James Perrot

Sir James Perrot (1571 – 4 February 1636) was a Welsh writer and Member of Parliament (MP).

He was the illegitimate son of Sir John Perrot. He matriculated from Jesus College, Oxford in 1586. He became a member of Middle Temple in 1590. When his father died, in 1592, Perrot took legal action to obtain a share of the estate, but he did not obtain as much as he hoped as a result. He wrote "Discovery of Discontented Minds" (1596) and "The First Part of the Considerations of Humane Conditions" (1600). He also wrote, in later life, "Meditations and Prayers on the Lord's Prayer and Ten Commandments" (1630).cite web|url=http://wbo.llgc.org.uk/en/s-PERR-HAR-1530.html| title=PERROT family, of Haroldston, Pembs.|last=Dodd|first=Arthur|work=Welsh Biography Online| publisher=National Library of Wales | accessdate=2007-08-27]

He was Custos Rotulorum of Pembrokeshire between 1601 and sometime after 1608. [cite web|url=http://www.history.ac.uk/office/custodes1544.html#yy| title=Custodes Rotulorum 1544–1646| publisher=Institute of Historical Research| accessdate=2007-08-27] He was knighted in 1603 and was first on the list of aldermen when Haverfordwest received its charter at the beginning of the reign of James I. He was MP for the borough of Haverfordwest in the Parliaments of 1597–98 (under Elizabeth I), 1604–11 and 1614 (under James I). In the 1621 Parliament, he was a prominent critic of the proposed marriage between Prince Charles and Maria Anna, Infanta of Spain and lost royal favour. He was honourably banished to Ireland with a position in the commission of enquiry being held by Sir Dudley Digges. He was MP for the county of Pembroke for the 1624–25 Parliament and for Haverfordwest for 1628–29 (under Charles I). He leased the royal mines in Pembrokeshire in 1624. He served as deputy vice-admiral, then vice-admiral, for the Earl of Pembroke. He advocated action against wreckers and the fortification of Milford Haven. He subscribed £37 10s to the Virginia Company. Perrot was buried in St Mary's Church, Haverfordwest.

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