John Perrot (abt. 1610 - 1665)

Contents 1 Biography 2 Research Notes 3 Sources 4 See also

Biography

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Quaker John Perrot of Waterford

John Perrot (c1620-1665) was an early Quaker schismatic who set out to convert the Pope in 1658. He had a wife and children in Waterford but was later claimed by relatives to be a blacksmith born in Sedbergh.^[1]

He came to England after surviving three years imprisonment in Rome.
After a short period of preaching and a famous dispute with George Fox about wearing hats at prayer, he moved to Barbados in 1662 and later visited the Quakers of Virginia and Maryland ^[2]. His wife Elizabeth and two children joined him shortly before his death in Jamaica in 1665.

John's problematic orgins and amazing exploits were explored, albeit with somewhat questionable dramatic license, in an Irish TV programme broadcast in 2006. ^[3]

The origins of John Perrot are unknown and the claim that he has a family connection to Sir John Perrot is unlikely according to his principal biographer.^[2] He first appears in Waterford in Ireland in 1655 when he turned from being a Baptist to becoming a Quaker after a convincement by Edward Burrough. His wife and children were still living in Waterford in 1659. ^[4]

In 1656 he found himself in prison in Limerick, Kilkenny and Dublin before moving on to England where he signed a petition dated December 25 pleading for the mitigation of the sentence on fellow Quaker, James Nayler. The following year he set out with the backing of the Quaker movement on a mission to convert the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire and the Pope. His companions were Beatrice Beckley, Mary Prince, Mary Fisher, John Luffe, and John Buckley. Separating from their companions John and John Luffe eventually became prisoners of the Inquisition. John Luffe died towards the end of 1658 and John himself was not released until mid 1661.

Returning to England John, who had spent years in solitary confinement, found his views at odds with the Quaker establishment. The matter in dispute was men's hats! Men were required to remove their hats in church, but John argued that since women were required to cover their heads men should too otherwise it underlined the inequality of men and women. The establishment found his views to lack humility. John was thenceforward regarded as a schismatic.^[5]

He was imprisoned in the summer of 1662 for attending a Quaker meeting in London and was only released on the understanding that he would exile himself to Barbados. In 1664 the Governor, Thomas Modyford, appointed him a captain and John took to wearing gaudy clothing and carrying a sword and associated with Richard Rich, another Quaker separatist.

He died in Jamaica (not Barbados as stated in error by the ODNB ^[6]) sometime in the 7 days between the drawing up of his will on 30 August 1665 and it being proved on the 7 August of the same year. In a letter dated February 1665 just before his death he reported he was joined there from England by his wife Elizabeth 'beloved EP' and his minor children 'Blessing and Thank(ful)' ^[2]

Research Notes

This profile had been protected (PPP) to preserve Perrott over Parrott in a proposed merge. That merge was completed, so PPP was removed. The PPP notice had also noted that "it is unknown if this John has correct dates and/or is attached to the correct parents. ~ Noland-165 16:28, 12 November 2018 (UTC)"

Restored DOB estimate to 1573 which was in the original Gedcom. Such a date seems a bit early as it would make him 80 years old when he began his ministry and nearly 90 when he was awarded a captaincy in 1664. A birth date of around 1610 is more inline with the story in the biography.

This profile has been protected (PPP) to prevent it from being re-attached to incorrect parents. Should new research uncover John Perrot's real parents, they could be added after proper discussion of the evidence. Rassinot-1 14:33, 14 February 2019 (UTC)

Sources

1. ↑ Spriggs MSS 1/18 (Friends Library) 1868 record.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} "John Perrot :Early Quaker Schismatic" by K.L. Carroll Journal of the Friends' Historical Society supplement to vol 33 (1971) 126 pages (https://journals.sas.ac.uk/FHSS/issue/view/555/54 : accessed 24 April 2022)
3. ↑ John Perrot Quaker
4. ↑ Oxford Dictionary of National Biography: Perrot, John (d. 1665)
5. ↑ Oxford Dictionary of National Biography: Perrot, John (d. 1665)
6. ↑ "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography: Perrot, John (d. 1665)

See also

• Netherlands, GenealogieOnline Trees Index, 1000-2015 Ancestry.com Publication: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.
• Ancestry Family Tree https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/tree/42463438/family
• Biography & Genealogy Master Index (BGMI) Ancestry.com - original data: Gale Research Company. Biography and Genealogy Master Index. Detroit, MI, USA: Gale Research Company, 2008.