English aristocracy. He was born in Pembrokeshire, Wales, the only son of Thomas Perrot and Mary Berkeley. Occasionally the myth Sir John was the son of Henry VIII rears its head. This has been debunked by The Tudor Society, The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, and The National Library of Wales, as well as historian and educator, Dr Robert Turvey, among others. In his publication, "Sir John Perrot; Henry VIII's Bastard? The Destruction of A Myth", Turvey indicates Mary Berkeley Perrot was not a Lady in Waiting nor is there any evidence she was ever at King Henry's Court. During the time period John Perrot would have been conceived, his mother was in the Western parts of England and in Wales which Henry VIII visited only one time in 1535 when John would already have been seven years old. Turvey further explains these false claims were begun by Sir Robert Naunton who happened to be married to John Perrot's granddaughter, Penelope. Prior to Naunton's tales, there was no documentation nor any indication by any of Perrot's contemporaries that he or they believed him to be Henry's son. The supposed dialogues of Sir John indicating he was Henry's son at his trial or while in jail have also been attributed solely to Naunton. Sir John was educated at St David's, Pembrokeshire, and at the age of eighteen was placed in the household of William Paule, first Marquis of Winchester. He was introduced to Court in the autumn of 1549 and was created a Knight at Edward VI's coronation. He took part in the 155l negotiations with Henry II of France toward arranging a marriage between Edward VI and infant Princess Elizabeth of France. After Edward's death and the ascendance of Mary I to the throne, Sir John was denounced as a Protestant and was committed to the Fleet Prison before he was allowed to leave the country to join a military expedition in France. He was present at the capture of St. Quentin in 1557. He returned to England a few months prior to Mary's death and with the ascendance of Elizabeth I, Sir John was one of the four gentlemen chosen to carry the canopy of state at the new Queen's coronation. He proved a favorite of Queen Elizabeth who appointed him Vice-Admiral of the seas about South Wales and keeper of the gaol at Haverfordwest, and he became Mayor of Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, in 1570. The Queen appointed Sir John the first Lord of Munster, and he spent almost three years in Ireland subduing rebellion. Weary of Ireland, he returned to England without the Queen's leave in July 1573; pleading ill health, he was allowed to quit his Irish post. In I578 he was appointed Commissioner for Piracy in Pembrokeshire. In 1584 the Queen appointed Sir John Lord Deputy of Ireland and he spent four more turbulent years in Ireland. He was able to return to England in 1588 to find that his enemies at court had ample time to conspire against him, and the throne apparently became alarmed with his power and status. After a short confinement in Lord Burghley's house, Sir John was committed to the Tower of London in March 1591. More than a year later he went to trial on charges of high treason which included contemptuous words against the Queen, and with treasonable correspondence with the King of Spain and the Prince of Parma. Sir John was found guilty and condemned to death on April 27, 1592. He died of natural causes before the sentence could be executed. His son, Sir Thomas Perrot, was restored Sir John's estates.