Spy
Parry sought a commission from Lord Burghley to spy on Catholics on the Continent of Europe, with the idea of escaping his creditors. On a first trip abroad he visited Rome, Siena, 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.
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. 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, 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 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 works of Cardinal William Allen. He sought approval for an assassination scheme in various Catholic quarters, in France and Italy.
Read more about this topic: William Parry (doctor)
Famous quotes containing the word spy:
“Living, just by itself—what a dirge that is! Life is a classroom and Boredom’s the usher, there all the time to spy on you; whatever happens, you’ve got to look as if you were awfully busy all the time doing something that’s terribly exciting—or he’ll come along and nibble your brain.”
—Louis-Ferdinand Céline (1894–1961)