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5th Novenber-Bonfire night

Bonfire Night

Not for me the sparks and flames
Mattresses piled high and old bed frames.

Not for me the acrid smoke
That gets in clothes and starts to choke.

Not for me old planks and floorboards
Ripped from the derelict housing boards.

Not for me the hot potato jacket
Or sizzling rocket and mortar bomb racket.

No, I'll be sitting by another fire
That burns more evenly, less haywire.

The one that warms the living room grate
Without soot or wretch to ameliorate.

With feet firmly planted on carpeted floors
My bonfire night will be spent indoors.

By Paul Reed



Bonfire
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And not forgetting this somewhat explicit event related 17th Century traditional English rhyme, denoting another remarkable milestone or should I say millstone on the road to Albion's civilisation.

And possibly grimly appropriate, given that the word bonfire comes from ‘bone-fire’ which relates back to the Celtic feast of Samhain (November 1st), the godparent of Halloween, where animal bones were thrown into the fire to scare away spirits, and considering the ongoing schism between Protestant and Catholic in England as the papally excommunicated Elizabeth 1st of England was dying and the throne was take by James (Stuart) 1st of England and VI of Scotland.

What is being commemorated on Bonfire Night is 'The Gunpowder Plot' of 1605, in the centuries following the event was often referred to as the Gunpowder Treason Plot or the Jesuit Treason, which was a failed mass assassination attempt against King James I of England and VI of Scotland.

A number of historians believe that the Plot was used as Protestant propaganda to attack the Catholics and prove that God was on the side of the Protestants. We will probably never know the whole truth about the government's involvement for want of evidence, but grudgingly admit that the Plot may have been a government conspiracy.

Was the Gunpowder Plot a conspiracy to turn James I against the Catholics or was it a plot by Catholics wanting more religious freedom? Therein lies the debate.

Factually speaking, the Gunpowder Plot in November 1605, was the third Catholic conspiracy against the new king in three years, as a result James sanctioned much stricter measures to suppress them. In May 1606, the English Parliament passed an act which if required made any citizen liable to take an Oath of Allegiance, involving a sworn denial of the pope's authority over the king.

REMEMBER, REMEMBER THE FIFTH OF NOVEMBER

Remember, remember the fifth of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot
I see no reason why gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot

Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, 'twas his intent
To blow up the King and the Parliament
Three score barrels of powder below
Poor old England to overthrow
By God's providence he was catched
With a dark lantern and burning match
Holloa boys, holloa boys
God save the King!
Hip hip hooray!
Hip hip hooray!

A penny loaf to feed ol' Pope
A farthing cheese to choke him
A pint of beer to rinse it down
A faggot of sticks to burn him
Burn him in a tub of tar
Burn him like a blazing star
Burn his body from his head
Then we'll say ol' Pope is dead.
Hip hip hooray!
Hip hip hooray!