Martha Carew (née Denny; c. 1500 – 9 January 1572) was an English Catholic recusant, sent to prison in 1562 for having attended mass. Her husband was Sir Wymond Carew, by whom she had 19 children, including lawyer Sir Matthew Carew.[1][2]
Family and marriage
Martha was born at Cheshunt, Hertfordshire in about 1500.[1] She was the eldest daughter of Sir Edmund Denny, Chief Baron of the Exchequer, and his 2nd wife, Mary Troutbeck of Bridge Trafford, Cheshire.[1] Her brother was Sir Anthony Denny, a leading member of the Privy Chamber, and a confidant of King Henry VIII of England.[1]
She married, by July 1519,[3] Sir Wymond Carew of Antony, Cornwall, by whom she had 19 children,[1] an unknown number of whom survived to adulthood, including:
- Thomas Carew (1527 – 12 February 1565)
- Roger Carew
- George Carew
- John Carew
- Sir Matthew Carew (1531–1618), lawyer; married Alice Rivers, by whom he had issue.
- Anthony Carew
- Harvey Carew
- Prudence Carew married Anthony Brugge or Bridges of West Ham. Anthony was the son of Giles Brugge of West Ham (d. 1557) and Helianor Robbins and grandson of Sir John Brugge (or Bruges), Alderman, Draper and Lord Mayor of London, 1520–1521.
- Temperance Carew (1537 – 9 October 1577)
- Elizabeth Carew (died March 1578/1579) married George Dacres of Cheshunt, Hertfordshire (1534 -30 September 1580)
Sir Wymond was the treasurer of King Henry's fourth and sixth wives, Anne of Cleves and Catherine Parr.[4]
The Carews lived in extravagant style at their residences in Bletchingley, Surrey, Hertfordshire, and Hackney. When her husband died on 22 August 1549, Martha was left with debts totalling £8,000.[1] As she was unable to pay what was in the 16th century a large sum of money, the manor at Hackney as well as other lands passed to the Crown in 1554.[2]
Recusancy
Following the loss of her home at Hackney, Denny moved to London, where on 8 September 1562, she was arrested for having attended a Roman Catholic mass. After being tried and convicted, she refused to pay the required fine of 100 marks and was sent to prison for six months.[1][2] On 4 April 1568, she was arrested a second time for the same offence; this time, however, she received a pardon from Queen Elizabeth.[1][2]
Martha Denny died on 9[2] January 1572,[1] probably in London.[1]
References
- 1.[1.2][1.3][1.4][1.5][1.6][1.7][1.8][1.9][1.10]Carter, P. R. N. (3 January 2008). "Carew [née Denny], Martha, Lady Carew (c. 1500–1572)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/61144. (Subscription, Wikipedia Library access or UK public library membership required.)
- 2.[2.2][2.3][2.4][2.5]Emerson, Kathy Lynn (2020). "Martha Denny". A Who's Who of Tudor Women. Kathy Lynn Emerson. p. 514. ASIN B08L5HLHXN. ISBN 9781393383505. OCLC 1445153757.
- 3.Thorpe, S. M. (1982). "Carew, Sir Wymond (by 1498-1549), of Antony, Cornw. and St. Giles in the Fields, Mdx.". In Bindoff, S. T. (ed.). The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1509-1558. Archived from the original on 19 February 2025 – via History of Parliament Online.
- 4.Mueller, Janel, ed. (2011). Katherine Parr : Complete Works and Correspondence. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. p. 83. ISBN 9780226647241. OCLC 772845725.