The Bye Plot of 1603 was a conspiracy, by Roman Catholic priests and Puritans aiming at tolerance for their respective denominations, to kidnap the new English King, James I of England. It is referred to as the "bye" plot, because at the time it was presented as a minor component of a larger plot (the so-called "main" plot). Background The Anglo-Spanish War had been continuing for nearly two decades, with fighting at sea, in the Netherlands and in Ireland. Elizabeth I of England died at the end of March 1603, and James VI of Scotland claimed the English throne, without overt opposition. In England and Wales, a substantial number of Catholics were subject to fines if they did not attend Church of England services, under a system of Penal Laws. English Catholics protested loyalty to the Crown, and wished the legal constraints on their worship relaxed. They were ministered to by priests, both of the Society of Jesus and other religious orders active in England as a mission, and seminary priests and others not in religious orders (secular priests). The legal position of these priests was unclear. Divisions among English Catholics A divisive quarrel and pamphlet war among English Catholics, the Archpriest controversy, had in 1603 been contentious for about five years. The resulting alignment of Catholic priests had a great deal to do with making the plots of 1603 impractical, and also made one side of the argument receptive to the idea of informing the London government. William Watson took the "appellant" side in the Archpriest Controversy, hostile to George Blackwell who had been appointed by the Holy See. Useful to the English government and church for his polemics, Watson was under the protection of Richard Bancroft, then bishop of London. In September 1601, Watson was resident at Fulham Palace. In 1602 he was confined in The Clink, but kept in close touch with Bancroft. The plot was initially exposed by the archpriest Blackwell and two Jesuits, John Gerard and Henry Garnet, who were on the other side of the dispute. These three (by independent routes) passed on information they had relating to the conspiracy. They had other reasons besides the ongoing controversy: they feared retribution against Catholics if the plan failed; and entertained suspicions regarding the political motivations of the secular priests. The plotters The plot is known also as Watson's Plot, the Catholic Plot, the Surprising Treason,