Have you seen V for Vendetta?
In 1605, there was a plot, the Gunpowder Plot, where Guy Fawkes planned to blow up the English Parliament and King James I. It was the day they were going to open up the Houses of Parliament. Guy Fawkes and his crew's idea was to put barrels of gun powder in the basement. This had to do with religion. Well you see, Guy Fawkes was catholic and Queen Elizabeth I had made laws against the Roman Catholics forcing Catholics to practice their religion in secret. People were fined if they didn't attend the Protestant church on Sundays or holy days.
Guy Fawkes and his crew had bought the house next to the Parliament which actually had a cellar that led to the basement of the Parliament which is where they planned to place the barrels of gunpowder. Guy's job was to light the fuse, but fortunately guards found him the morning of the 5th and arrested him. He was taken to the Tower of London where he was tortured. King James I then ordered the people of England to have a bonfire.
Throughout England people will be having bonfires, fireworks, and the burning of effigies tonight. Yup, they make a man out of old clothes and straw and burn him in the bonfire as a remembrance of Guy Fawkes. A bit disturbing huh?
So, tonight I'm going to one of the firework displays in Oxford. They'll have jacket potatoes and soup for sale and the traditional Parkin Cake. It will be around 50F and cloudy.
There is also a rhyme that goes:
"Remember, remember,
the fifth of November,
Gunpowder, treason, and plot.
We see no reason why
gunpowder treason
should ever be forgot."
http://projectbritain.com/Guy.html - where I got my information from.
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