Catesby Robert

Catesby, Robert, was born about 1570 of an English Catholic family, whose property was in Northamptonshire and Warwickshire, and who were descended from Richard III.'s minister. In Elizabeth's reign his fanatical zeal had led him into various conspiracies, and on the accession of James the increased severity of the penal laws against Papists caused him to form the project in 1604 of destroying by gunpowder the king and the parliament. He communicated this design to John Wright, and Thomas and Robert Winter. Guido Fawkes or Guy Faux was then taken into their confidence, and next Thomas Percy, of the Northumberland family, with eleven others joined in the plot, for the details of which see Fawkes. On the detection of the conspiracy Catesby rode into Warwickshire (November, 1605), and was killed whilst resisting the officers sent to arrest him.