THE GUNPOWDER PLOT, 1605	7
James's determination not to accede to the moderate demands
for relaxation of ceremonial, and his declaration that he would
make puritans conform, .were fatal obstacles to a good under-
standing with parliament. In the Apology the commons had
hoped that the relinquishmcnt of a few ceremonies of slight im-
portance would secure a perpetual uniformity, but James and
Bancroft (who was nominated archbishop of Canterbury in
October 1604) meant to achieve unity by the rigid enforcement
of the law*1
Another difficulty in the way of a good understanding between
king and parliament was presented by the catholic question*
James, hankering after a union with Rome, was averse to grati-
fying his protcstant subjects by a uniform enforcement of the
penal code, and treated catholics according to dynastic or per-
sonal, rather than national or religious, considerations. By
alternately permitting and relaxing persecution he created dis-
trust among protestants and failed to win the confidence of
catholics. The occasional martyrdom of priests2 and the more
frequent exaction of recusancy fines3 made some of the bolder
catholics despair of any lasting alleviation of their cruel lot.
The result was the Gunpower Treason or Plot, A small band
headed by Robert Catesby hired a cellar under the houses of
parliament, had it well stored with barrels of gunpowder, and
arranged for Guy Fawkes to apply the torch. They hoped that
if king, lords, and commons were all blown up, they might
profit by the inevitable confusion among protestants to seize the
reinn of government4 Their plot failed completely, but it inevit-
ably deepened the national hatred against them, and increased
the severity of the penal code.
The next parliamentary session began under the shadow of
the Gunpowder Plot, and was adjourned immediately after a
speech from the throne, in which James tried to enlighten his
hearers by enlarging upon the true nature of monarchy, de-
claring that kings were God's Vice-gercnts on earth, and so
adorned and furnished with some sparkles of the Divinitie*,5 and
upon the function of parliament: 'Neither is this a place , * . for
1 Sc« below, p» 67-	* See below, p. 805*
3	Sec below, p. 304,
4	For the view that the plot was mainly a fiction inspired by Cecil, ace John
Gerard, What Was the Gunpowder Plot? (1897); for u refutation, S. R, Gardiner,
What Gwnpwotr Plot Was (1897).
s Thi Political Works of James /, ecL C* H. Mcllwam (1918), p, a8x.