Shortly after midnight, on Tuesday, November 5th, 1605, Sir Thomas Knyvett arrested Guido "Guy" Fawkes in the cellar under Parliament House. He had fuses in his pocket and 36 barrels of gunpowder were found hidden nearby. The state opening of Parliament was due later that day. All inside, including, King James I, the main target, would have been killed. Thus, it is often referred to as "The Powder Treason".
The gunpowder had lain undetected in the cellar for 8 months. The Lord Chamberlain and Earl of Suffolk had searched the place on November 3 and found nothing. It was Baron Monteagle receiving an anonymous letter, telling him to keep away from Parliament on the fateful day, which was the undoing. Acting on the tip-off, soldiers led by Captain of the Palace of Westminster Guard, Sir Thomas Knyvett, foiled the conspiracy.
At first, Fawkes gave his name as John Johnson. He was brought to the monarch's bedchamber at 3 o'clock in the morning, where his true identity was revealed. When questioned about his motives, Fawkes replied, "A dangerous disease requires a desperate remedy." He was taken to the Tower of London. Under torture, he refused to name the others. "I tried it to blow the beggarly Scots back to their native mountains," was all he told his tormentors. Fawkes languished for weeks, while the King's men hunted the 12 co-conspirators.
The plot's leader was Robert Catesby. He was shot dead with 4 others in a house near Stourbridge, Worcs. Decapitated, his head was exhibited in London. The rest were captured and, along with Fawkes, were tried, convicted, tied to carts and pulled through the streets of London. Then they were hanged, cut down before they died, drawn and quartered. Guido, either so weak from the torture, or by design, fell from the scaffold. Thus avoiding the agonies of the disembowelling and being cut up alive. His head was put on a pike above Traitors' Gate. He was 35.
The plot was linked to Catholic fury at King James. He had reneged on a promise, given when he ascended the throne in 1603, to tolerate their religion.
Fawkes was born, to a family of lawyers, christened and buried at St. Michael-le-Belfry, York. He was educated at St. Peter's School. At 21, he fought in Flanders and was with the Spanish army, when they captured Calais. He, also, tried to persuade the Spanish to invade Britain and unseat King James. The Spanish refused. Thus, the plotters' hopes, that King Philip would back them by invading England, were pipe dreams.
Thomas Knyvett was the 2nd son of Sir Henry Knyvet of Charlton, Wiltshire, by Anne, daughter of Sir Christopher Pickering of Killington, Westmoreland. He was educated at Jesus College, Cambridge and became a Gentleman of the Privy Chamber to Queen Elizabeth I. On the Queen's visit to Oxford, September 29th, 1592, he was made Master at Arms and later sat for Thetford in the Parliament of 1601. On August 5th, 1603, King James I gave him the Manor of Stanwell, Middlesex. A neighbouring property was added by Royal Grant in 1613.
Thomas married, at St.Pancas Church, Soper Lane, July 21st, 1597, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Roland Hayward and widow of Richard Warren of Essex. He was knighted at the Tower on March 14th, in either 1603/4. After foiling the plot, he was appointed a Privy Councillor, Member of the Council to Queen Anne, and Warden of the Mint. The King confided his daughter, Mary, to him to be educated. On July 4th, 1607, he was summoned to Parliament as Baron Knyvet of Escrick, Yorkshire.
He regularly frequented the court and seems to have had a town house in King Street, Westminster and attended the funerals of the Prince of Wales in 1612 and Queen Anne's in 1619. He died on July 27th, 1622 and is buried with his wife. Above their grave, in the Chancel of Stanwell Parish Church, Middlesex, is a large monument with effigies. The name is spelt both KNEVETT and KNYVETT.