Sir Matthew CAREW

Born: ABT 1557

Died: 1618

Buried: 2 Aug 1618, St. Dunstan's-in-the-West, Westminster, England

Father: Thomas CAREW of Antony

Mother: Elizabeth EDGECUMBE

Married: Alice RIVERS (dau. of John Rivers) (w. of Son Ingpenny)

Children:

1. Elizabeth CAREW (b. 1580)

2. Matthew CAREW (Sir)

3. William CAREW (b. 1584)

4. Wymond CAREW (b. 1586)

5. Walter CAREW (b. 1588)

6. Martha CAREW (b. 1590)

7. Thomas CAREW

Sir Matthew Carew, master of chancery, was the grand-son of Sir Wimond Carew of Antony, Cornwall, treasurer of the first-fruits and tenths, and Martha Denny, sister of Sir Anthony Denny. He was educated at Westminster School, under Alexander Nowell, and proceeded to Trinity College, where he became a fellow and remained in residence for ten years. On determining to adopt the law as his profession in life, Carew reparied to Louvain, and continued studying there and at other universities on the continent for twelve years. His next step was to accompany Henry Fitzalan, Earl of Arundel, into Italy as interpreter, and to return with the Earl to England. Carew then entered upon practice in the court of arches, and in 1583 became master in chancery, a position which he held so long as to be styled in 1602 one of the 'ancientest' masters, and to justify his being knighted on 23 Jul 1603, before the coronation of King James I.

His wife was Alice, eldest daughter of Sir John Rivers, knight, lord Mayor of London and widow of one Ingpenny; by her Carew had numerous children.

He was buried at St. Dunstan's-in-the-West on 2 Aug 1618, the main incidents in his career being described in a memorial tablet in the church, and his name being kept in remembrance by a charitable bequest for the poor of the parish. At the close of his life Carew was involved in trouble. There was a rumour in Jan 1613 that he would be 'cozened' of eight or nine thousand pounds through a fraud of a person in whom he reposed great confidence, and a little later his eldest son was engaged in a quarrel with one Captain Osborne, 'and, whether thro' him or another Carew, 'poor Osborne was slain'.

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