William Parry (spy)
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William Parry (or Parrie) (died 2 March 1585) was a
Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...
courtier and spy. He planned to assassinate
Elizabeth I of England Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". Eli ...
, and was executed.


Early life

He was the son of Harry ap David, a gentleman of
Northop Northop ( cy, Llaneurgain) is a village, community and electoral ward situated in Flintshire, Wales, approximately 12 miles west of the city of Chester, midway between Mold and Flint, and situated just off junction 33 of the A55 North Wale ...
,
Flintshire , settlement_type = County , image_skyline = , image_alt = , image_caption = , image_flag = , image_shield = Arms of Flint ...
, and his wife Margaret, daughter of Pyrs or Peter Conway, archdeacon of St. Asaph and rector of Northop. Harry ap David, on his son's account, was in the guard to Henry VIII, and died about 1566, leaving fourteen children by his first wife and sixteen by his second, Parry's mother. Parry was originally named William ap Harry. Parry was apprenticed to John Fisher of Chester, who had some legal knowledge in law; he attended a
grammar school A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching Latin, but more recently an academically oriented secondary school ...
and made attempts to escape from his master.
'History of Parliament: Members 1558-1603 - Parry (Ap Harry), William (d.1585) of London''. Article by M.A.P. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
In about 1560, he went to London to seek his fortune. A marriage with a Mrs. Powell, widow, and daughter of Sir William Thomas, brought him some income. In the household of William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke (1501–1570), William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke until the Earl's death in 1570, Parry then entered the Queen's service. He appears to have involved himself in financial difficulties, despite a second marriage to money.


Spy

Parry sought a commission from
Lord Burghley William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley (13 September 15204 August 1598) was an English statesman, the chief adviser of Queen Elizabeth I for most of her reign, twice Secretary of State (1550–1553 and 1558–1572) and Lord High Treasurer from 1 ...
to spy on
Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
s on the Continent of
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, with the idea of escaping his creditors. On a first trip abroad he visited
Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...
,
Siena Siena ( , ; lat, Sena Iulia) is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena. The city is historically linked to commercial and banking activities, having been a major banking center until the 13th and 14th centur ...
, and other places. In 1577 he was back in England, though still short of money. In 1579 he left the country again abruptly; he wrote to Burghley from Paris excusing his conduct, and Burghley put Anthony Bacon in touch with him. Around this time Parry covertly joined the
Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
. In 1580 Parry again returned to England. in November, after renewed proceedings by his creditors, he made a personal assault on Hugh Hare, one of them, in the
Inner Temple The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as the Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court and is a professional associations for barristers and judges. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and ...
. Parry was convicted and sentenced to death. He received a pardon from the Queen. He found sureties for his debts, one of whom was Sir John Conway, a connection of his mother's. On a third trip abroad in 1582, Parry appears to have become a
double agent In the field of counterintelligence, a double agent is an employee of a secret intelligence service for one country, whose primary purpose is to spy on a target organization of another country, but who is now spying on their own country's organ ...
, going over to the Catholic side and considering Elizabeth's assassination. He began by urging a policy of conciliation towards Catholics in England, and recommending a pardon for some prominent catholic refugees, including John and Thomas Roper, Sir Thomas Copley, and Charles Neville, 6th Earl of Westmorland. He then encountered Charles Paget and Thomas Morgan of Llantarnam, and read the works of Cardinal
William Allen William Allen may refer to: Politicians United States *William Allen (congressman) (1827–1881), United States Representative from Ohio *William Allen (governor) (1803–1879), U.S. Representative, Senator, and 31st Governor of Ohio *William ...
. He sought approval for an assassination scheme in various Catholic quarters, in France and Italy.


Informant

On his return to England in 1584, Parry disclosed some of his dealings to the Queen, claiming to have acted only to cover Protestant plots. She pardoned him; Parry started to demand rewards. The Queen pensioned him, and rewarded him with a seat in Parliament for
Queenborough Queenborough is a town on the Isle of Sheppey in the Swale borough of Kent in South East England. Queenborough is south of Sheerness. It grew as a port near the Thames Estuary at the westward entrance to the Swale where it joins the R ...
. Parry was at this point playing a double game. He tried the effect of a protest in parliament against the treatment of Catholics. However, Parry was still unable to pay off his debts, and attempted to manufacture another plot to be "discovered". He approached Sir
Edmund Neville Edmund Neville (before 1555 – in or after 1620), was an English courtier and peerage claimant, and possible conspirator. He was allegedly involved in Parry's Plot. Family Edmund Neville, born before 1555, was the son of Richard Neville (d. 27 ...
and suggested to him that they should ride up and shoot the Queen in her coach, or kill her during a private audience. According to some accounts, Parry did attempt to carry out the assassination but lost his courage before he could do the deed. However, it is unclear whether he genuinely intended to kill the Queen, or to raise his own standing by "exposing" Neville.
Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. Th ...
met on 23 November, and one of its first acts was to debate a bill against Jesuits and seminary priests. On its third reading (17 December), Parry denounced it; he was committed to the sergeant-at-arms, placed on his knees at the bar, and required to explain his words. He was carried off in custody and examined by the privy council. The next day he was released by an order from the Queen. Six weeks later Neville informed against his fellow conspirator, stating that he had plotted to murder the Queen while she was driving in the park. Parry was arrested on a charge of high treason, and placed in the
Tower of London The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, which is sep ...
. He wrote a full confession to the Queen, and sent letters to Burghley and the
Earl of Leicester Earl of Leicester is a title that has been created seven times. The first title was granted during the 12th century in the Peerage of England. The current title is in the Peerage of the United Kingdom and was created in 1837. Early creatio ...
.


Death

On 11 February 1585 Parry was expelled from Parliament. Parry was taken to the
Tower of London The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, which is sep ...
and made a confession on 13 February. On 18 February his trial began in
Westminster Hall The Palace of Westminster serves as the meeting place for both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Informally known as the Houses of Parliament, the Palace lies on the north bank ...
. Perhaps in the hope of pardon, he pleaded guilty, but he subsequently declared his innocence, said that his confession was a tissue of falsehoods, and that Ptolomeo Galli, the Cardinal of Como, had never given any countenance to the murder. He was condemned to death by being hanged, drawn and quartered, and was executed on 2 March in Westminster Palace Yard. On the scaffold, he again declared his innocence and appealed to the Queen for a more lenient treatment of her Catholic subjects. Claude de Courcelles, the secretary of the French ambassador in London, Michel de Castelnau, was alleged to have carried letters to Parry. This led to suspicion of the involvement of
Mary, Queen of Scots Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567. The only surviving legitimate child of James V of S ...
.Alexandre Labanoff, ''Lettres de Marie Stuart'', vol. 6 (London, 1844), p. 110, 146-149. After Parry's death a work, published, probably, at the instance of the government, and entitled ''A true and plain Declaration of the Horrible Treasons practised by William Parry'', charged him with various atrocious crimes. It also made remarks on his, birth and parentage.


Epigram

An epigram on his death, quoted by
Holinshed Raphael Holinshed ( – before 24 April 1582) was an English chronicler, who was most famous for his work on ''The Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande'', commonly known as ''Holinshed's Chronicles''. It was the "first complete print ...
, was reproduced in ''
The Worm Ouroboros ''The Worm Ouroboros'' is a heroic high fantasy novel by English writer E. R. Eddison, first published in 1922. The book describes the protracted war between the domineering King Gorice of Witchland and the Lords of Demonland in an imaginary ...
'': :It was pittie :One so wittie :Malcontent: :Leaving reason :Should to treason :So be bent. :But his gifts :Were but shifts :Void of grace: :And his braverie :Was but knaverie :Vile and base.


References


Tudor Place: the Parry Plot


Notes

;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Parry, William 1585 deaths English MPs 1584–1585 People executed under Elizabeth I by hanging, drawing and quartering Executed Welsh people 16th-century Welsh politicians Year of birth missing People from Northop Prisoners in the Tower of London People expelled from public office People executed by Tudor England by decapitation Welsh politicians convicted of crimes