Elizabeth Gaunt facts for kids
Elizabeth Gaunt (died 23 October 1685) was an English woman who was put to death for a serious crime against the government. She was found guilty of being involved in something called the Rye House Plot. Elizabeth Gaunt was the last woman in England to be executed for a political crime.
Elizabeth Gaunt was a shop owner in London and a member of a Christian group called the Anabaptists. She and her husband, William, lived in an area called Whitechapel. They were interested in politics and supported a group known as the Whigs.
Elizabeth was known for helping people who were in trouble, especially those who were being treated unfairly because of their religion or political beliefs. A bishop named Gilbert Burnet said that she spent her life doing good deeds, like visiting prisons and helping poor people, no matter what their beliefs were.
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A Helping Hand and a Difficult Time
Elizabeth Gaunt helped a man named James Burton, who was part of the failed Rye House Plot in 1683. She helped him escape to a city called Amsterdam.
The Rye House Plot
The Rye House Plot was a plan to harm King Charles II and his brother, James. It happened in 1683. Many people involved in the plot were caught and punished.
An Unfair Trial
In 1685, James Burton was arrested. To try and save himself, he told the authorities that Elizabeth Gaunt had helped him. Even though she wasn't actually involved in the plot itself, she was put on trial. Many people believed her trial was unfair. A famous writer named David Hume wrote that James Burton got a pardon (meaning he was forgiven) for betraying Elizabeth, and she was executed for her kindness.
Elizabeth Gaunt was sentenced to death on October 19, 1685, in a court called the Old Bailey.
Elizabeth's Courage
Elizabeth Gaunt saw her trial as a way to stand up for what she believed in. People who watched her during the trial said she was so calm and cheerful that it made them cry.
A Witness to Her Strength
William Penn, who later founded the state of Pennsylvania in America, was there when Elizabeth Gaunt was executed. He said that she "died with a constancy, even to a cheerfulness, that struck all that saw it." This means she faced her death with great courage and even a sense of peace, which deeply affected everyone who watched.
