Background
Percy, a son of Edward Percy of Beverley, who was grandson of Henry Percy, 4th earl of Northumberland, was born in 1560.
Percy, a son of Edward Percy of Beverley, who was grandson of Henry Percy, 4th earl of Northumberland, was born in 1560.
He was matriculated at the University of Cambridge as a member of Peterhouse in 1579. Little is known of his early life. He may have been a papist before he was at some point received into the Catholic Church, and he may have sailed with George Clifford, 3rd Earl of Cumberland, in 1589
In May 1603 Percy angrily declared his intention to Catesby of killing the king, and in April 1604 he met Catesby with John Wright, Thomas Winter and Guy Fawkes, and was then initiated into Catesby's gunpowder plot, which met with his zealous approval and support.
All the preparations being complete, Percy went to Alnwick in October and collected £3000 of the earl of Northumberland's rents which he intended using in furtherance of the plot, returning to London on the 16t of November.
On the news of Guy Fawkes's arrest, Percy with the rest of the conspirators, except Tresham, fled on horseback, taking refuge ultimately at Holbeche, near Stourbridge, in Staffordshire, where on the 8th of November, during the attack of the sheriff's men upon the house, he was struck down by a bullet, fighting back to back with Catesby, and died two days later.
Though brought up a Protestant, he early became well-affected to the Roman Catholics and finally an adherent.
