Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 43.djvu/390

  deedes of the Knight of the Sunne and his brother Rosicleer, Sonnes unto the Emperor Trebatio of Greece,’ London, 1599, 4to. The dedicatory matter is by East, and verses to the reader by ‘G. G.’

The title of ‘R. P.'s’ part iii. runs: ‘The Third Part of the first Booke of the Mirrour of Knighthood: wherein is set forth the worthie deedes of the knight of the Sunne and his brother Rosicleer, both Sonnes unto the Emperour of Grecia,’ n.d., 4to. The dedications are by East.

‘R. P.'s’ part iv., which was entered in the ‘Stationers' Registers’ by East on 24 Aug. 1582 as ‘The seconde part [i.e. book of the] Mirrour of Knighthood,’ is extant in the original edition of 1583. The title runs: ‘Second Part of the Myrror of Knighthood: wherein is intreated the valiant deedes of Armes of sundrie worthie knightes, London, by Thomas Este, 1583,’ 4to. The dedication by East states that ‘about three years since’ the first book came into his hands and was published, and he was ‘importuned by sundry gentlemen’ to translate book ii.

 PARRY, SEFTON HENRY (1822–1887), theatrical manager, born in 1822, was the youngest member of a theatrical family. His versatility was remarkable: he could paint scenery, cut out dresses, and do stage-carpentering. In 1859 he went to Cape Town to conduct dramatic performances, and was practically the first to give professional theatrical entertainments in the colony. His wife and a young female dancer assisted him, but the rest of the cast consisted of members of amateur dramatic clubs. After leaving Cape Town he travelled, with a small company, in various parts of the world, and made some money. On returning to England he engaged in the construction of several London theatres, for which he prepared the plans and undertook the preliminary management. No new theatre had been added to the places of entertainment in central London since the erection of the Princess's in 1840 until Parry built, upon the site of an old coach-house and stables, the first of the new theatres, called, after the thoroughfare in which it was situated, the Holborn. It was opened on 6 Oct. 1866 with Boucicault's drama ‘The Flying Scud,’ which, with a real horse and George Belmore as Nat Gosling the old jockey, was a great success. Parry remained lessee of the house until 1872. It was burnt down on 4 July 1880, and the First Avenue Hotel now stands on the site. In 1868 he built on a portion of the ground of Old Lyon's Inn in Newcastle Street, Strand, a house which he christened the Globe. It was opened on 28 Nov. 1868 with H. J. Byron's comedy, ‘Cyril's Success.’ No other piece of much mark was produced there during Parry's management, which lasted till 1871. The third theatre which he built was the Avenue, at the corner of Craven Street, facing the Thames. This was inaugurated on 11 March 1882, under the management of Mr. Burke, with Offenbach's opera ‘Madame Favart,’ in which Miss Florence St. John took the title-rôle. Parry was connected with the erection of the Greenwich Theatre, and was the proprietor of theatres at Hull and Southampton. He wrote ‘The Bright Future,’ a drama produced at the opening of the Grand Theatre, Islington, on 4 Aug. 1883. He died, after much suffering from a paralytic attack, at Cricklewood Lodge, Middlesex, on 18 Dec. 1887, aged fifty-five, and was buried in Old Willesden churchyard on 23 Dec. He left a widow, son, and daughter.

 PARRY, THOMAS (d. 1560), controller of the household, was son and heir of Henry Vaughan, of Tretower, in Cwmdu, Brecknockshire, by Gwentlian, daughter of William ap Grono of Brecknock. He softened his patronymic of ‘ap Harry’ to Parry. The friendship with Sir William Cecil, his kinsman, introduced him to the court of Edward VI; in Mary's reign he was one of the protestants who were allowed to attend on the Princess Elizabeth in her confinement at Hatfield, and he became her steward (Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1547–80, pp. 28, 116). He was gained over by Lord Seymour of Sudeley to further his suit to Elizabeth, with whom he was known to be a favourite (, Hist. of Engl. v. 140). His curious confession of the design, made to Elizabeth, is printed in the ‘Burghley State Papers,’ ed. Haynes, pp. 95–8. Elizabeth at her accession rewarded his services by knighthood (, Book of Knights, p. 116), a seat at the privy council, and the appointments of controller of her household in Nov. 1558 (, vii. 17), and of master of the court of wards and liveries on 26 April 1559 (Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1547–80, p. 128). On 5 Jan. 1558–9 he was elected M.P. for Hertfordshire (Lists of Members of Parliament, pt. i. p. 400). He acquired the manor of Hampstead Marshall, Berkshire, of which county he was lord lieutenant in 1559 (Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1547–80, p. 152),