Remember, remember the 5th of November...

So here goes the story.
On the 5th November 1605 a middle-aged man called Guy Fawkes, is hurrying himself in the cellar of Palace of Westminster, London.
It is damp, it is dark and cold. He has an important mission to accomplish: blow up the British Parliament! There are barrels of explosive lined up in the cellars, he has only to light up the fuse and probably sacrifice himself to the cause. The chances he manages to escape and rescue his life before being hurled on the walls by the explosion or trapped by the rubble are very low.
Why is he doing that? For a reason that may seem the greatest and of utmost importance to some, while for others may seems another cause for extreme violence and death. Religion!
Mr Fawkes is a Catholic. He believes in the Roman Church and it sacraments. Unfortunately he is living in difficult times: few decades earlier, Henry VIII, realising that he was not anymore in love with Catherine d’Aragona, asked the Pope for divorce. The Pope reacted to such shameless request denying it. Poor Henry! He was very irritated and sorrowful by such lack of understanding. Not long after, Henry took a decision that would write history: he decided to split from the Roman Catholic Church and start his own one, where he would be the Head of the Church and of the State at the same time. “Finally free to do what I want!”- thought Henry VIII “So now, first thing first: let’s split from Catherine and marry my true love: Anne!!” (Boleyn).
At Guy’s times, the new Church of England was persecuting the Catholics. Guy wants to fight for his right of freedom of creed but he does not see better solution than destroying the symbol of English power and its inhabitants (the king and the aristocracy). (Is it only me or someone else sees some similarities with the event of 09/11???!!)

Anyway: there he is, ready to fulfil his mission. Bad luck though crossed his way. While he was in the underground of the palace, someone betrayed him and informed the King of a possible assassination attempt against His Majesty. The King sent some guards to check the cellar and they found Guy and his 800 kilos of gunpowder. That same night, in order to celebrate the safety of the King, bonfires were alight all over London.
Mr Fawkes was tortured for days and then according to the procedure of that time, he was supposed to be hanged, drawn and quartered. Good thing is that he broke his neck when hanged.

Every year, British people remember the 5th November. I have read somewhere that there is a degree of uncertainity on whether the British people are nowadays celebrating Guy Fawkes’s execution or his attempt to blow up the government.

PS: Henry VIII married six times.. and beheaded two of his wives.

PPS: I also found recipes for the "Bonfire night". One of them is called "Treacle toffee to stick jaws shut"....