Thomas Perrot facts for kids

Sir Thomas Perrot (1553 – 1594) was an important person during the time of Queen Elizabeth I. He was a courtier (someone who attended the royal court), a soldier, and a Member of Parliament. He fought in wars in Ireland and the Low Countries (modern-day Netherlands and Belgium). He also helped defend England against the powerful Spanish Armada.

Thomas Perrot faced some challenges. He was put in prison a few times. Once, it was to stop him from having a duel (a formal fight) with Sir Walter Raleigh. Another time, he was imprisoned because he secretly married Dorothy Devereux. She was a Lady-in-waiting to the Queen and the sister of the Queen's favorite, the Earl of Essex.

His only daughter, Penelope, married Sir Robert Naunton. Sir Robert wrote a book that suggested Thomas's father, Sir John Perrot, might have been a secret son of King Henry VIII.

Sir Thomas Perrot's Family

Thomas Perrot was the son of Sir John Perrot and his first wife, Anne Cheyne. Anne was the daughter of Sir Thomas Cheyne, who was the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports.

Thomas also had a half-brother, William, and two half-sisters, Anne and Lettice, from his father's second marriage. His sister Anne married Sir John Phillips, 1st Baronet. His sister Lettice married three times, with her last husband being Arthur Chichester, who became the Lord Deputy of Ireland.

Thomas also had several other brothers and sisters, including Sir James Perrot.

Sir Thomas Perrot's Career

Illustration of the Battle of Zutphen

Thomas Perrot began his military service in 1579 when he went to Ireland with his father. He was made a knight when the English soldiers arrived in Waterford. After returning home, he was put in the Fleet Prison to stop him from having a duel with Sir Walter Raleigh.

In 1581, he took part in a tournament at Whitehall Palace in front of Queen Elizabeth I. Soon after, he was again imprisoned for secretly marrying Dorothy Devereux, who was one of the Queen's ladies-in-waiting.

Fighting in the Low Countries

Perrot then fought in the Low Countries (modern-day Netherlands and Belgium). He was part of the Battle of Zutphen on September 22, 1586. The next year, his father, who was in charge of Ireland, tried to get Thomas a job as Master of the Ordnance, but someone else got the position.

Defending England

In April 1588, Thomas Perrot helped prepare defenses for Milford Haven in Wales. This was to protect against a possible attack by the Spanish Armada. Later that year, he checked on soldiers from Wales who were getting ready to defend against any remaining Spanish ships in Ireland.

Family Challenges and Restoration

In 1590, Perrot was removed from his role as Deputy Lieutenant of Pembrokeshire. In 1591, he was in prison again, but no charges were brought against him. In 1592, his father, Sir John Perrot, was accused of serious crimes and died in the Tower of London.

Despite his father's legal troubles, Thomas Perrot was able to claim his father's property. In March 1593, a special law was passed that helped him get back his family's estates, including Haroldston Mansion and Laugharne Castle. This happened thanks to the efforts of his brother-in-law, Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex.

Member of Parliament

Thomas Perrot was a Member of Parliament (MP) several times. He served in the Parliament of 1581. In 1586, he represented Cardiganshire. In February 1593, he was elected to represent Pembrokeshire.

Thomas Perrot became ill in early 1594 and made his will on February 12. Since he did not have a son who lived, his property was divided between his wife, Dorothy, and his daughter, Penelope.

Marriage and Children

Portrait of Dorothy Devereux (left) and her sister, Penelope Devereux (right)

In July 1583, Thomas Perrot married Dorothy Devereux. She was the daughter of Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex. Thomas and Dorothy had a son who passed away young, and a daughter named Penelope.

Their daughter, Penelope, married twice. Her first husband was the astronomer Sir William Lower. They had three sons and one daughter. After Sir William's death, Penelope married Sir Robert Naunton. They had a daughter, also named Penelope, who was born in 1620.

Sir Robert Naunton wrote a book called Fragmenta Regalia. In this book, he claimed that Thomas Perrot's father, Sir John Perrot, was an illegitimate son of King Henry VIII.

After Thomas Perrot died in 1594, his wife Dorothy married Henry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland.