynter, who played a prominent role in the defeat of the Spanish Armada, and Sir John Wynter, a Royalist leader during the Civil War. Surname spellings tended to vary greatly in earlier times, and the surname Wintour is no exception. In the beginning the surname seems to have been predominantly spelt as "Wynter".
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Other common variations which appear are "Wintour", "Wyntour" and of course "Winter". Often different sources will use different spellings even when referring to the same person. To get around this problem, I have decided to consistently use the spelling "Wintour" for members of the Huddington Court branch, principally because this is the spelling which Thomas Wintour is believed to have used himself. The family around 1605 As the family legends usually claim that a line of descent exists from the Gunpowder Plot Wintours, I will concentrate on the generations of the Wintour family which were contemporary to the year 1605 and later. George Wintour of Huddington Court had five children in all: Robert and Thomas were children of his first marriage to Jane Ingleby, daughter of Sir William Ingleby of Ripley Castle in Yorkshire; and John, Dorothy and Anne were from his second marriage to Elizabeth Bourne, daughter of Sir John Bourne of Battenhall. When George died in 1596, his estates were inherited by his eldest son Robert. Robert and Thomas Wintour are counted among the group of thirteen principal Gunpowder Plotters; their younger half-brother John was also convicted and executed for playing a minor role in the Plot. John was substantially younger than his two half-brothers, and appears to have been in his early twenties at the time of the plot events. There is no record that he ever married or had issue. Thus the question would seem to be: did Robert or Thomas have any issue? The descendants of Robert Wintour The Wintour line descending from Robert is fairly well documented by wills and Chancery inquisitions. Robert Wintour had made an important dynastic alliance by marrying Gertrude Talbot, daughter of Sir John Talbot of Grafton, the heir presumptive to the earldom of Shrewsbury. There were two children of this marriage, a son John and a daughter Helena. After Robert was condemned and executed for treason, his estates do not seem to have been immediately forfeited to the Crown as was normal in such cases, but instead passed to his wife Gertrude. However, the estates were eventually forfeited by Gertrude in 1607, but for recusancy, not because of treason. In any case, the family regained the estates at some stage, as Robert and Gertrude's son John died "seised of the manor" in 1622. Antonia Fraser claims that "... Sir John Wintour [son of Robert and Gertrude], was 'a noted Papist' in the English Civil War"
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(Faith and Treason, 1996, p. 273). This is in fact incorrect--Fraser has confused Robert Wintour's son John with Sir John Wynter, who was a member of the Lydney, Gloucestershire branch of the Wynter family. John had apparently been a sickly child, and it is reasonable to assume that he was not very old when he died in 1622. His sister Helena was probably born around 1600, so John may have been in his early or mid thirties at the most. Nevertheless, he was the father of three sons, John, Robert and George, all of whom succeeded in turn to the Huddington Court estates. The younger John Wintour of Huddington Court married Margaret Russell, daughter of Sir Thomas Russell of Strensham. John and Margaret were probably very distant cousins: Joan de Hodington, who married John's ancestor Roger Wynter, had a sister Agnes who married William Russell of Strensham. John Wintour and his brother Robert both appear to have died at a young age and without issue, so that the estates eventually passed to their youngest brother George. The following account of Sir George is taken from page 33 of The Wynter Family: "The last of the Wintours to live at Huddington Court was Sir George Wintour. He was born in 1622 and married as his first wife, Lady Frances Talbot, his second cousin, daughter of John, tenth earl of Shrewsbury. She died July 17th, 1641. He married secondly, Mary, eldest daughter of Charles, Lord Carrington, and she died November 16th, 1642. Thus Sir George was twice a widower before he was 21. Both these ladies are buried under the chancel [of the Church of St. James at Huddington Court] and have inscriptions to them. He married thirdly, Mary, daughter and heir of Sir George Kemp, Bart., of Pentlow Hall in Essex, and died without issue June 4th, 1658, leaving his estates to his first wife's brother, the then Earl of Shrewsbury. This was Frances [sic], the eleventh Earl, who was killed in a duel with Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, in 1667. ..." The inscription for Sir George's first wife also mentions a daughter Joan who died in infancy. Other than this, Sir George Wintour had no surviving issue, so that when he died in 1658, the line of the Wintours of Huddington Court died out with him. I think that this shows fairly conclusively that none of the present-day families who claim to be descended from the Wintours of Huddington Court can possibly be descended from Robert Wintour. The only possibility is if Sir George Wintour's elder brothers John and Robert had had sons. However, if they did, then why did the estate eventually pass to the Talbot family? Did Thomas Wintour ever marry? Robert Wintour's descendants have thus been accounted for down to Sir George Wintour (d. 1658), the last Wintour to live at Huddington Court. So if we are to have a line of descent from a Wintour who was involved in the Gunpowder Plot, the only person left to consider is Robert's younger brother Thomas. Mainstream sources are generally silent on whether Thomas Wintour was married or not, and thus the general assumption is that he remained single. He appears to have released all his rights under his father's will to his brother Robert. A document dated 9th March 42
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Elizabeth (AS. No.1759), bearing the signature of Thomas Winter and part of a seal endorsed with signatures of witnesses, contains the following phrase: "Release by Thomas Winter, gent, 2nd son of George Winter Esq decd, to his brother Robert Winter of Hoddington, Co. Worcestershire Esq of all annuities, rent charges and etc under the will of said George, his father". However, there is a legend which says that Thomas married Elizabeth Catesby, sister of Robert Catesby, the instigator of the Gunpowder Plot. A source for this legend can be found on page 100 of Wyntours of the White Cross, a chronicle of research carried out on the Wynter family which was published in 1986. The following information contained in this book was supplied by a Mr Peter Winter. "From 1658 onwards it is difficult to trace the family, as the Lydney and Huddington lines seem to have died out: but quite recently I came across some notes which were written in an old Bible, in the possession of a Mr. Harold Winter. I quote from it: 'Thomas Winter (of the Gunpowder Plot), brother of Robert Winter of Huddington Court, was secretly married to Elizabeth Catesby, who was the sister of his friend Robert Catesby. At the time of the Trial she was kept hidden away from the Authorities as she was expecting a baby: the baby was probably born in Guy Fawkes' home. The child, George, eventually became a sea captain'." In order to check this, one of the first things I tried to do was to establish whether Robert Catesby did in fact have a sister Elizabeth. No known commentators on the Gunpowder Plot had mentioned this, and one would think that a marriage between Thomas Wintour and the sister of Robert Catesby would surely have been newsworthy. The CD-ROM version of the International Genealogical Index (IGI), compiled by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has the following entries for the children of (Sir) William Catesby and Anne Throckmorton: Robert, born abt. 1567, Barcheston, Warwickshire George, born abt. 1567, Barcheston, Warwickshire Anna, born abt. 1569, Barcheston, Warwickshire Elizabeth, born abt. 1573, Barcheston, Warwickshire William, born abt. 1575, Barcheston, Warwickshire Richard, born abt. 1577, Barcheston, Warwickshire However, this particular information in the IGI had not come from extractions from original parish registers, and for some reason it was not possible to trace where this information had come from. Then, Jennifer O'Brien (a founding member of the Gunpowder Plot Society) obtained a copy of the reports made by Dugdale for the Royal College of Arms, one from 1585 and the other from 1592. Both copies show that Robert Catesby had two sisters, Elizabeth and Ann. Ann married a
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Sir Henry Browne, a relative of Viscount Montague, but no marriage is given for Elizabeth. Nevertheless, here we had independent proof of Elizabeth Catesby's existence. It is possible that Thomas Wintour and Elizabeth Catesby may have made a clandestine marriage, particularly if the marriage was performed according to Catholic rites. Apparently this used to happen on a fairly frequent basis during this period, as marriages had to be conducted according to the rites of the Church of England to be considered valid. However, it must be noted that this is purely speculation in the case we are dealing with here: there simply is no evidence that Thomas Wintour married Elizabeth Catesby, or anyone else for that matter. As far as I have been able to find out, there is nothing more known about the alleged son George who "went to sea". I have found one possible candidate for this George: there was a George Winter [sic] of Bugbrooke in Northamptonshire who apparently died in 1666 at sea on the naval ship Royal Oak. His will, which was proved in 1667, gives his wife Alice as his sole beneficiary, and does not mention any children. His parents are not known, nor is his age, but if he was indeed the son of Thomas Wintour who went to sea, then his age would have been around 61 in 1666. Conclusion Where does this leave us? Is there any evidence that lines of descent from the Wintour brothers of Gunpowder Plot fame continue to the present day? The short answer to this is a simple -- no. Robert Wintour's line did continue for two more generations, but it died out fairly conclusively with Sir George Wintour in 1658. There is no firm evidence that his younger brother Thomas ever married, despite the tantalising but unsubstantiated remark in Peter Winter's bible. And the youngest half-brother John was executed when he was in his early twenties, and there is not even a hint of a rumour that he had married and left a widow to mourn him. I would not want to shut the lid on this case until it can be definitively proved that Thomas Wintour did not marry, and I am always willing to consider new evidence which can shed more light on the issue, but to anyone who claims to be descended from Robert or Thomas Wintour, I would have to say that legends like this are what make the study of family history so interesting, but in this case that's all it can possibly be -- a legend. Sources and Bibliography [1] Stonyhurst Magazine No. 96, March 1898 [2] Burbury, Alfred, Chronicles of the Burbury Family, 1936 [3] Rendell, Brian and Childs, Keith, ed., Wyntours of the White Cross, Lydney, 1986 [4] Rendell, Brian, ed., The Wynter Family - A Collective Research, Lydney, 1988 [5] Fraser, Antonia, Faith & Treason - The Story of the Gunpowder Plot, 1996 [6] Will of George Winter, Esq., of Bugbrooke, Northamptonshire [7] International Genealogical Index
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Robert Wintour Born: 1565[1] or 1567[2] Died: 30 January 1606, St. Paul's Churchyard, London Robert Wintour was the eldest son of George Wintour of Huddington Court and his first wife, Jane Ingleby.[1] When George Wintour died in 1594, Robert inherited the bulk of the estate as the eldest son.[2] This estate included the manor house of Huddington Court, near Droitwich in Worcestershire, which was the main seat of the Wintour family, hop yards and 25 salt-evaporating pans at Droitwich.[1] The salt produced from these pans was said to be the best in England, and thus the pans were very profitable and formed a major source of revenue for the Wintour family.[2] Robert married Gertrude Talbot, daughter of Sir John Talbot of Grafton in Worcestershire.[1] [3] Talbot was heir to the earldom of Shrewsbury and was one of the wealthiest landowners in the region, owning, among other estates, much property in Shropshire near Albrighton.[1] He was also a firm Catholic, and had spent 20 years in prison for recusancy. Robert had thus allied himself with one of the strongest catholic families in the region, and Huddington Court under his care became a known refuge for priests. Two priest holes, which were probably constructed by Nicholas Owen, can be seen there to this day.[4] John Gerard described Robert as "esteemed in his life to be one of the wisest and most resolute and sufficient gentlemen in Worcestershire".[5] In the proclamation issued for his capture, he was described as "a man of meane stature, rather low than otherwise, square made, somewhat stooping, neere fortie yeares of age, his hair and beard browne, his beard not much and his hair short".[1] Perhaps because he was the eldest son and heir, he seems to have been more settled than his younger brother Thomas. Robert "tended to follow where Thomas, younger but more clever, wittier and more restless, tended to lead, ...".[2] Robert was introduced to the circle of Gunpowder Plot conspirators because he was an "esquire and a man of substance"[6]. Besides contributing financially, he and his brother-in-law John Grant were to collect weapons and prepare horses for use in the uprising which was expected to occur in the Midlands once the act of blowing up the Houses of Parliament had succeeded.[7] Initially Robert refused to join the plot.[6] [8] He eventually agreed to be sworn in, together with John Grant, at a meeting with Robert Catesby at the Catherine Wheel inn in Oxford in February 1605.[3] [8] Throughout the course of the campaign, however, he often showed what appears to be a lack of commitment to the cause. For example, he was not enthusiastic about the theft of horses from Warwick Castle during the flight from Dunchurch to Holbeach House, and hoped that he might be able to turn back. Catesby's answer to this was, "Some of us may not look back." Robert replied, "Others of us, I hope, may, and therefore I pray you, let this alone."[2] [6] At Huddington Court, Robert's residence, it was decided to approach Sir John Talbot at Grafton to ask his assistance. Robert was asked to write a letter of introduction but he declined, saying "My masters, you know not my father Talbot so well as I ... I verily think all
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the world cannot draw him from his allegiance. Besides, what friends hath my poor wife and children but he? And therefore satisfy yourselves, I will not."[2] Eventually he agreed to write a letter to one of Talbot's servants, a Mr Smallpiece, and it was left up to his brother Thomas and Stephen Littleton to visit Sir John after the arrival at Holbeach House, an embassy which was to prove fruitless, as Sir John would have nothing to do with the conspirators.[2] [8] While at Holbeach House, an accident occurred in which some gunpowder that had been laid out to dry in front of the fire caught alight and exploded, badly burning some of those present. Robert claimed to have had a premonition of this accident in a dream the previous night, and he declared that as in the accident he "clearly recognised the finger of Almighty God".[9] On 7 November Robert and Stephen Littleton slipped away from Holbeach House and met up with each other an hour or so later at a point half a mile distant. From there they decided to make for Hagley Park, which was the home of a relative of Littleton's.[9] Although the other principal plotters had been killed at Holbeach House or captured soon after, Wintour and Littleton managed to stay on the run for two months. At one place they stayed, they were discovered by a drunken poacher whom they themselves had to imprison in order to make their escape.[4] Eventually they reached Hagley Park, which was occupied at the time by Humphrey Littleton, an uncle of Stephen. Humphrey had sworn his servants to secrecy, but the cook, one John Fynwood, betrayed the fugitives to the authorities. When the authorities arrived to arrest the fugitives, Humphrey Littleton denied that Robert and Stephen were present, but a servant called David Bate led the authorities to the courtyard behind the house where the two fugitives were found attempting to flee into the woods.[4] Robert and Stephen were sent to the Tower, and Humphrey was arrested along with some of his tenants who had assisted in sheltering the fugitives.[7] [9] The date of Robert and Stephen's capture was 9 January, two months after their flight from Holbeach House.[4] Fraser mentions a tradition that Robert and his wife Gertrude had a number of secret rendezvous while Robert was on the run, but questions whether the couple would have dared to take such risks.[4] During his imprisonment Robert admitted that while staying at Huddington Court en route to Holbeach House, the party had made their confessions to Father Hammond, the alias of Father Hart, a Jesuit priest who was the chaplain at Huddington Court. This part of Robert's confession was later cited as evidence of the Jesuits' complicity in the Gunpowder Plot.[4] Robert Wintour was executed on 30 January 1606 at St. Paul's Churchyard, together with Sir Everard Digby, John Grant and Thomas Bates. On the scaffold, he was quiet and withdrawn, and did not speak much. Although he appeared to be praying to himself, he did not publicly ask mercy of either God or the King for his offence.[2] [5] [7] Despite Robert's conviction for his role in the Gunpowder Plot, it appears that the Wintour family were not immediately deprived of Huddington Court and their other estates. They
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remained in the hands of Robert's widow Gertrude, who forfeited them for recusancy in 1607, although they were later regained by Robert's son John who died in 1622.[1] Sources: [1] Stonyhurst Magazine No. 96, March 1898 [2] Edwards, Francis, S.J., Guy Fawkes: the real story of the Gunpowder Plot?, 1969 [3] Dictionary of National Biography, 1895 [4] Fraser, Antonia, Faith & Treason - The Story of the Gunpowder Plot, 1996 [5] Morris, John, Condition of Catholics Under James I: Narrative of John Gerard, [6] Parkinson, C. Northcote, Gunpowder, Treason and Plot, 1977 [7] Edwards, Francis, S.J., The Gunpowder Plot: the narrative of Oswald Tesimond alias Greenway, trans. from the Italian of the Stonyhurst Manuscript, edited and annotated, 1973 [8] Haynes, Alan, The Gunpowder Plot, 1994 [9] Sidney, Philip, A History of the Gunpowder Plot,
John Wintour Born: About 1586 Died: 7 April 1606, Redhill, Worcester John Wintour was the son of George Wintour of Huddington Court by his second wife Elizabeth Bourne, daughter of Sir John Bourne of Battenhall.[1] This made him a half-brother of Robert and Thomas Wintour, two of the principal conspirators. John was substantially younger than his two half-brothers--14 years younger than Thomas and 22 years younger than Robert. John studied at Oxford University but, like so many of the sons of catholic gentry at the time, was unable to take his degree because of his religion. He does not seem to have played a major part in the events leading up to the Gunpowder Plot, and indeed in his confession he claims that he became involved only at the very last minute and even then more or less unknowingly. He had gone to visit his brother-in-law John Grant on the night of Monday, 4 November, and went with Grant to Rugby on the following day to attend a horse race. John joined the gathering at Dunchurch because, according to the messenger who met them at Rugby, "... the jentlemen were at Dunchurch and desired our Company to be merry."[3] Of the hundred or so who had originally gathered at Dunchurch, many later left after hearing the desperate situation which had befallen the Plot participants, but John stayed with the group and accompanied them on the journey which led eventually to Holbeache House in Staffordshire. After deciding that he no longer trusted Robert Catesby and the other leaders of the Plot, John left Holbeache House with his manservant, Thomas Edgin, during the night of Thursday, 7 November, before the authorities arrived and the siege began. He initially intended to make
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his way to the Court in London, but eventually decided to return to Huddington Court, where he surrendered his sword and was taken prisoner by the Sheriff of Worcester's deputy.[3][5] After his arrest, John was kept in custody at Huddington Court until the following day (Saturday, 9 November), and was then taken to the county gaol in Worcester Castle.[5] Later he was transferred to the Tower of London. John accompanied the eight survivors of the group of thirteen principal plotters to Westminster Hall for the trial of the conspirators. Despite his plea that "... if I offended the Kyngs Majesty or the state it was through ignorance and not in mallis ..."[3], he was arraigned and condemned for conspiracy. After the executions of his elder half-brothers, John was kept in the Tower of London for a few more weeks, and was eventually executed at Red Hill, Worcester, together with Father Edward Oldcorne, Humphrey Littleton and Ralph Astley, on 7 April 1606.[2][6] His drawn and quartered body was not put up for public display as was often the case with the victims of this form of execution, but rather he was allowed to be buried in the chancel of the church at Huddington Court.[6]
John Grant Born: Unknown Died: 30 January 1606, St. Paul's Churchyard, London John Grant was the lord of the manor of Norbrook, located a few miles north of Stratfordupon-Avon in the county of Warwickshire. Norbrook formed part of the belt of Catholic houses in the Midlands region of England which were to form a base for the rebellion which was to follow the blowing up of the Houses of Parliament. It was close to Lapworth, the house where Robert Catesby had been born and raised, and also to other houses such as Coughton Court, Huddington Court and Clopton, a house near Stratford-on-Avon which was rented by Ambrose Rookwood.[1] John Grant was the son of Thomas Grant of Norbrook and Alice Ruding. The Grants and Rudinges were old, established families in the county. The main seat of the Grant family had been at Snitterfield, but in 1545 they came into possession of the nearby estate of Norbrook.[2] John had married Dorothy Wintour, a sister (or more probably, a half-sister) of Robert and Thomas Wintour of Huddington Court.[1] [3] Commentators on the history of the Gunpowder Plot seem to have varying opinions on Grant's personality. He is described by Parkinson as "melancholy" and "taciturn", and possibly even "stupid".[4] However, Fraser explicitly calls Grant an "intellectual", and says that he "... studied Latin and other foreign languages for pleasure".[1] Although Edwards claims that Grant was originally a Protestant[5], others assert that he was a devout Roman Catholic[6], and that his sympathies fell squarely with the Catholic cause. Grant was one of the participants in the Essex Rebellion, along with other Gunpowder Plotters such as Robert Catesby, Francis Tresham and John Wright.[7]
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Behind the air of melancholy and "scholarly withdrawal" seems to have hidden a man who could show plenty of spirit when required. John Gerard describes him as being "... as fierce as a lion, of a very undaunted courage as could be found in a country".[8] Norbrook became a noted refuge for priests, and as a result it was often visited by the poursuivants, the government agents whose job it was to search for possible hidden priests. Grant was particularly active in resisting the poursuivants when they visited Norbrook, and the firmness and force of his resistance even started to discourage the poursuivants from searching Norbrook altogether.[1] [8] Gerard says that Grant was fond of "... paying poursuivants so well for their labour, not with crowns of gold, but with cracked crowns sometimes, and with dry bones instead of drink and other good cheer, that they durst not visit him any more unless they brought store of help with them."[8] He seems to have been sworn in as a member of the inner circle of plotters in February 1605, when he and his brother-in-law Robert Wintour were summoned to a meeting with Robert Catesby and Thomas Percy at an inn called the Catherine Wheel in Oxford. Grant and Robert Wintour were made to take an oath binding them to secrecy before Catesby revealed the details of the plot.[9] Grant was part of the "Midland contingent". His role in the plot seems to have been twofold: he and Robert Wintour were responsible for amassing a stockpile of weapons and preparing stables of horses for use during the anticipated rebellion.[10] In addition, Grant was to be responsible for the abduction of the young Princess Elizabeth from Coombe Abbey, near Rugby in Warwickshire, in order to set the Princess up as the new monarch once her father (and possibly her brothers) had perished in the blowing-up of Parliament.[10] These preparations presumably occupied Grant for most of the intervening time between his induction into the plot in February and the discovery of the plot in October and early November. He joined the "hunting party" at Dunchurch together with his brother-in-law John Wintour and his friend Henry Morgan.[1] During the flight from Dunchurch to Holbeach House, Grant and other members of the party broke into the stables at Warwick Castle to obtain fresh horses[11], and they also stopped at the houses of Norbrook and Huddington Court to rest and collect weaponry.[9] [10] Once at Holbeach House, the conspirators prepared themselves for a siege. Some gunpowder which had become wet during the journey was--rather foolishly--laid out in front of the fire to dry, and it caught fire from an ember and severely injured some of those present. Grant was among those most seriously injured in this accident.[8] [10] Father Gerard writes that "... [the powder] blowing up, hurt divers of them, especially Mr. Catesby, Mr. Rookewood, but most of all Mr. Grant, whose face was much disfigured, and his eyes almost burnt out".[8] Grant was among those who survived and were captured at Holbeach House. He was taken to Worcester and from there to London, where he was held together with others of the conspirators who had survived the siege or who were arrested in the aftermath.[1] [8] [11] During the conspirators' trial, Grant showed his taciturn nature by saying very little, but he "... showed great courage and self-assurance".[10] Grant was executed on 30 January 1606 at St Paul's Churchyard, together with Sir Everard Digby, Robert Wintour and Thomas Bates. Grant was led to the scaffold, as his injuries
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sustained in the accident at Holbeach House had left him virtually blinded. He showed "great zeal" as he mounted the scaffold[8]; he was asked if he was sorry for his mistake, but his reply was that "... it was not the time or the place to discuss cases of conscience. He had come there to die, not to dispute matters of that kind".[10] He also expressed himself "convinced that our project was far from being sinful" as to afford an "expiation for all sins committed by me"[6] and crossed himself before he fell.[8] His estates were forfeited after his execution, but they were reclaimed in 1623 by his son Wyntour Grant, who promptly sold them to Sir Thomas Pickering.[2] Sources: [1] Fraser, Antonia, Faith & Treason - The Story of the Gunpowder Plot, 1996 [2] Salzman, L.F. ed., The Victorian History of the Counties of England: A History of Warwick Vol. III, 1945 [3] Stonyhurst Magazine No. 96, March 1898 [4] Parkinson, C. Northcote, Gunpowder, Treason and Plot, 1977 [5] Edwards, Francis, S.J., Guy Fawkes: the real story of the Gunpowder Plot?, 1969 [6] Sidney, Philip, A History of the Gunpowder Plot, [7] Jardine, David, A Narrative of the Gunpowder Plot, 1857 [8] Morris, John, Condition of Catholics Under James I: Narrative of John Gerard, [9] Haynes, Alan, The Gunpowder Plot, 1994 [10] Edwards, Francis, S.J., The Gunpowder Plot: the narrative of Oswald Tesimond alias Greenway, trans. from the Italian of the Stonyhurst Manuscript, edited and annotated, 1973 [11] Nicholls, Mark, Investigating Gunpowder Plot
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Extracts from The Parliamentary Archives Confession of Thomas Wintour, 23 November 1605 23 9br, 1605. My Most Honourable Lords. Not out of hope to obtain pardon for speaking - of my temporal part I may say the fault is greater then can be forgiven - nor affecting hereby the title of a good subject for I must redeem my country from as great a danger as I have hazarded the bringing her into, before I can purchase any such opinion; only at your Honours' command, I will briefly set down my own accusation, and how far I have proceeded in this business which I shall the faithfuller do since I see such courses are not pleasing to Almighty God; and that all, or the most material parts have been already confessed. I remained with my brother in the country for Allhollantide [1], in the year of our Lord 1603, the first of the King's reign, about which time, Mr. Catesby sent thither, entreating me to come to London, where be and other friends would be glad to see me. I desired him to excuse me, for I found not myself very well disposed, and (which had happened never to me before) returned the messenger without my company. Shortly I received another letter, in any wise to come. At the second summons I presently came up and found him with Mr. John Wright at Lambeth, where he brake with me how necessary it was not to forsake my country (for he knew I had then a resolution to go over), but to deliver her from the servitude in which she remained, or at least to assist her with our uttermost endeavours. I answered that I had often hazarded my life upon far lighter terms, and now would not refuse any good occasion wherein I might do service to the Catholic cause; but, for myself, I knew no mean probable to succeed. He said that be had bethought him of a way at one instant to deliver us from all our bonds, and without any foreign help to replant again the Catholic religion, and withal told me in a word it was to blow up the Parliament House with gunpowder; for, said he, in that place have they done us aII the mischief, and perchance God bath designed that place for their punishment. I wondered at the strangeness of the conceit, and told him that true it was this strake at the root and would breed a confusion fit to beget new alterations, but if it should not take effect (as most of this nature miscarried) the scandal would be so great which the Catholic religion might hereby sustain, as not only our enemies, but our friends also would with good reason condemn us. He told me the nature of the disease required so sharp a remedy, and asked me if I would give my consent. I told him Yes, in this or what else soever, if he resolved upon it, I would venture my life; but I proposed many difficulties, as want of a house, and of one to carry the mine; noise in the working, and such like. His answer was, let us give an attempt, and where it faileth, pass no further. But first, quoth he, because we will leave no peaceable and quiet way untried, you shall go over
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and inform the Constable [2] of the state of the Catholics here in England, entreating him to solicit his Majesty at his coming hither that the penal laws may be recalled, and we admitted into the rank of his other subjects. Withal, you may bring over some confidant gentleman such as you shall understand best able for this business, and named unto me Mr. Fawkes. Shortly after I passed the sea arid found the Constable at Bergen, near Dunkirk, where, by the help of Mr. Owen, I delivered my message, whose answer was that he had strict command from his master to do all good offices for the Catholics, and for his own part be thought himself bound in conscience so to do, and that no good occasion should be omitted, but spake to him nothing of this matter. Returning to Dunkirk with Mr. Owen, we had speach whether he thought the Constable would faithfully help us or no. He said he believed nothing less, and that they sought only their own ends, holding small account of Catholics. I told him, that there were many gentlemen in England, who would not forsake their country until they had tried the uttermost, and rather venture their lives than forsake her in this misery; and to add one more to our number as a fit man, both for counsel and execution of whatsoever we should resolve, wished for Mr. Fawkes whom I had heard good commendations of. He told me the gentleman deserved no less, but was at Brussels, and that if he came not, as happily he might, before my departure, he would send him shortly after into England. I went soon after to Ostend, where Sir William Stanley as then was not, but came two days after. I remained with him three or four days, in which time I asked him, if the Catholics in England should do anything to help themselves, whether he thought the Archduke would second them. He answered, No; for all those parts were so desirous of peace with England as they would endure no speach of other enterprise, neither were it fit, said he, to set any project afoot now the peace is upon concluding. I told him there. was no such resolution, and so fell to discourse of other matters until I came to speak of Mr. Fawkes whose company I wished over into England. I asked of his sufficiency in the wars, and told him we should need such as he, if occasion required. He gave very good commendations of him; and as we were thus discoursing and I ready to depart for Nieuport and taking my leave of Sir William, Mr. Fawkes came into our company newly returned and saluted us. This is the gentleman, said Sir William, that you wished for, and so we embraced again. I told him some good friends of his wished his company in England; and that if he pleased to come to Dunkirk, we would have further conference, whither I was then going: so taking my leave of both, I departed. About two days after came Mr. Fawkes to Dunkirk, where I told him that we were upon a resolution to do somewhat in England if the peace with Spain helped us not, but had as yet resolved upon nothing. Such or the like talk we passed at GraveIines, where I lay for a wind, and when it served, came both in one passage to Greenwich, near which place we took a pair of oars, and so came up to London, and came to Mr. Catesby whom we found in his lodging. He welcomed us into England, and asked me what news from the Constable. I told him Good words, but I feared the deeds would not answer. This was the beginning of
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Easter term [3] and about the midst of the same term (whether sent for by Mr. Catesby, or upon some business of his own) up came Mr. Thomas Percy. The first word he spake (after he came into our company) was Shall we always, gentlemen, talk and never do anything? Mr. Catesby took him aside and had speech about somewhat to be done, so as first we might all take an oath of secrecy, which we resolved within two or three days to do, so as there we met behind St. Clement's, Mr. Catesby, Mr. Percy, Mr. Wright, Mr. Guy Fawkes, and myself, and having, upon a primer given each other the oath of secrecy in a chamber where no other body was, we went after into the next room and heard mass, and received the blessed sacrament upon the same. Then did Mr. Catesby disclose to Mr. Percy, and I together with Jack Wright tell to Mr. Fawkes the business for which they took this oath which they both approved; and then Mr. Percy sent to take the house, which Mr. Catesby, in my absence, had learnt did belong to one Ferris, which with some difficulty in the end he obtained, and became, as Ferris before was, tenant to Whynniard. Mr. Fawkes underwent the name of Mr. Percy's man, calling himself Johnson, because his face was the most unknown, and received the keys of the house, until we heard that the Parliament was adjourned to the 7 of February. At which time we all departed several ways into the country, to meet again at the beginning of Michaelmas term [4]. Before this time also it was thought convenient to have a house that might answer to Mr. Percy's, where we might make provision of powder and wood for the mine which, being there made ready, should in a night be conveyed by boat to the house by the Parliament because we were loth to foil that with often going in and out. There was none that we could devise so fit as Lambeth where Mr. Catesby often lay, and to be keeper thereof, by Mr. Catesby's choice, we received into the number Keyes, as a trusty honest man. Some fortnight after, towards the beginning of the term, Mr. Fawkes and I came to Mr. Catesby at Moorcrofts, where we agreed that now was time to begin and set things in order for the mine, so as Mr. Fawkes went to London and the next day sent for me to come over to him. When I came, the cause was for that the Scottish Lords were appointed to sit in conference on the Union in Mr. Percy's house. This hindered our beginning, until a fortnight before Christmas, by which time both Mr. Percy and Mr. Wright were come to London, and we against their coming had provided a good part of the powder, so as we all five entered with tools fit to begin our work, having provided ourselves of baked-meats, the less to need sending abroad. We entered late in the night, and were never seen, save only Mr. Percy's man, until Christmaseve, in which time we wrought under a little entry to the wall of the Parliament House, and underpropped it as we went with wood. Whilst we were together we began to fashion our business, and discourse what we should do after this deed were done. The first question was how we might surprise the next heir; the Prince happily would be at the Parliament with the King his father: how should we then be able to seize on the Duke? This burden Mr. Percy undertook; that by his acquaintance he with another
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gentleman would enter the chamber without suspicion, and having some dozen others at several doors to expect his coming, and two or three on horseback at the Court gate to receive him, he would undertake (the blow being given, until which he would attend in the Duke's chamber) to carry him safe away, for he supposed most of the Court would be absent, and such as were there not suspecting, or unprovided for any such matter. For the Lady Elizabeth it were easy to surprise her in the country by drawing friends together at a hunting near the Lord Harrington's, and Ashby, Mr. Catesby's house, being not far off was a fit place for preparation. The next was for money and horses, which if we could provide in any reasonable measure (having the heir apparent) and the first knowledge by four or five days was odds sufficient. Then, what Lords we should save from the Parliament, which was agreed in general as many as we could that were Catholics or so disposed. Next, what foreign princes we should acquaint with this before or join with after. For this point we agreed that first we would not enjoin princes to that secrecy nor oblige them by oath so to be secure of their promise; besides, we know not whether they will approve the project or dislike it, and if they do allow thereof, to prepare before might beget suspicion and not to provide until the business were acted; the same letter that carried news of the thing done might as well entreat their help and furtherance. Spain is too slow in his preparations to hope any good from in the first extremities, and France too near and too dangerous, who with the shipping of Holland we feared of all the world might make away with us. But while we were in the middle of these discourses, we heard that the Parliament should be anew adjourned until after Michaelmas, upon which tidings we broke off both discourse and working until after Christmas. About Candlemas we brought over in a boat the powder which we had provided at Lambeth and layd it in Mr. Percy's house because we were willing to have all our danger in one place. We wrought also another fortnight in the mine agairst the stone wall, which was very hard to beat through, at which time we called in Kit Wright, and near to Easter as we wrought the third time, opportunity was given to hire the cellar, in which we resolved to lay the powder and leave the mine. Now by reason that the charge of maintaining us all so together, besides the number of several houses which for several uses had been hired, and buying of powder, &c., had lain heavy on Mr. Catesby alone to support, it was necessary for to call in some others to ease his charge, and to that end desired leave that he with Mr. Percy and a third whom they should call might acquaint whom they thought fit and willing to the business, for many, said he, may be content that I should know who would not therefore that all the Company should be acquainted with their names. To this we all agreed. After this Mr. Fawkes laid into the cellar (which be had newly taken) a thousand of billets and five hundred of faggots, and with that covered the powder, because we might have the house free to suffer anyone to enter that would. Mr. Catesby wished us to consider whether it were not now necessary
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to send Mr. Fawkes over, both to absent himself for a time as also to acquaint Sir William Stanley and Mr. Owen with this matter. We agreed that he should; provided that he gave it them with the same oath that we had taken before, viz., to keep it secret from all the world. The reason why we desired Sir William Stanley should be acquainted herewith was to have him with us so soon as be could, and, for Mr. Owen, be might hold good correspondency after with foreign princes. So Mr. Fawkes departed about Easter for Flanders and returned the later end of August. He told me that when he arrived at Brussels, Sir William Stanley was not returned from Spain, so as he uttered the matter only to Owen, who seemed well pleased with the business, but told him that surely Sir William would not be acquainted with any plot as having business now afoot in the Court of England, but he himself would be always ready to tell it him and send him away so soon as it were done. About this time did Mr. Percy and Mr. Catesby meet at the Bath where they agreed that the company being yet but few, Mr. Catesby should have the others' authority to call in whom he thought best, by which authority he called in after Sir Everard Digby, though at what time I know not, and last of all Mr. Francis Tresham. The first promised, as I heard Mr. Catesby say, fifteen hundred pounds. Mr. Percy himself promised all that he could get of the Earl of Northumberland's rent, and to provide many galloping horses, his number was ten. Meanwhile Mr. Fawkes and I myself alone bought some new powder, as suspecting the first to be dank, and conveyed it into the cellar and set it in order as we resolved it should stand. Then was the Parliament anew prorogued until the 5 of November; so as we all went down until some ten days before. When Mr. Catesby came up with Mr. Fawkes to a house by Enfield Chase called White Webbs, whither I came to them, and Mr. Catesby willed me to inquire whether the young Prince came to Parliament, I told him that his Grace thought not to be there. Then must we have our horses, said Mr. Catesby, beyond the water ,and provision of more company to surprise the Prince and leave the Duke alone. Two days after, being Sunday at night, in came one to my chamber and told me that a letter had been given to my Lord Monteagle to this effect, that he wished his lordship's absence from the Parliament because a blow would there be given, which letter he presently carried to my Lord of Salisbury. On the morrow I went to White Webbs and told it to Mr. Catesby, assuring him withal that the matter was disclosed and wishing him in any wise to forsake his country. He told me he would see further as yet and resolved to send Mr. Fawkes to try the uttermost, protesting if the part belonged to myself he would try the same adventure. On Wednesday Mr. Fawkes went and returned at night, of which we were very glad. Thursday I came to London, and Friday Mr. Catesby, Mr. Tresham and I met at Barnet, where we questioned how this letter should be sent to my Lord Monteagle, but could not conceive, for Mr. Tresham forsware it, whom we only suspected. On Saturday night I met Mr. Tresham again in Lincoln's Inn Walks, where be told such speeches that my Lord of Salisbury should use to the King, as I gave it lost the second time, and repeated the same to Mr. Catesby, who hereupon was resolved to be gone, but
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stayed to have Mr. Percy come up whose consent herein we wanted. On Sunday night came Mr. Percy, and no 'Nay,' but would abide the uttermost trial. This suspicion of all hands put us into such confusion as Mr. Catesby resolved to go down into the country the Monday that Mr. Percy went to Sion and Mr. Percy resolved to follow the same night or early the next morning. About five o'clock being Tuesday came the younger Wright to my chamber and told me that a nobleman called the Lord Monteagle, saying " Rise and come along to Essex House, for I am going to call up my Lord of Northumberland," saying withal 'the matter is discovered.' "Go back Mr. Wright," quoth I, "and learn what you can at Essex Gate." Shortly he returned and said, "Surely all is lost, for Leyton is got on horseback at Essex door, and as he parted, he asked if their Lordship's would have any more with him, and being answered "No," is rode as fast up Fleet Street as he can ride." "Go you then," quoth I, "to Mr. Percy, for sure it is for him they seek, and bid him begone: I will stay and see the uttermost." Then I went to the Court gates, and found them straitly guarded so as nobody could enter. From thence I went down towards the Parliament House, and in the middle of King's Street found the guard standing that would not let me pass, and as I returned, I heard one say, "There is a treason discovered in which the King and the Lords shall have been blown up," so then I was fully satisfied that all was known, and went to the stable where my gelding stood, and rode into the country. Mr. Catesby had appointed our meeting at Dunchurch, but I could not overtake them until I came to my brother's which was Wednesday night. On Thursday we took the armour at my Lord Windsor's, and went that night to one Stephen Littleton's house, where the next day, being Friday, as I was early abroad to discover, my man came to me and said that a heavy mischance had severed all the company, for that Mr. Catesby, Mr. Rokewood and Mr. Grant were burnt with gunpowder, upon which sight the rest dispersed. Mr. Littleton wished me to fly and so would he. I told him I would first see the body of my friend and bury him, whatsoever befel me. When I came I, found Mr. Catesby reasonable well, Mr. Percy, both the Wrights, Mr. Rokewood and Mr. Grant. I asked them what they resolved to do. They answered "We mean here to die." I said again I would take such part as they did. About eleven of the clock came the company to beset the house, and as I walked into the court was shot into the shoulder, which lost me the use of my arm. The next shot was the elder Wright struck dead ; after him the younger Mr. Wright, and fourthly Ambrose Rokewood. Then, said Mr. Catesby to me (standing before the door they were to enter), " Stand by, Mr. Tom, and we will die together." "Sir," quoth I, "I have lost the use of my right arm and I fear that will cause me to be taken." So as we stood close together Mr. Catesby, Mr. Percy and myself, they two were shot (as far as I could guess, with one bullet), and then the company entered upon me, hurt me in the belly with a pike and gave me other wounds, until one came behind and caught hold of both my arms, and so I remain, Your &c.
Taken before us
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Nottingham, Suffolk, Northampton, Salisbury, Mar, Dunbar, Popham. EDW. COKE, W. WAAD. [1] All Saint's Day [2] Juan de Velasco, Constable of Castile, at Brussels on his way to negotiate a peace treaty between Spain and England [3] April 25-May 21 [4] October 9 - November 28 Document Source: Hatfield MSS Notes on this Document: a second, slightly altered copy also resides in the PRO Gunpowder Plot Book. For many reasons, including the signature on this document being significantly different than his usual one, has caused much debate on whether this document is a forgery. -----------------------------------------------------------------------Copyright Š 1997 The Gunpowder Plot Society; Transcribed by Jennifer O'Brien
Examination of Thomas Wintour, 5 December 1605 At the Tower. The examination of Thomas Wynter gent taken this 5 of December 1605. A. This exaiate (examinate) being demaunded what persons he spake withall on Fryday morninge when we went from Mr Litteton's house at Holbache, confesseth that he went to Mr John Talbotes house at Pepper hill and cominge in to a place used for bowling impaled in, he mett with Mt Talbot coming out of his house, to whom Mr Talbot spake, howe dare you come hither considering what speach there is of yor tumultuous rising or to such effect, to whome this exaiate aunswered that his meaning was not to have spoken with him but with one in his house and he was very soare that he mett with him to whom Mr Talbot said, so was he to, for that this exaiates cominge to him might be to him as much as his life was worth, and tould this exaiate that it was very fitt he should be taken, whereunto this exaiate sayd that he would not easilie be taken, then said Mr Talbot fare you well, gett you awaye. B. Being demaunded what the mannis name was that he would have spoken with all in Mr Talbotes house aunswereth that his name is Leonard Smalpeece one towards the lawe and that kepe Mr Talbotes courtes. C. Beinge further asked to what end and purpose he would have spoken with
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him, and from whome and whether he spake with him at all or not he confesseth that he spake with Smalpece soone after his departure from Mr Talbot and tould Smalpece how between fourtie or fiftie were risen and the mannor of it and asked Smalpece if he knewe of any that would assist them who aunswered that he knewe not of any and said that when his Mr (Master) Mr Talbot heard of the rising of this exaiate & others the night before he said it was a very foolishe attempt and seemed very much to mislike it. And this exaiate tould Smalpece that if any man would come unto them, they could kepe themselves for thre or foure dayes. And sayth that Catesby, Percey, Sir Everard Digby and others that were in Mr Littletons house were acquainted with his goinge to Mr Talbottes and it was agreed in generall to get and gather together as many frendes as they could and this exaiate tould them that he had a frend in Mr Talbottes house. And confesseth that Stephen Littleton went with him to Mr Talbottes house and that Mr Talbott did not see Mr Littleton for he remayned without with the horse. Being demaunded whether this letter nowe shewed unto him beginninge thus good cosin I hope & c and ending thus this sixth of November were not of the handwriting of his brother Robt. Wynter aunswereth that it is his brother Robt Wynter's handwritinge the superscription of that letter being to my assured loving cosin Mr S. These he delivered he rather thinketh the same to be most likely to be directed to Mr Smalpece. THO. WINTOUR Notingham. Devonshire, Northampton, Salisbury, E. Worcester mar Jo. Popham. (Endorsed) Tho. Wynter 5 Dec 1605. Source: PRO Gunpowder Plot Book: Vol:II No.146) -----------------------------------------------------------------------Copyright Š 1997 The Gunpowder Plot Society; Transcribed by Wendy Winter de Garcia. Examination of Thomas Wintour, 9 January 1605 The exaiation of Thomas Wynter, gent - this 9 of January 1605 He confesseth that when he and the rest of the first five tooke the othe and sacrament, Gerrard the Jesuite that when by the name of Lee. was not present when they tooke the othe for they tooke the othese as he taketh in a lower chamber and gerrard as he taketh it was in an upper chamber in the same house, and saith the mannor of the taking of the othe was that they kneled down uppon there knees and layed there handes on a primer and were sworn, and then tooke the sacrament for confirmation thereof, wich they did presently after by the handes of gerrard the Jesuite in the upper Roomth as
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he sayth. But Gerrard knewe not of the project of the powder to his knowledge. Tho. Wintour Jo. Popham, Edw. Coke, W. Waad. (Endorsed) tho. Wynter 9 Jan. Document Location: PRO Gunpowder Plot Book: Vol:II No.146) -----------------------------------------------------------------------Copyright Š 1997 The Gunpowder Plot Society; Transcribed by Wendy Winter de Garcia.
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