s which lay
in the vault under the upper house; and he cast his eye upon Fawkes, who
stood in a dark corner, and passed himself for Piercy's servant.
That daring and determined courage which so much distinguished this
conspirator, even among those heroes in villany, was fully painted in
his countenance, and was not passed unnoticed by the chamberlain.[*]
Such a quantity also of fuel, for the use of one who lived so little in
town as Piercy, appeared a little extraordinary;[**] and upon comparing
all circumstances, it was resolved that a more thorough inspection
should be made. About midnight, Sir Thomas Knevet, a justice of peace,
was sent with proper attendants; and before the door of the vault
finding Fawkes, who had just finished all his preparations, he
immediately seized him, and turning over the fagots, discovered the
powder. The matches, and every thing proper for setting fire to the
train, were taken in Fawkes's pocket; who, finding his guilt now
apparent, and seeing no refuge but in boldness and despair, expressed
the utmost regret that he had lost the opportunity of firing the powder
at once, and of sweetening his own death by that of his enemies.[***]
Before the council he displayed the same intrepid firmness, mixed
even with scorn and disdain; refusing to discover his accomplices, and
showing no concern but for the failure of the enterprise.[****] This
obstinacy lasted two or three days: but being confined to the Tower,
left to reflect on his guilt and danger, and the rack being just shown
to him, his courage, fatigued with so long an effort, and unsupported by
hope or society, at last failed him, and he made a full discovery of all
the conspirators.[v]

* King James's Works, p. 229.

** King James's Works, p. 229.

*** King James's Works, p. 230.

**** Winwood, vol. ii. p. 173.

v King James's Works, p. 231.

Catesby, Piercy, and the other criminals who were in London, though they
had heard of the alarm taken at a letter sent to Monteagle; though they
had heard of the chamberlain's search; yet were resolved to persist to
the utmost, and never abandon their hopes of success.[*] [50] But at
last, hearing that Fawkes was arrested, they hurried down to
Warwickshire; where Sir Everard Digby, thinking himself assured that
success had attended his confederates, was already in arms, in order to
seize the princess Elizabeth. She had escaped into Coventry; and they
were obliged to