Family and Education

s. of Sir John Carey of Pleshey by Joyce, da. of Sir Edmund Denny of Cheshunt, Herts., wid. of William Walsingham. m. aft. 1568, Catherine, da. of Henry Walsingham. m. aft. 1568, Catherine, da. of Sir Henry Knyvet of E. Horsley, Surr., wid. of Sir Henry Paget, 2nd Baron Paget, 3s. inc. Sir Henry and Adolphus 6da. Kntd. 1596.1

Offices Held

Groom of the privy chamber 1563; receiver of Tickhill 1567-9, steward of Wakefield and porter of Sandal, duchy of Lancaster 1569-88; teller of the Exchequer 1592; jt. master of the jewel house 1595, sole 1596; receiver-gen. S. Wales 1604; keeper of Hyde, Marylebone and Hampton Court parks.2

Biography

Carey was a cousin of Lord Hunsdon and kinsman of the Queen. On his mother’s side he was related to the Walsingham and Denny families. His cousin Catherine married Sir Francis Knollys. Considering the eminence of his connexions, little is known about him. There is no indication that he played any part in Hertfordshire local affairs. He was probably returned to Parliament for Scarborough through Francis Walsingham’s influence with the Gates family. He sat on at least two committees in the last session of this Parliament, on 25 Jan. 1581 for supply and 1 Feb. on the bill against sedition.3

Remaining references show Carey in a variety of contexts. In January 1575 he wrote to Walsingham from Hampton Court referring to Scottish affairs. He was appointed by the Council in 1587 to carry letters and instructions to Francis Drake and, as one among others, to choose some honest and sufficient persons to take charge of prize goods brought in by Drake. A complaint was made against Carey in 1594 or 1595 by a keeper of Enfield Chase, that he killed some deer which had escaped through the broken fence. In 1601, according to Chamberlain, he was trying to obtain a place in the privy chamber for his second son Philip, and had already succeeded in having his heir Henry associated with him as joint master of the jewel house. In fact the grant was dated 21 June 1603. Carey made his will 20 Mar. 1614 (by which time he must have been at least 70) ‘well weighing the unstapleness of my abiding in this life’. He wished to be buried without unnecessary pomp or cost. On 13 May 1616 he added a codicil providing £200 for his funeral and another £200 for his tomb, to be erected at Aldenham. He was succeeded by Henry—later Viscount Falkland and lord deputy of Ireland—who was the sole executor. He provided for his wife and left £10 to the poor of Aldenham, £10 to those of Great Berkhampstead and £5 to those of Great St. Bartholomew. All his servants were to receive a year’s wages, and his servant Richard Speed £50. In the codicil he left £100 to his second son Philip, but mentions only two of his daughters, who received £20 each and some gold buttons. Carey died in 1618 and was buried at Aldenham.4

Ref Volumes: 1558-1603

Author: N.M.S.

Notes

• 1. Clutterbuck, Herts. i. 129; Nichols, Progresses Jas. I, i. 599; Webb, Miller and Beckwith, Chislehurst, 111-12.
• 2. Lansd. 40, f. 78; 47, f. 41; 59, f. 43; 83, f. 218; CSP Dom. Add. 1580-1625, p. 446; 1603-10, p. 89; Nichols, loc. cit.; Somerville, Duchy, 523, 530; A.J. Collins, Inventory of the Jewels and Plate of (Queen Elizabeth I, 5.
• 3. Carey, Hist. Guernsey Careys, 57; PCC 75 Meade; CJ, i. 120, 121.
• 4. APC, xv. 142, 220; CSP Scot. 1574-81, p. 84; HMC Hatfield. xiii. 523; Chamberlain Letters ed. McClure, i. 133-4; CSP Dom. 1603-10, p. 15; Nichols, loc. cit.; PCC 75 Meade.