James Perrot

Sir James Perrot (1571 – 4 February 1636) was a Welsh writer and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1597 and 1629.

Perrot was the illegitimate son of Sir John Perrot, who was himself rumoured to be an illegitimate son of Henry VIII.^[1] He matriculated from Jesus College, Oxford in 1586. He became a member of Middle Temple in 1590. When his father died, in 1592, Perrot took legal action to obtain a share of the estate, but he did not obtain as much as he hoped as a result. In 1597 he was elected Member of Parliament for Haverfordwest.^[2]

Perrot wrote Discovery of Discontented Minds (1596) and The First Part of the Considerations of Humane Conditions (1600). He also wrote, in later life, Meditations and Prayers on the Lord's Prayer and Ten Commandments (1630).^[3]

Perott was Custos Rotulorum of Pembrokeshire between 1601 and sometime after 1608.^[4] He was knighted in 1603 and was first on the list of aldermen when Haverfordwest received its charter at the beginning of the reign of James I. In 1604, he was elected MP for Haverfordwest again. He was re-elected MP for Haverfordwest in 1614 and 1621. In the 1621 Parliament, he was a prominent critic of the proposed marriage between Prince Charles and Maria Anna, Infanta of Spain and lost royal favour. He was honourably banished to Ireland with a position in the commission of enquiry being held by Sir Dudley Digges. In 1624 he was elected MP for Pembrokeshire. He leased the royal mines in Pembrokeshire in 1624. He was elected MP for Haverfordwest again in 1626 and 1628. He served as deputy vice-admiral, then vice-admiral, for the Earl of Pembroke. He advocated action against wreckers and the fortification of Milford Haven. He subscribed £37 10s to the Virginia Company.

Perrot died in 1636 and was buried in St Mary's Church, Haverfordwest.^[3]

References

1. Hart, Kelly (June 1, 2009). The Mistresses of Henry VIII (First ed.). The History Press. pp. 75–77. ISBN 0-7524-4835-8.
2. History of Parliament Online – Perrot, James
3. Dodd, Arthur. "PERROT family, of Haroldston, Pembs.". Welsh Biography Online. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 2007-08-27.
4. "Custodes Rotulorum 1544–1646". Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 2007-08-27.

• Thrush, Andrew (2004). "Perrot, Sir James (1571/2–1637)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/21985. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)