Guy Fawkes Day. Once a year, in early November, England gathers around bonfires and firworks to celebrate one of the strangest events in English history. In 1605 Catholicism was an embattled religion -- all were forced to swear allegiance to the monarch as supreme head of the Church in England. Guy Fawkes was one of a group of catholics, called recusants, who conspired to blow up Westminster when the protestant king and others would be observing the opening of Parliament. They stockpiled several barrels of gunpowder (which gave the name, the Gunpowder Plot) in a cellar nearby. They were found out when Monteagle, the brother-in-law of one of the conspirators was handed a note warning him to stay away. The note was given to the king, and a search was conducted of Westminster. The conspirators, including Fawkes, were captured and were hung, drawn, and quatered in January 1606. Every year since, on the 5th November (or thereabouts), the English gather around bonfires burning straw effigies of the Catholic treasoner, Guy Fawkes.

"Please to remember / The 5th November:
Gunpowder, Treason and Plot.
We know no reason / Why Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot."

So now you know. In other news, I bought the iPod and am waiting for it to ship in the UK. I've been loading MP3s onto my Mac in anticipation and can't wait to get my hands on it.

Today, after a meeting on Shaftesbury Avenue we ran into that finest of British wit, Stephen Fry.