[3] Parker is first mentioned as commanding the soldiers on board Henry Ughtred's galleon Leicester in Edward Fenton's voyage in 1582 and afterwards served in the army in the Low Countries.

[2][5] Parker was master of the ordnance for Willoughby's forces In France in 1589, and was dispatched to Brittany in 1594.

In 1602, he was named in the charter of the Virginia Company as one of the adventurers, and another of them, Adrian Moore, married his daughter, Anne.

He died 9 March 1620 at the age of 73 and was buried in the family chapel in Willingdon church.

[3] Following his death, a monument was erected in the Willingdon parish church, showing an effigy of him and his three wives.