by L E Pembroke
John Grant made sure he was present at one of Stratford’s inns when Gilbert and his young brothers arrived for an ale at the close of the working day. Gilbert, since the death of his father, was in charge of the warehouse and did the buying. Richard and Edmund worked in the family business although Edmund said he wanted to be an actor in London with ‘The King’s Men’.
William’s Company, ‘The Lord Chamberlain’s Men’, after thirteen years, no longer existed. King James was now their patron, hence the change of name. Their reputation had spread throughout the kingdom and into Europe and Will Shakespeare, now over forty years of age, was well-satisfied. He would have been dismayed to know that his brother had been approached by conspirators and would soon be giving thought to the wisdom and morality of toppling William’s patron.
John Grant, having contrived to meet Gilbert at the inn, approached him as an old friend, which of itself spiked Gilbert’s curiosity. Grant began, ‘Good evening, Gilbert, I have a most important proposition to make to you because I know you are an honest man and a good Catholic. In the meantime please do not divulge to anyone that I sought you out.’ He then suggested that they meet on the following Sunday at the river, where to all intents and purposes, they would accidentally bump into one another while fishing.
Gilbert loved to fish and at times still went to the river on Sunday with Susanna. He had no idea what John Grant wanted from him but he suspected that Susanna would not be welcome at the meeting. He hoped she would not suggest she accompany him on the following Sunday because he was not sure how he would turn her down. Gilbert was guileless, not slow-witted but simply a gentle country man who knew nothing of intrigue. He hated disappointing people and feared, because the July weather in 1605 was so unusually balmy and bright, that Susanna might well wish to forego her Sunday afternoon task of creating herbal remedies in order to fish with him.
Gilbert was correct. Susanna, after church that Sunday morning, walked over to the Henley Street home and suggested that they go fishing together that afternoon. Gilbert blushed and stammered. He said he was not able to fish with her that day because he was meeting a friend with whom he would be strolling along the river bank.
Immediately jumping to the wrong conclusion, Susanna exclaimed how delighted she was and asked who was the fortunate young lady. ‘I am so pleased Uncle Gilbert. I have been praying that you might meet a special person and now it has happened. Please tell me who she is and whether I can expect to have a new aunt in the near future?’
His face reddened, he wasn’t sure what to say. He couldn’t tell a lie. He couldn’t tell the truth. ‘No Susanna, you are mistaken. My meeting is not what you think.’
‘Don’t you worry dear Uncle Gilbert, no one will hear of this from me, but I will expect to learn more of your tryst this evening.’ Susanna turned away and burst out of the room. ‘I will call in and visit my grandmother, my sister says she is not at all well. She has been ailing since the death of my grandfather. I will go and say some prayers with her.’
*
Soon after the midday meal, Gilbert gathered together his fishing tackle and left the house to meet John Grant. They sat by the side of the Avon River ostensibly fishing together while John Grant revealed to an astounded Gilbert, in very general terms, limited details of a plot to unseat King James. Grant began:
‘You will be aware Gilbert that King James has not kept his word. It is a fact that his attitude towards English Catholics has hardened.’
‘I am aware, but surely that is because Sir Walter Raleigh and a group of his friends have plotted against the King. They were not prepared to wait until the fullness of time. My brother says that the King will not harm Catholics if they are patient and understanding of the difficulties he must overcome if they are to become equal citizens in England. William says, there are many officials in Court circles who are violently anti-Catholic. King James will need to appease them before being seen to be lenient towards us.
‘King James, I assure you, despite your brother’s beliefs, no longer has the will to give Catholics equality with those of the New Faith. You may not know that only a matter of months ago a Bill was introduced in Parliament to outlaw all Catholics. And, you may not yet be aware that all Jesuits and other undercover priests have recently been ordered to leave our shores or risk imprisonment.’
‘If that is so, we are returning to the worst days under the Queen. It cannot be.’
‘I assure you it is so.’
‘What’s to be done?’
‘We are a group of twelve, young and trustworthy men from excellent families. We foresee ominous times ahead if the King is not replaced by his young Catholic daughter. Until she comes of age we plan to keep her under the guardianship of Northumberland.’
‘What will happen to the King?’
John Grant was not prepared to reveal the details of the plot to Gilbert, not now, maybe not ever. ‘Plans have been made for the King’s future and the future of The Lords who support his current attitude.’
‘What do you want from me?’
‘We want you, on several nights, to row a boat across the Thames River to bring supplies in small barrels from the south side to our headquarters, an undercroft which is part of The Palace of Westminster. You will be met by some of our number who will relieve you of the barrels at the river’ edge. After that you will return to Lambeth with your empty boat and then to your home. I envisage you will need to make four trips over a period of a week or so. I ask you to consider this Gilbert, to be God’s work.’
He thought, why me, there must be fifty men prepared to row a boat across the Thames River.
Grant saw the indecision in Gilbert’s face. ‘We need someone we can trust, we need a strong man and a Catholic. We need you, Gilbert.’
‘Well, I am not sure if I am a good choice. Only once before was I in London. I find it confusing. Would you not be better to seek someone who is familiar with the territory?’
‘Our first priority is to have someone we can trust, a Catholic who is prepared to assist us to bring about freedom of worship in England, a man with the courage to fight for his beliefs and for his God.’
‘Of course, I understand this but you have not said exactly what your plan is.’
‘Wiser not to go into details, many people are involved, each with his own task and with little knowledge of the overall plan - safer that way.’
‘I assume the King will be banished, probably back to Scotland or to France?
‘Sounds feasible, as I said Gilbert, we all have a bit part to play. If each man does his own job conscientiously, I am certain we will achieve our goal and return to our homes with no one ever the wiser.’
‘Well, if you are sure there will be no shedding of blood? What about timings?’
‘The King is expected back in London towards the end of October. I will give you fair warning so that your part of the plan has been accomplished well before that date. On behalf of the others, I wish to thank you Gilbert. You will not be sorry. I am certain your family would be proud to know you are prepared to fight for your beliefs, but of course, this must remain our secret.’
A few minutes later the two men went their separate ways. Gilbert pondering about the future of King James I and John Grant satisfied that he had achieved his purpose without divulging any of the salient details of this dangerous and what some had come to think of as a foolhardy mission. Soon Guy Fawkes, a member of the group of conspirators and an experienced soldier would receive the replacement gun powder. Helped by others he would conceal the barrels under a pile of firewood until the ceremony of the opening of Parliament began; at which time he would set the fuse and quickly depart.
*
As anticipated Susanna visited the Henley Street House that evening with the intention of finding out all the details of the young lady who had gone walking with dear Uncle Gilbert. He was sitting alone cogitating about the events of the day and the more he ruminated the more worried he became. Susanna bounced in
to the sitting room expecting to find her uncle grinning like a Cheshire cat, instead he was frowning and very serious. What had happened, had the young lady turned him down?
‘Did you enjoy your stroll beside the Avon, Uncle Gilbert?’
‘Stop trying to tease me, Susanna. ‘I told you earlier there is no young lady. My meeting was with a young gentleman. The meeting was to do with a private matter about which I am most concerned.’
‘If it helps you may confide in me.’
‘I am not sure it would help, apart from the fact the matter is confidential.’
‘You know me well enough to know I would never repeat any confidential matter you revealed to me. Besides, Uncle Gilbert, I did tell you and you alone, about my time in the convent in Rome. I trusted you, I felt guilty that I failed and I was relieved to share my experiences with you. You helped me enormously. You took away my guilt.
‘I suppose it would do no harm to speak to you of this matter, but you must not reveal any of what I say to anyone, especially to your father. You see, Susanna I have been asked to take part in a plan to dislodge the King. I am troubled because I have been given few details. I know only that there is a group of influential people in England who are concerned that King James reneges on his promise to allow Catholics religious freedom.’
‘What are they asking of you?’
‘It is a very small job which I believe altogether will take fewer than eight hours. It means I will have to go to London for a few days. They want me because they say it is difficult to find a man who is trustworthy and dedicated to the Catholic cause in England.’
‘If they are correct, it is your duty to fight for our cause. We must not go back to the persecutions of the Elizabethan era. You must remember the day and the manner of Father Robert Southwell’s death? The memory of it will forever burn into my soul.’
‘Of course I remember and will never forget. But Susanna, I know nothing of their plans. If only I knew who else is involved.’
‘You know one who is involved, the one who spoke to you today. Do you trust him?
‘Yes, I believe he is a fine man.’
‘Well there you are. You do not need to know the other details. Do the job they have chosen for you and come home content that you have done what you can for the faith of our fathers.’
‘If only I possessed the confidence of youth. When one is young nothing is impossible, but as one grows older one finds few things are possible. We hesitate because we fear adverse outcomes.’
‘I think you are taking counsel of your fears. I believe you should go to London and I believe I will go with you to stiffen your back. I would like a few days in London, especially now that father writes that his play Hamlet, is to have another season at The Globe.’
‘I expect you are right, Susanna. Perhaps I am nothing but a doddering old fool.’
‘You are not old and you are not a fool. You are my much beloved uncle.’
ACT 3 - 5
Gilbert and Susanna arrived in London in mid-October. They had written to William and were to stay with him in his rooms near The Strand. They were definite that they would not mention the reason for this trip to him, both instinctively believing he would strongly disapprove and upset their plans. And, both had experienced his intolerance of those who did not share his point of view. In Venice, with his beloved Ismene, William had been pliable almost docile. Since her death he had thrown himself into his profession relentlessly. It was as though he didn’t want to have any time to think about personal matters. His life was totally preoccupied with creation of one tragedy after another. He admired King James, he enjoyed being one of “The King’s Men” and in 1605 he was writing a play of which he believed the king would strongly approve. It was a play in which a Scottish king (a forebear of James, a fine man and exceptional leader) was murdered by one of the Scottish nobility and his wife. Their motive was uncontrollable ambition, the genesis of which was an encounter with three witches who predicted that the noble would become king. King James had an avid interest in witches, indeed had written a book about them. So William was certain the king would be delighted with his Scottish play.
Susanna had written to her father telling him how much she looked forward to seeing Hamlet and thought that Gilbert also might be persuaded to attend a performance. John Grant had met Gilbert again once briefly to give him instructions as to where and what dates and time he was to pick up the boat and cross the river from south to north.
On the coach journey to London the couple pondered the excuse they would use if William became aware of their nocturnal peregrinations. ‘Because, Uncle Gilbert, I will go with you on the first occasion, I don’t want you getting lost in a big city.’
‘That from you, Susanna is amusing, you have little sense of direction. Nevertheless, I appreciate the offer and I accept it. I am not confident of finding my way in a throng of people or a strange location. You will be able to stay in the house in Lambeth where the goods are stored until I return from my first night’s work.’
That was part of the plan, that having crossed and recrossed the river, Gilbert would stay in John Catesby’s house for the remaining hours of the pre-dawn morning and not risk drawing the attention of thieves and robbers as he made his solitary way home.
*
William met the coach. It arrived in central London only a short walk from his rooms. He was in a jovial mood, expressed his amazement that they had come back to London and asked if there was a particular reason.
‘I want to see Hamlet and so Uncle Gilbert agreed to accompany me; also we have acquaintances from home whom we hope to visit.’
‘Is that so Susanna. Do I know them?’
‘I don’t think so father.’
‘No matter, I am pleased you have friends here because I am rather busy at this time and will not be able to spare too much time entertaining you. Where do your friends live?’
‘Lambeth.’
‘That would not be too far from The Globe. I hope you will spend time looking over our theatre, Gilbert.’
Gilbert had remained silent during the previous exchange. He was not able to dissemble. Glad the subject had changed, he quickly responded.
‘Of course I am most interested in seeing your theatre and also in seeing the play Susanna has been talking about for some time.’
‘I expect our mutual friend, John Hall told you what he thought of Hamlet, did he Susanna?’
‘Yes, and I was considerably surprised to learn that was the first time he ever went to the theatre. Strange people those Puritans, they have some odd ideas.’
‘I like him very much and am glad to say he readily changed his mind about the evils of the theatre after seeing my play. He also made a number of astute remarks which indicated his absorption in the plot. I look forward to meeting him again when I return to Stratford. Now, I think it is time we enjoyed a hearty meal, so we will quickly dispense with your luggage and adjourn to one of my favourite taverns where they serve a very tasty haunch of venison. It is a favourite of my colleagues so you may well meet Hamlet, Horatio, Laertes and Ophelia, they are all splendid fellows.’
At an appropriate time, Gilbert mildly chastised his niece. ‘You were not quite truthful to your father, Susanna.’
‘No, Uncle Gilbert, to tell an untruth is not a sin if it is in the best interest of our faith. And besides, we are both certain father would not approve of our actions and no doubt would endeavour to put a stop to them.’
*
The following day Gilbert and Susanna took a stroll through the streets that led to the river. They crossed the bridge, then minutely followed the written directions Gilbert carried. They were relieved to find the Catesby house with little difficulty. Pleased with themselves, they wended their way back to the Strand and all the way Susanna was thinking about the next untruth she would have to tell her father.
‘Father, we are invited to the home of our friends this evening and we have agreed to stay the night. We will return in
the mid-morning, does that suit you?’
Of course it suited him, when a play of his was running it was William’s custom to attend most morning rehearsals, take an early midday meal with the cast and then watch the performance - he never tired of this routine. In the summer there was an evening performance, but never in the cold of autumn and winter.
The country couple sauntered through the city, both thinking that they wouldn’t much care if they never saw London again and the closer they came to the river, the more convinced of that they became. Fog was bad enough, sounds whispered past them eerily in the grey gloom, but the stench close to the river and drifting up to them as they walked across the bridge was sickening. The river was nothing but a cess-pool, tipping ground for the excrement of near twenty thousand people.
They reached the unoccupied house hours early. They carried a meal of bread, onions and cheese and stopped at a tavern to buy a bottle of ale. Gilbert checked the cellar and located the goods he would be conveying across the river. They then settled down to while away the dreary hours until the job was done. Both were tense waiting in this silent, unoccupied house and both, as time crept by, felt increasing unease and nervousness.