But before the attack on the house was made by the sheriff, occurred an event, in the shape of an accident, which had an extraordinary effect upon the superstitious minds of the disheartened traitors seeking a comfortless shelter within its walls. This was no less than an explosion of gunpowder. It was a case of the biter being bit, with a vengeance! Catesby and company, who had arranged to blow up to the skies their enemies at Westminster, were now within an ace of sharing the fate which they had projected for their victims. Some powder, which the rebels had brought with them, had got damp during their dismal march, owing to the bad weather, and whilst drying it, a live coal, jumping out, touched the powder, and caused instant ignition, Although nobody was killed, several had a most narrow escape, and Catesby and Rookewood were severely scorched.
This startling incident completely unmanned the conspirators. Even Catesby at last lost heart, and Robert Winter asserted that the whole catastrophe had been pictured to him in a terrible dream which had visited him in his slumbers, and in its realization, he declared he clearly recognized the finger of Almighty God. That morning he deserted his comrades, and slunk away through the rain, cowed and trembling, as did Thomas Bates.[1] Rookewood and Catesby,
- ↑ Bates seems to have left the house without any attempt to conceal his purpose, for in a letter he subsequently testified that,
