He was educated at Oxford, and graduated B.A. on 7 April 1565; but on 21 October next year he entered the Society of Jesus at Rome, aged 19. According to Charles Dodd, he was among the Jesuits for many years; but gradually he became estranged from them, and while at Venice, perhaps about 1585, he wrote a book on the society; it does not appear to have been published. It took generally favourable view, but seems to have been subsequently thought by the English government likely to prove damaging. About the same time William Cecil visited Rome; Perkins intervened when his religious opinions created a difficult situation. Perkins is said then to have returned with young Cecil, who recommended him to his grandfather Lord Burghley's favour.
Return to England
In 1587 he was resident at Prague, being described in the government's list of recusants abroad as a Jesuit. There he became acquainted with Edward Kelley, who in June 1589 accused him of being an emissary of the pope, and of complicity in a plot to murder Queen Elizabeth. Soon afterwards Perkins arrived in England, and seems to have been imprisoned on suspicion. On 12 March 1590 he wrote to Francis Walsingham, undermining Kelley and appealing to a commendation from the King of Poland as proof of his innocence. On 9 May he was granted expenses for a mission to Poland and Prussia.
Diplomatic Agent
From this time Perkins was frequently employed as a diplomatic agent to Denmark, Poland, Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor, and the Hanseatic League; his missions dealt principally with commercial affairs. In 1591 he was ambassador to Denmark, having his first audience with the king on 4 July, and on 22 December received an annuity of one hundred marks for his services. He proceeded to Poland in January 1592, and was in Denmark again in the summer. In June and July 1593 he was negotiating with the Emperor at Prague; in 1595 he visited Elbing, Lübeck, and other Hanse towns, and spent some time in Poland. He says he was acceptable to the Poles generally, and the king tried to induce him to enter his service; but (on his own account) the clergy were bitterly hostile, and the Pope offered put a price on his head. In 1598 he was again sent to Denmark, returning on 8 December; in 1600 he was employed in negotiating with the Danish emissaries at Emden. He acted as principal adviser to the government in its mercantile relations with the Baltic countries; on 3 January 1593 he was on a commission to decide without appeal all disputes between the English and subjects of the French king in reference to piracy, and on 3 July was on another to inquire into and punish all abettors of pirates.
Numerous Titles
He was appointed as Dean of Carlisle in 1595. On 20 February 1597 he was admitted member of Gray's Inn. On 16 Sept. 1597 he was elected M.P. for Ripon, and again on 21 October 1601; he frequently took part in the mercantile business of the House of Commons. On the accession of James I his annuity was increased; in 1603 he was on a commission for suppressing books printed without authority; on 23 July he was knighted by the king at Whitehall, and on 20 March 1605 was admitted commoner of the college of advocates. From 1604 to 1611 he was M.P. for Morpeth; he also acted as deputy to Sir Daniel Donne, master of requests, whom he succeeded in 1617. In 1620 he subscribed to the Virginia Company.
He died late in August 1622, and was buried on 1 September on the north side of the long aisle in Westminster Abbey.
christopher, perkins, priest, this, article, includes, list, references, related, reading, external, links, sources, remain, unclear, because, lacks, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, september, 201. This article includes a list of references related reading or external links but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations September 2012 Learn how and when to remove this template message Sir Christopher Perkins or Parkins 1547 1622 was an English Jesuit turned diplomat and MP Contents 1 Life 1 1 Return to England 1 2 Diplomatic Agent 1 3 Numerous Titles 2 Family 3 See also 4 ReferencesLife EditHe was educated at Oxford and graduated B A on 7 April 1565 but on 21 October next year he entered the Society of Jesus at Rome aged 19 According to Charles Dodd he was among the Jesuits for many years but gradually he became estranged from them and while at Venice perhaps about 1585 he wrote a book on the society it does not appear to have been published It took generally favourable view but seems to have been subsequently thought by the English government likely to prove damaging About the same time William Cecil visited Rome Perkins intervened when his religious opinions created a difficult situation Perkins is said then to have returned with young Cecil who recommended him to his grandfather Lord Burghley s favour Return to England Edit In 1587 he was resident at Prague being described in the government s list of recusants abroad as a Jesuit There he became acquainted with Edward Kelley who in June 1589 accused him of being an emissary of the pope and of complicity in a plot to murder Queen Elizabeth Soon afterwards Perkins arrived in England and seems to have been imprisoned on suspicion On 12 March 1590 he wrote to Francis Walsingham undermining Kelley and appealing to a commendation from the King of Poland as proof of his innocence On 9 May he was granted expenses for a mission to Poland and Prussia Diplomatic Agent Edit From this time Perkins was frequently employed as a diplomatic agent to Denmark Poland Rudolf II Holy Roman Emperor and the Hanseatic League his missions dealt principally with commercial affairs In 1591 he was ambassador to Denmark having his first audience with the king on 4 July and on 22 December received an annuity of one hundred marks for his services He proceeded to Poland in January 1592 and was in Denmark again in the summer In June and July 1593 he was negotiating with the Emperor at Prague in 1595 he visited Elbing Lubeck and other Hanse towns and spent some time in Poland He says he was acceptable to the Poles generally and the king tried to induce him to enter his service but on his own account the clergy were bitterly hostile and the Pope offered put a price on his head In 1598 he was again sent to Denmark returning on 8 December in 1600 he was employed in negotiating with the Danish emissaries at Emden He acted as principal adviser to the government in its mercantile relations with the Baltic countries on 3 January 1593 he was on a commission to decide without appeal all disputes between the English and subjects of the French king in reference to piracy and on 3 July was on another to inquire into and punish all abettors of pirates Numerous Titles Edit He was appointed as Dean of Carlisle in 1595 On 20 February 1597 he was admitted member of Gray s Inn On 16 Sept 1597 he was elected M P for Ripon and again on 21 October 1601 he frequently took part in the mercantile business of the House of Commons On the accession of James I his annuity was increased in 1603 he was on a commission for suppressing books printed without authority on 23 July he was knighted by the king at Whitehall and on 20 March 1605 was admitted commoner of the college of advocates From 1604 to 1611 he was M P for Morpeth he also acted as deputy to Sir Daniel Donne master of requests whom he succeeded in 1617 In 1620 he subscribed to the Virginia Company He died late in August 1622 and was buried on 1 September on the north side of the long aisle in Westminster Abbey Family EditPerkins married possibly for the second time on 5 November 1617 at St Martin s in the Fields London Anne daughter of Anthony Beaumont of Glenfield Leicestershire and widow of James Brett of Hoby in the same county She was sister of the Countess of Buckingham whose son George Villiers became Duke of Buckingham and mother by her first husband of Anne second wife of Lionel Cranfield 1st Earl of Middlesex She survived him See also EditPortals Biography Catholicism EnglandReferences Edit This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Perkins Christopher Dictionary of National Biography London Smith Elder amp Co 1885 1900 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Christopher Perkins priest amp oldid 955956442, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
