January 2, 2012
PRINTED 1584: WILLIAM PARRY – THE REMARKABLE DOCTOR AND DOUBLE-AGENT
THE MYSTERIOUS PLOT TO ASSASSINATE QUEEN ELIZABETH
EXTREMELY RARE WITH THE ADDITIONAL 7 PAGE “PRAYER FOR ALL KINGS”
WONDERFUL PROVENANCE: THE FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE “BROXBOURNE COPY”
The Book:
A true and plaine declaration of the horrible treasons, practised by William Parry the traitor, against the Queenes Maiestie. The maner ofhis arraignment, conuiction and execution, together with the copies ofsundry letters of his and others, tending to diuers purposes, for theproofes of his treasons. Also an addition not impertinent thereunto,conteyning a short collection of his birth, education and course oflife. Moreouer, a fewe obseruations gathered of his owne wordes andwritings, for the farther manifestation of his most disloyall,deuilish and desperate purpose. At London : by C. B[arker]., [1585]Signatures: A-H⁴.Description: 53, 7 pg. ; small 4to. with the veryrare addendum, likely issued as a separate imprint, even though thesignatures are continuous: “A prayer for all kings, princes countreyesand people” (caption title). New STC 19342. FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE. Morocco and cloth boards, a WIDE-MARGINED copy approx. 17.5 x 11.5 cm,, some browning,most notable light marginal color discoloration of the first few leaves due to some very old expert repairs, a few marginal notes lightly shaved.Provenance: The Famous Broxbourne copy with ex-libris and Broxbourniana plate of John Ehrman and Albert Ehrman monogram; Sotheby’s, Nov 15, 1977, lot 300. Catalogue of valuable printed Books from the Broxbourne Library illustrating the Spread of Printing. The Property of John Ehrman The four-day sale realised an astonishing total of £1,297,000. See another copy as well for comparison in 1978 with small textual variants: Sotheby’s,Nov 13, 1978, lot 198, $490 [SOLD]
“William Parry (or Parrie) (died 2 March 1585) was a Welsh doctor who considered assassinating Elizabeth I of England.In the household of 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, and sought a commission from Lord Burghley to spy on Catholics on the Continent of Europe, with the idea of escaping his creditors. After two trips abroad, he assaulted one of his creditors in 1580 and was sentenced to death, but received a royal pardon. On a third trip abroad in 1582, he appears to have become a double agent, going over to the Catholic side and considering Elizabeth’s assassination. But on his return in 1584, he disclosed his dealings to the Queen, claiming to have done so only to cover Protestant plots. She pardoned and pensioned him, and rewarded him with a seat in Parliament for Queenborough. However, Parry was still unable to pay off his debts, and attempted to manufacture another plot to be “discovered”. His co-conspirator was John Somerville. He approached Sir Edmund Neville 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. Examined by Sir Francis Walsingham, Parry confessed to plotting the murder, and was hanged, drawn and quartered at Westminster on 2 March 1585″ [Wikipedia]
