Guy Fawkes

Guy Fawkes is a historical novel based on the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, an unsuccessful attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament. The story starts in summer 1605 with the execution of Catholic priests in Manchester. During the execution, Elizabeth Orton madly raves before being chased by an officer overseeing the execution. To avoid capture, she leaps into the River Irwell. She is pulled up by Humphrey Chetham and Guy Fawkes. After she is brought out of the water, she predicts that both men will be executed before she dies. Chetham and Fawkes join the plot through Viviana Radcliffe, daughter of the prominent William Radcliffe, a supporter of the plot. Fawkes travels to John Dee, an alchemist, who is able to call forth the ghost of Orton, which warns him again. He also receives a vision from God that the plot will end in disaster. During this time, the Radcliffe family is exposed as hiding two priests, and having lost their home, the conspirators in the plot travel to London. Viviana marries Fawkes and tries to convince him to give up because of all the signs, but he is determined to follow through.

William Harrison Ainsworth (1805-1882), a rival and a friend of Charles Dickens, was an English historical novelist born in Manchester. While completing his legal studies in London he became familiar with literary and dramatic circles of London scene. Ainsworth briefly tried the publishing business, but soon gave it up and devoted himself to journalism and literature. His first success as a writer came with novel Rookwood. Ainsworth wrote several Lancashire novels which cover altogether 400 years. Jack Sheppard, Guy Fawkes, Old St Paul's, Rookwood, and The Lancashire Witches are regarded as his most successful novels.