1764, but was revived in the younger branch of the family in the person of Lawrence-Harman Parsons, who was created Baron Oxmantown in 1792, Viscount Oxmantown in 1795, and Earl of Rosse in 1806. Lawrence-Harman died in 1807, and was succeeded by his nephew Sir Lawrence Parsons, second earl of Rosse (1758–1841), noticed separately.
[Carte's Life of Ormonde; Cal. of Fiants, Eliz. 6739; Cal. State Papers, Ireland, James I; Cal. Carew MSS.; Lismore Papers, ed. Grosart; Strafford's Letters, i. 64, 98, 190, 276, 298, ii. 343; State Papers, Ireland, Charles I (Rolls Office); Erck's Repertory; Morrin's Cal. Patent Rolls, Charles I; Hill's Plantation of Ulster; Borlase's Reduction of Ireland; Visitations of Nottingham and Sussex (Harl. Soc.); Harris's Hibernica (Pynnar's Survey); Gilbert's Hist. of the Irish Confederation; A Letter written from Sir William Parsons … to Sir Robert Pye, London, 1642; Temple's Irish Rebellion; Kilkenny Archæol. Soc. Journal, new ser. ii. 236; Addit. MSS. 8883 (containing copies of Parsons's official correspondence in a curious sort of shorthand), 15858 f. 103; Egerton MSS. 80 f. 37, 2533 ff. 101–16, 177, 2597 f. 60; Addit. MSS. 4756, 4794 ff. 153, 445, 473–5, 541, 542; Gardiner's Hist. of Engl.; Lecky's England in the Eighteenth Century; Burke's Peerage.]
PARSONS, WILLIAM (1658–1725?), chronologer, born at Langley, Buckinghamshire, in 1658, was the younger son of William Parsons, who was created a baronet by Charles II on 9 April 1661. His mother was Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Laurence Parsons, knight. He matriculated from Christ Church, Oxford, on 28 April 1676, and having entered the 1st regiment of foot-guards as ensign in 1682, he was promoted captain in 1684, and obtained the rank of lieutenant-colonel 15 June 1687. In 1695 he was acting lieutenant-colonel of Colonel Tollemache's regiment of foot (now the 5th Northumberland fusiliers). Parsons married the daughter of Sir John Barker of Grimston Hall, Suffolk, and died without issue, probably about 1725.
He published two works of some utility: 1. ‘A New Book of Cyphers … wherein the whole Alphabet (twice over), consisting of Six Hundred Cyphers, is variously changed, interwoven, and reversed. The whole engraved,’ obl. 4to, London, 1703. The object of this manual of monograms was mainly, it would appear, to assist the labours of coachbuilders, carvers, and designers, but it was also addressed to the general public, and the letterpress is engraved in both French and English. 2. ‘Chronological Tables of Europe. From the Nativity of our Saviour to the year 1703. Engraven on forty-six copper-plates. Licensed 10 Nov. 1689. Robert Midgley,’ obl. 12mo, London. The first impression known appears to be that of 1707. An eighth edition appeared in 1718. This work, which was regarded in its day as an invaluable vade mecum by the young student, was dedicated to Charles, marquis of Worcester, son of the Duke of Beaufort. It seems to have been derived with but slight modification from Guillaume Marcel's ‘Tablettes Chronologiques,’ Paris, 1682. There are also attributed to Parsons in the British Museum Catalogue ‘The Tent of Darius Explain'd,’ from the French of Félibien, 1703, fol., and, with Thomas Tuttell, ‘Proposals for a New Pair of Globes,’ s. sh. fol. n.d.
To some copies of the ‘Chronological Tables’ is prefixed a small portrait of Parsons, in an oval, engraved by Gribelin, after Berchet.
[Foster's Alumni Oxon. 1500–1714; Burke's Extinct Baronetage, p. 401; Collins's and Wotton's Baronetages; Noble's Continuation of Granger, i. 276; Dalton's Army List, i. 295, 315, 325, 328; Brit. Mus. Cat.]
PARSONS, WILLIAM (1736–1795), actor, the son of William Parsons, a carpenter in Bow Lane, was born on 9 Feb. 1736. His mother is stated to have been a native of Maidstone, where, according to several accounts, the actor was born. He was admitted to St. Paul's School on 7 April 1749, and at the age of fifteen became a pupil under Sir Henry Cheere or Cheke, a surveyor. He took part with William Powell [q. v.] and Charles Holland (1733–1769) [q. v.] in amateur entertainments; and in 1756, as an amateur, played, at the Haymarket, Kent in ‘King Lear.’ Trusting partly to some skill which he possessed as a painter of fruit and of landscapes, he quitted his employment. His début as a professional actor is said to have been made in York, as Southampton in Jones's ‘Earl of Essex.’ His performances here were in tragedy or high comedy. In 1757–8 he was at the Theatre Royal, Edinburgh, under West Digges [q. v.], and played in the first representation there of Home's ‘Agis.’ No account is traceable of the characters assigned him, but he took part on 5 Feb. 1761 in the ‘Way to keep him.’ He also played the Miser. He married, in Edinburgh, Mrs. Price, an actress, who, on 29 May 1762, as Mrs. Parsons, played Lucy in the ‘Beggar's Opera,’ Parsons presumably playing Filch. In that part he made, on 21 Sept. 1762, his first appearance at Drury Lane, Mrs. Parsons playing Mrs. Peachum, a part she did not long retain. Their engagement by Garrick
