Francis's father, Sir Thomas Tresham, had been brutally persecuted
- and imprisoned - for his Catholic faith.
Sir Thomas was responsible for building Rushton Triangular Lodge
as a 'secret' demonstration of his faith. It echoes the Holy
Trinity by having three sides, three floors, three windows on each
side on each floor - in fact, three of everything.
After what had happened to his father, Francis Tresham was keen
for revenge.
He was a bit of a loose cannon and a thug.
In 1591, he tried to stitch up one of his tenants who owed him
money. He did this by altering a Privy Council arrest warrent,
adding his tenant's name. He and some accomplices also ransacked
the tenants home and violently assaulted his pregnant daughter.
Tresham was imprisoned for this. He was also extravagant and ended
up with big debts.
In October 1605 he joined the other conspirators as they planned
the King's assassination. The plot was set and the gunpowder was
ready. Guy Fawkes had been called in to do the deadly deed. But all
was not well amongst the plotters. Francis Tresham was worried. If,
as planned, the House of Lords was blown up during the Opening of
Parliament, two of his relatives, who happened to sit in the House
of Lords would also be killed.
Tresham's brother-in-laws, Lord Stourton and Lord Monteagle,
would be sitting in Parliament. They would also be blown up.
It's thought that Tresham wrote a letter to his Monteagle urging
him not to attend the Opening. Monteagle showed the anonymous
letter to Robert Cecil, the Earl of Salisbury, who was Secretary of
State.
The cellar was searched on 4th November 1605, the day before the
Opening of Parliament. The plot was uncovered and Guy Fawkes was
arrested.