Four hundred and three years ago, on the fifth of November, 1605, a new ſeſsion of Parliament was opened by King James I and VI in the Houſe of Lords, mere hours after the diſcovery, by Thomas Knyvet and a party of armed men, of Guy Fawkes, alias John Johnſon, waiting to ignite gunpowder enough to level the Houſes of Parliament, and alſo thoſe ſtructures within approximately one thouſand yards thereof.
On the ſixth of that ſame month, it was ordered by James I and VI, in ſomewhat meſsy ſcript, that 'if [Fawkes] will not otherwayes confeſse, the gentler tortours are to be firſt uſid unto him, & ſic per gradus ad ima tenditur'1. Fawkes indeed confeſsed on the ninth of November, with ſo little ſtrength as to be almoſt incapable of ſingning his own confeſion. Over the following days, Fawkes' co-conſpirators were alſo diſcovered and impriſoned.
Here, though, the tale is uſed as an excuſe for the making of an icon, and for the overuſe of the long 'ſ' character, a feature of typeſetting at the time and for ſome centuries after, and even now available in ſome modern typefaces.
But, moſtly, it's for the icon thing. After laſt year, it may even be ſeen as ſome kind of emerging tradition, though we ſhould perhaps wait and ſee if ſuch a practice does indeed emerge.
Even ſo:
Even the icon ſeems to have acquired ſomething of a fondneſs for outmoded typeſetting; and ſo ends the entry, alſo without a Kaboom.
- fin. -
On the ſixth of that ſame month, it was ordered by James I and VI, in ſomewhat meſsy ſcript, that 'if [Fawkes] will not otherwayes confeſse, the gentler tortours are to be firſt uſid unto him, & ſic per gradus ad ima tenditur'1. Fawkes indeed confeſsed on the ninth of November, with ſo little ſtrength as to be almoſt incapable of ſingning his own confeſion. Over the following days, Fawkes' co-conſpirators were alſo diſcovered and impriſoned.
Here, though, the tale is uſed as an excuſe for the making of an icon, and for the overuſe of the long 'ſ' character, a feature of typeſetting at the time and for ſome centuries after, and even now available in ſome modern typefaces.
But, moſtly, it's for the icon thing. After laſt year, it may even be ſeen as ſome kind of emerging tradition, though we ſhould perhaps wait and ſee if ſuch a practice does indeed emerge.
Even ſo:
Even the icon ſeems to have acquired ſomething of a fondneſs for outmoded typeſetting; and ſo ends the entry, alſo without a Kaboom.
- fin. -
- "and thenceforth by degrees, unto the ultimate". Which may ſeem an over-the-top kind of tranſlation, but it fits reaſonably well with the tone of the Engliſh in the reſt of James' letter.
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