Parker was ordained as a deacon on 20 April 1527 and a priest two months later, on 15 June. In September he was elected a fellow of Corpus Christi. There is no evidence that he was ever involved in a public dispute at Cambridge, unlike his contemporaries. Bilney was accused of heresy in 1527 and then recanted, but was imprisoned for two years. He returned to Cambridge, regretting his recantation, and began to preach throughout Norfolk. In August 1531 he was condemned to be burnt at the stake as a relapsed heretic; Parker was present at his execution in Norwich on 19 August, and afterwards defended Bilney after accusations were made that he had recanted at the stake.