John Grant (Gunpowder plotter)
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| John Grant | |
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| Born | Snitterfield |
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| Died | 30 January 1606 St Paul's Churchyard, London |
| Occupation | Lord of the manor of Norbrook |
| Spouse | Dorthy Wintour |
| Children | Wintour Grant |
| Parents | Thomas Grant and Alice Ruding |
John Grant was the lord of the manor of Norbrook, near Stratford-upon-Avon. He was a member of the abortive 1605 Gunpowder Plot conspiracy to assassinate James I of England and Members of the Parliament of England. After this failed he was hurt in an accident during his arrest. He was later executed for his involvement in the Gunpowder Plot.
Many of the houses associated with the Gunpowder plot were close to Norbrook. The leader of the group, Robert Catesby's childhood home was nearby, as was a house that Ambrose Rokewood had rented.[1] Grant had been born at Snitterfield, but had moved in 1545 together with his family to Norbrook. Grant's wife, Dorothy, was the sister of two other plotters - Robert and Thomas Wintour whose family lived at Huddington Court.[2]
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[edit] Plot
Grant is reported as joining the plot in February 1605 when he and Robert Wintour were briefed under oath by Catesby and Thomas Percy at an Oxford inn. Grant knew a number of the other plotters from their involvement in the Essex Rebellion including Catesby, Francis Tresham and John Wright. Grant had been lucky compared to some of the others involved in the Essex Rebellion as his punishment was seen as light.[3]
Grant and his brother-in-law Robert were made responsible for gathering both horses and weapons which would be required for the planned rebellion which would follow the destruction of Parliament. Grant's moated manor of Norbrook was ideal for storing the weapons required for a rebellion. Grant is recorded as gathering weapons during 1605.[4] The plotters planned to kidnap the young Princess Elizabeth from Coombe Abbey in Warwickshire and make her a Catholic Queen (Elizabeth II) after her father had been killed.[1]
[edit] Discovery
After the plot was discovered, Grant fled together with some of the other plotters, including Catesby and Rokewood,[5] to Holbeach House where they made their final stand, although it is known that they stopped for arms and to exchange horses at Norbrook and Warwick Castle (at Warwick they had to break into the stables to steal horses). During the siege at Holbeach House gunpowder which had been set out to dry before the fire was accidentally ignited. Grant was blinded and received severe facial burns. Catesby and Rokewood were also hurt but less severely than Grant.
At the end of the siege Grant was captured and taken to London via Worcester. During his trial on 27 January 1605 where Grant pleaded not guilty[5] he was described as "taciturn" and "showing great courage". Even at his execution in St Paul's churchyard he refused to discuss apologizing or whether he was sorry for his deeds, but did offer the explanation that "our project was far from being sinful that I rely entirely upon my merits in bearing a part of that noble action as an abundant satisfaction and expiation for all sins committed by me during tho rest of my life".[3] After crossing himself he was executed.
His son, Wyntour Grant, was able to recover his father's forfeited lands in 1623 but quickly sold them to Sir Thomas Pickering.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c The Gunpowder Plot Society accessed October 2007
- ^ The Gunpowder Plot, Hugh Ross Williamson, Macmillan 1952
- ^ a b The Museum of Foreign Literature, Science, and Art By Robert Walsh, Eliakim Littell, John Jay Smith, 1835, E.Littel
- ^ UK Parliament site accessed 15 October 2007
- ^ a b Trial transcriptions accessed 13 October 2007
[edit] Further reading
- Edwards, Francis, S.J., "Guy Fawkes: the real story of the Gunpowder Plot?", 1969
- Fraser, Antonia, "Faith & Treason - The Story of the Gunpowder Plot", 1996
- Haynes, Alan, "The Gunpowder Plot", 1994
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