ten in the evening
Having removed their heavy boots and outer clothing the conspirators talked together , seeking to dispel the gloom which rested upon the company . All were ill at ease , for , although Percy had said the King 's officers would rest , it was possible they might secure fresh horses , push on , and attack the house ere morning . Expecting no mercy if taken alive , each resolved to sell his life dearly . The hours passed on to ten in the evening , when a thing happened which , to the minds of many in England , exemplified the law of God -- that the wicked shall perish through their own evil devices . Wishing to have all in readiness should the officers come upon them during the night , and fearing that the gunpowder with which they were provided might have become dampened by reason of the humidity of the weather and its prolonged exposure to the elements , Christopher Wright poured upon a platter some two pounds of the black grains , and set it beside the hearthstone . Noting the action another of the party brought a second bag of powder and treated it likewise , thinking to remove it when sufficiently dry . Percy perceived the danger and withdrew from his position before the blaze .