 On 31 January 1606 Keyes , Rookwood , Thomas Wintour and Fawkes were taken to the Old Palace Yard in Westminster , to be hanged , drawn and quartered . Rookwood and Wintour were the first to ascend to the gallows . Grim @-@ faced , Keyes went " stoutly " up the ladder , but with the halter around his neck he threw himself off , presumably hoping for a quick death . The halter broke , however , and he was taken to the block to suffer the remainder of his sentence . 
