The Plots of William Parry
William Parry (alternatively spelt as Parrie) was a Welsh physician who was implicated in several plots to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I of England.
Parry first entered into service under the Queen after working as a member of the household of William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke. He worked in the employ of Herbert until the latter's death in the year 1570, which was the year that he first began working for the Queen. Early on in his career, he encountered a series of financial difficulties that proved to be quite a challenge to him. Desperately seeking a way to escape his many creditors, who were at the time fast closing in on him, he prevailed upon the Lord Burghley to send him to the European continent, purportedly to spy on the Roman Catholic faction there. Lord Burghley granted his wish and he set off for Europe.
William Parry would make two trips abroad before his financial obligations would catch up with him once more. He chanced upon one of his creditors in the year 1580 and attacked him viciously. A subsequent trial found him guilty and he was condemned to death but luckily for him, he was granted a Royal pardon and his life was spared.
A third trip out of the country in the year 1582, found him seemingly functioning as a double agent. By all indications, he appeared to have thrown in his loyalty to the Roman Catholic cause and was supposedly involved in plans to carry out the assassination of Queen Elizabeth.
He had a surprise hidden up his sleeve however, and upon returning to England in the year 1584, he revealed his actions to Queen Elizabeth but further claimed that he had only acted out of a desire to expose existing Catholic plots against her life. The Queen was sufficiently convinced by Parry's story and she not only granted him a royal pardon with a pension, but also appointed him a seat in the Parliament for Queensborough. He was later implicated in still another plot against the Queen and this time he was tried and executed. He died on March 2nd, 1585.
Original Authors:Doods Pangburn
Edit Update Authors: M.A.Harris
Updated On: 16/06/2008
