Rare copy of King's speech to Parliament reacting to gunpowder plot unearthed in Shrewsbury
A rare copy of a speech given to Parliament by a king just days after the Gunpowder Plot was foiled has been found by a Shrewsbury book collector.
On November 5, 1605, Guy Fawkes and his band of Catholic plotters attempted to to assassinate King James I during the opening of Parliament by blowing it up using gunpowder.
Fawkes was caught in the act and arrested on November 4, and a few days later King James gave a speech to both houses of Parliament, condemning the actions of Fawkes and his co-conspirators.
A copy of the speech was printed in book form at the time, but nearly every edition has since been lost, with the only known copy in existence currently held at the library of the University of Glasgow.
However, a self-confessed Shrewsbury bibliophile said he has discovered another printing in his collection and believes it to be only the second in existence.
Andrew Wright, who owns and runs the former church, St Julian's Centre in St Alkmund's Square, said he found the rare first edition in his library.
