little before Christmas, Christopher Wright was added to the number; and,
finding their work to be extremely laborious, the walls being upwards of
three yards in thickness, they afterwards admitted Robert Wintour to assist
them. Taking advantage of the long and dreary nights between Christmas and
Candlemas, they then brought their powder over from Lambeth in a boat and
lodged it in Percy's house, and afterwards continued to labour at the mine.
In the Easter following (1605) as they were at their work, the whole party
were dreadfully alarmed on hearing a rushing noise near them; but on
inquiry they found no danger menaced them, but that it proceeded from the
removal of some coals in an adjoining vault, under the Parliament House.
Nothing could be more propitious for the conspirators; and, ascertaining
that it belonged to the same parties of whom they held the house, but in
the possession of a man of the name of Skinner, they lost no time in
purchasing the good-will of Skinner, and eventually hired the vault of
Whinniard, at the rate of four pounds per annum. Abandoning their original
intention of forming a mine under the walls, they placed the powder in this
vault, and afterwards gradually conveyed into it three thousand billets of
wood, and five hundred fagots; Guy Fawkes arranging them in order, making
the place clean and neat, in order that if any strangers, by accident or
otherwise, entered the house, no suspicion might be excited. Fawkes then
went into Flanders to inform Sir W. Stanley and Mr. Owen of their progress,
and returned in the following August. Catesby, meeting Percy at Bath,
proposed that himself should have authority to call in whom he pleased, as
at that time they were but few in number, and were very short of money.
This being acceded to, he imparted the design to Sir Everard Digby, Francis
Tresam, Ambrose Rookewood, and John Grant. Digby promised to subscribe one
thousand five hundred pounds, and Tresam two thousand pounds. Percy engaged
to procure all he could of the Duke of Northumberland's rents, which would
amount to about four thousand pounds, and to furnish ten good horses.