Ambrose Rookwood, English Gunpowder Plot conspirator (b. 1578)
Ambrose Rookwood: A Conspirator in the Infamous Gunpowder Plot
Ambrose Rookwood (c. 1578 – 31 January 1606) was a notable figure among the conspirators of the ill-fated 1605 Gunpowder Plot. This audacious scheme aimed to depose the Protestant King James I and replace him with a Catholic sovereign, a desperate measure driven by the increasing religious tensions of the era.
Early Life and Catholic Upbringing
Born into a prosperous family of Catholic recusants, Rookwood's upbringing was steeped in the forbidden faith. Recusancy referred to the refusal to attend Church of England services, a practice that subjected Catholics to severe fines and legal penalties under Elizabethan and Jacobean laws. His family's commitment to Catholicism was profound: he received his education from Jesuits in Flanders, a common practice for English Catholics seeking religious instruction not available at home. This clandestine education abroad further solidified his convictions. His older brother embraced a life of devotion as a Franciscan friar, while his two younger brothers were ordained as Catholic priests, underscoring the family's deep-rooted dedication to their faith.
Professionally, Rookwood established himself as a successful horse-breeder. This particular skill, fostering a stable of fine horses, would later prove instrumental to the conspirators' plans. He married Elizabeth Tyrwhitt, also a Catholic, and together they had at least two sons, continuing the family lineage within the Catholic community.
Involvement in the Gunpowder Plot
What motivated the Gunpowder Plot?
Rookwood was enlisted into the conspiracy in September 1605 by Robert Catesby, the charismatic and fervent leader of the plot. Catesby, a religious zealot, had grown increasingly frustrated by King James I's perceived betrayal of initial promises of greater tolerance for English Catholics. Despite hopes that James, whose mother Mary Queen of Scots was Catholic, might ease the persecution, the reality was a continuation and even intensification of anti-Catholic measures, exemplified by acts like the Popish Recusants Act of 1606. This disillusionment festered into a radical plan: to obliterate the House of Lords with gunpowder during the State Opening of Parliament, thereby assassinating the King, his Protestant heirs, and a significant portion of the Protestant aristocracy and government.
Beyond the explosive act, Catesby and his fellow conspirators envisioned a swift post-explosion rebellion, primarily in the Midlands. Their strategy included capturing Princess Elizabeth, James I's nine-year-old daughter and third in line to the throne, who resided nearby at Coombe Abbey. The ultimate goal was to install her as a titular Catholic queen, effectively restoring Catholic monarchy to England. Rookwood's extensive stable of well-bred, swift horses was considered essential for the success of this planned uprising and the subsequent escape of the conspirators.
The Plot's Unraveling and Capture
The meticulously planned explosion was set to coincide with the State Opening of Parliament on 5 November 1605. However, the conspiracy was ultimately betrayed, likely through the anonymous Monteagle Letter, which warned a Catholic peer to absent himself from Parliament. This led to increased vigilance. On the night of 4 November, Guy Fawkes, the man entrusted with guarding the formidable cache of thirty-six barrels of gunpowder meticulously stored in a cellar beneath the House of Lords, was discovered during a search and promptly arrested.
Upon learning of Fawkes's capture and the plot's failure, Ambrose Rookwood immediately fled London, riding north to inform Catesby and the other remaining conspirators. Desperate and hunted, the group rode through the Midlands, gathering what little support they could, eventually seeking refuge at Holbeche House in Staffordshire. Their respite was short-lived. On 8 November, they were confronted and attacked by a formidable force led by Sir Richard Walsh, the Sheriff of Worcester, and his men. In the ensuing chaos, Robert Catesby was killed, along with several other key conspirators. Rookwood, however, survived the skirmish and was subsequently apprehended and imprisoned in the infamous Tower of London.
Trial, Conviction, and Execution
What was the fate of the Gunpowder Plot conspirators?
Ambrose Rookwood and the surviving members of the Gunpowder Plot were formally arraigned on charges of high treason on 27 January 1606. Their trial took place in the historic grandeur of Westminster Hall, a site symbolic of royal justice. Rookwood, despite his clear involvement, initially pleaded not guilty. During his defence, he famously declared his profound loyalty and affection for Robert Catesby, stating he "loved [Catesby] above any worldly man." This plea, while perhaps a desperate attempt to mitigate his sentence, underscored the powerful bonds of loyalty among the conspirators.
Despite his impassioned declaration, Rookwood was swiftly convicted of high treason. His plea for mercy was summarily dismissed by the court. Consequently, just four days later, on 31 January 1606, he endured the horrific fate reserved for traitors: he was hanged, drawn, and quartered. This brutal public execution, designed to be a gruesome deterrent, involved being hanged until near death, disembowelment, and then quartering (his body divided into four parts). The gruesome spectacle unfolded in the Old Palace Yard at Westminster, a stone's throw from the very Parliament he had conspired to destroy, a stark and chilling message from the Crown.