off, the person who had rented the cellar
being about to quit; and the noise, which had alarmed them, was
occasioned by the falling down and the removal of these coals. This
cellar was most convenient for their purpose: for it was exactly under
the throne. The grand object, therefore, was now to secure it. Fawkes
soon ascertained that it was to be let. Percy immediately hired it,
pretending that he wished to use it as a coal cellar for his adjoining
house.

Thus far they appeared to prosper in their dark enterprise. The mine was
now relinquished; and it was resolved to deposit the powder in the
cellar. Their labours were discontinued; and all their energies were
exerted in making arrangements to secure the success of their design[9].

[Footnote 9: "In piercing through the wall nine foot thick,"
says Fuller, "they erroneously conceived that they thereby hewed
forth their own way to heaven. But they digged more with their
_silver_ in an hour, than with their _iron_ in many daies;
namely, when discovering a cellar hard by, they hired the same,
and the pioneers saved much of their pains by the advantage
thereof."--b. x. p. 35. They were led to believe, from this
circumstance, that God was evidently favourable to their
design.]

Hitherto Catesby had himself borne the expenses of the treasonable
undertaking; but his resources were insufficient for the charge of
maintaining the party, for the rent of several houses, and for the
purchase of the materials with which the scheme was to be carried into
effect. It was deemed necessary, therefore, that some monied person or
persons should be made acquainted with the design, in order that
pecuniary aid might be procured: and Catesby proposed that he and Percy,
and another of the conspirators, should be permitted to disclose their
secret to such persons as they, in their discretion, might deem
desirable. The proposition was agreed to by the whole party, who now
amounted to seven in number. This plan was adopted, because the parties
thought, that several of the wealthy Romanists would be willing to
contribute pecuniary aid, though they might be unwilling to disclose
their names to the whole number of the conspirators. Having made this
arrangement, Fawkes was employed in depositing a large quantity of
powder and wood in the cellar which had recently been taken. The house
was cleared of all those things which might have awakened suspicion,
while eve