Rare copy of James I 'thundering' speech to parliament after Gunpowder Plot uncovered

A rare copy of a speech given to Parliament by King James I just days after the was foiled has been unearthed by a book collector.

The first edition book discovered by Andrew Wright is believed to be one of only two written copies of the speech - made 419 years ago this weekend - left in existence.

The incredible Shakespearian-like speech was delivered to Parliament on November 9, 1605 - five days after Guy Fawkes was arrested for trying to assassinate the King.

On November 5, 1605, Fawkes and his band of Catholic plotters attempted to kill King James I during the opening of Parliament by blowing it up using gunpowder. Fawkes was caught in the act with 36 barrels of gunpowder and arrested on November 4. He was convicted of treason and sentenced to death.

At the time, King James gave a speech to both Houses, condemning the actions of Fawkes and his co-conspirators for their ‘detestable and unheard of villainy’. He described the plot as a “thundering finne of Fire and Brimstone, from the which God hath so miraculously delivered us all.”

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It was printed in book form at the time, but nearly every edition has since been lost, with the only known copy currently held at the library of the University of Glasgow.

Andrew believes he possesses the only privately-owned copy in the country after finding it among his library of 20,000 books in Shrewsbury, Shrops. He said: “There is only one other copy in existence as far as I can tell. It is not only exceedingly rare, but it is unobtainable. The speech was given very shortly after the plot was discovered, so it is very important but for some reason it has never never reprinted.

“I have a library of around 20,000 books and among them I found the speech as I’ve recently began cataloging them all. I buy most of my books at auction or through a booker seller I regularly use and I think I came into possession of this about a year or two ago.

“But as I was watching a documentary about the Gunpowder plot at the weekend, I noticed there was no mention of this speech or any of its detail. It was only when I did some research that I realised how rare it was and I think it should be shared as it is a beautifully eloquent and Shakespearean-like speech.”

The book is called ‘His Majesties Speech in this Last Session of Parliament - Together with discourse of this late intended treason’. It was printed in 1605 by publisher Robert Barker and contains six of the king’s speeches he gave that year.

In the monarch’s reaction to the gunpowder plot, the King, who reigned from 1603 to 1625, said the plot on his life had been “this great and horrible attempt”. And he said he would inflict “after due trial, severity of punishment upon those that shall be found guilty of so detestable and unheard of villainy”.

He adds: “For as it is true that no other sect of heretics...did ever maintain by the grounds of their religion, that it was lawful, or rather meritorious to murther [sic] princes or people for quarrel of religion.”

It adds: “Yet it pleased God to deliver me, as it were from the very brinke of death, and so to purge me by my thankful acknowledgment of so great a benefite. But in this, which did so lately fall out, and which was a destruction prepared not for me alone, but for you all here that are here present. This was not a crying finne of blood, as the former, but it may well be called a roaring, nay a thundering finne of Fire and Brimstone, from the which God hath so miraculously delivered us all.”

He also details how the plot was uncovered when a member of the royal court was given a letter warning him not to come to parliament. The letter was later handed to the authorities and was used to track down Fawkes.

King James said: “For if these conspirators had only been bankrupt persons or discontented upon occasion of any disgrace done unto them, this might have seemed to have been but a work of revenge but... the wretch himself in hands doth confess, that there was no cause moving him or them but merely and only religion.”

Andrew, a retired teacher and writer, added: “King James was not a particularly nice man and he did not mince his words. The speech contains certain words that are typical of the time and he is calling for thunder against these people. The whole government was absolutely shaken by this. It would have had catastrophic repercussions to the country.

“He was horrified. He said he was not only his own person that had been saved but also the Lords, the , the judges - the whole government. We can scarcely conceive of the fear and hatred this led to and of the next two centuries of England being totally obsessed with ‘Popish Plots’.”

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