Henry PARKER

(2nd B. Morley)

Born: BEF 1537

Died: 22 Oct 1577, Madrid, Spain

Father: Henry PARKER (Sir)

Mother: Grace NEWPORT

Married: Elizabeth STANLEY (B. Morley) BEF 1555

Children:

1. Alice PARKER

2. Mary PARKER

3. Edward PARKER (3º B. Morley)

4. Anne PARKER

I want to thank Brian McArthur, of the Bristol Renassaince Faire, for the research he had done about Henry Parker

Henry Parker was the eldest son of Sir Henry Parker and Grace Newport, daughter of John Newport. Educated at Gonville Hall, Cambridge, little is known about his early life but both his father and grandfather, Sir Henry Parker, 8th Baron Morley, were active in the courts of Kings Henry VIII, Edward VI and Queen Mary.

His grandfather, courtier and author, held many offices throughout his life. His first marriage was to Alice St. John, daughter of John St. John of Bletsoe; they had one son and two daughters; Jane Parker married George Boleyn, Viscount Rochford, brother to Anne Boleyn; Margaret Parker married Sir John Shelton.

On the occasion of Queen Mary's coronation, 6 Oct 1553, Henry Fitzalan, Earl of Arundel, created him Knight of the Bath. He succeeded his grandfather as 9th Baron Morley on 25 Nov 1556. His main residence is in Essex and is known as Great Hallingbury. Queen Elizabeth stayed there in 1561. There are other properties in Norfolk, Buckingham and Hereford as well as a house in London near Aldgate

In 1560 he was appointed Lord Lieutenant for Hertfordshire, where his mother had property. With the change in religious climate he became conspicuous as a recusant. In 1569, on grounds of being a peer he declined to sign a declaration in accordance with the Act of Uniformity on Common Prayer.

In 1570, he was closely associated with the Duke of Norfolk's proceedings and with the rising of the Northern Earls. Shortly thereafter he left England without permission and went to Brussels. He later sent appeals to the Queen, Burghley and Leicester for permission to return or to have his wife and children join him. In a letter to Burghley dated 21 Jan 1574, Parker asserts his innocence except for the charge of leaving without the Queens permission.

His son and heir, Edward Parker, was arrested with his mother in 1574, he spends time abroad as a recusant. He later reforms and recovers titles and property surrendered to the crown. In 1586 is commissioner for the trials of Mary, Queen of Scots and Phillip Howard, Earl of Arundel in 1589. Married to Elizabeth, dau. and heiress of William Stanley, 3rd Lord Monteagle, and Anne Leybourne. His daughters were well married, Alice to Sir Thomas Barrington, and Anne to Sir Henry Brounker.

He was connected with the Spanish on several occasions. In Mar 1574 he was in Madrid with his brother Edmund. He was received by King Felipe II and given a gift of 600 Ducats. His wife Elizabeth reunited with him in 1576 and he died in Spain on 22 Oct 1577.

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