The Masked Charlatan

The Catholic gunpowder plotters led by Sir Robert Catesby successfully carry out their threat to kill King James I and destroy the Houses of Parliament (November 5th 1605). At the same time other plotters in the Midlands kidnap Princess Elizabeth and she is taken to Spain where she is held by Guy Fawkes. The plotters had been hoping as a result of their murder of the King and kidnap of the princess there would be an uprising of Catholics throughout England however this did not materialize. As a subdued atmosphere remained in England, to try and raise the spirits of the Catholic people in their large homes around the country the plotters held regular Catholic services in secret as they were still regarded by authorities as “barred”. As time continued without any official sovereign to rule the country there is a growing unrest over increasingly high food prices, growing taxes and a rising number of unemployed people. The businessman and landowner Lord Montagu to make further profit sacks all his workers and brings in more profitable farming techniques to his land before travelling to Jamaica where he gathers together a new workforce and returns to the midlands to begin his new farming methods with unpaid workers. As a response the authoritarian John Reynolds during the tension and unrest all over the country takes control of a number of demonstrations and steadily becomes regarded by workers as their official leader, he becomes known as “Captain Pouch“ In some of the large ongoing protests there were fierce encounters between protestors and armed troops and a number of protestors were killed which only led to a further rise in fury and unrest. In time to try and end the country‘s fury and bring peace and stability back to England Captain Pouch and Thomas Howard who was leading the House of Commons agree to meet to try and find a peaceful solution to the unrest. As they negotiated in Parliament large crowds gathered throughout London waiting anxiously to find out what the negotiations had resulted in. The negotiations continued for a long time and all around the country people‘s frustration once more resulted in frustration, anger and violent demonstrations. As there appeared to be most peace in London increasingly more people moved to the growing capital to find work and begin a new life. Eventually the negotiations between John Reynolds and Thomas Howard were concluded with John Reynolds announcing to his thousands of followers that there would be a rise in wages, a fall in taxes and a reduction in the number of unemployed people throughout England. In return Thomas Howard wanted the men responsible for arranging the death of King James I handed over to the authorities for trial and the whereabouts of Princess Elizabeth to be found and returned home. Very quickly Guy Fawkes, Sir Robert Catesby and the other plotters are handed over to the authorities and Princess Elizabeth’s whereabouts is discovered. The gunpowder plotters are put on trial and for the murder of the king and quickly after a short trial are executed. The country begins to settle down into a peaceful and stable place once more and a new monarch is then elected to take England forward.