{{Short description|English courtier and Master of the Jewel Office}} {{Infobox person | name = Edward Cary | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_date = | birth_place = | death_date = {{death year|1618}} | death_place = London, England | education = | father = John Carey | mother = Joyce Denny | relatives = Edmund Denny (grandfather)<br/>Francis Walsingham (half-brother) | spouse = Katherine Knyvett | children = Henry Cary, 1st Viscount Falkland<br>Philip Cary (MP for Woodstock)<br>Adolphus Cary<br>Philip Cary<br>Katherine Cary<br>Frances Cary<br>Elizabeth Cary<br>Meriel Cary<br>Anne Cary<br>Jane Cary }} '''Edward Cary''' or '''Carey''' or '''Carye''' (died 1618) was an English courtier and Master of the Jewel Office for Elizabeth I and James VI and I.<ref>Arthur J. Collins, ''Jewels and Plate of Elizabeth I'' (London: British Museum, 1955), p. 5.</ref> [[File:Berkhamsted Place 1860.jpg|thumb|right|Berkhamsted Place (demolished)]]
==Family background== He was a son of John Cary or Carey of Pleshey (died 1551) and Joyce, daughter of Edmund Denny, and widow of William Walsingham.<ref>John Gough Nichols, 'Cary: Viscounts Falkland', ''Herald and Genealogist'', vol. 3 (London, 1866), p. 34.</ref> His homes were at Berkhamsted Place and Aldenham, Hertfordshire. He bought Aldenham from Paul Stepney in 1588. Both houses have been demolished.<ref>John Wolstenholme Cobb, ''Two Lectures on the History and Antiquities of Berkhamsted'' (London: Nichols, 1833), p. 33.</ref>
In 1560, his mother bequeathed silver plate and a velvet bed tester to Edward's half-brother Francis Walsingham.<ref>John Gough Nichols, 'Cary: Viscounts Falkland', ''Herald and Genealogist'', vol. 3 (London, 1866), p. 53.</ref> His half-sister Mary Walsingham married Walter Mildmay.<ref>John Gough Nichols, 'Cary: Viscounts Falkland', ''Herald and Genealogist'', vol. 3 (London, 1866), p. 37.</ref>
==Career== He was a Groom of the Privy Chamber, Keeper of Marylebone Park, Master of the Jewel House jointly with John Astley from August 1595,<ref>Murdin (1759), 807.</ref> a teller of the exchequer,<ref>J. Collingwood & J. Trier, ''Calendar of Patent Rolls, 1575-1578'' (London: HMSO, 1982), p. 497 no. 3411.</ref> and was knighted in 1596.<ref>John Gough Nichols, 'Cary: Viscounts Falkland', ''Herald and Genealogist'', vol. 3 (London, 1866), p. 35.</ref> He is noted for being a commissioner to investigate concealed church lands which had followed the dissolution of religious institutions earlier in the century.<ref>Kitching, C. J. “The Quest for Concealed Lands in the Reign of Elizabeth I: The Alexander Prize Essay.” ''Transactions of the Royal Historical Society'', vol. 24, 1974, pp. 63–78. [https://doi.org/10.2307/3678932 JSTOR website] Accessed 12 May 2026.</ref>
Cary and Thomas Knyvet were involved in a review of older jewels in 1600 when some pieces were appraised by the goldsmiths Hugh Kayle and Leonard Bush.<ref>''HMC Salisbury Hatfield'', vol. 10 (1900), pp. 356-9, 385.</ref> Some papers and warrants from Cary's tenure at the Jewel House, which passed to Henry Mildmay, are held at the Somerset Heritage Centre.<ref>[https://somerset.epexio.com/records/DD/MI/19 South West Heritage Trust: Mildmay family muniments box 17]</ref> Cary also signed an inventory of Elizabeth's clothes and jewels.<ref>Janet Arnold, ''Queen Elizabeth's Wardrobe Unlock'd'' (Maney, 1988), pp. 328-332: [http://www.bl.uk/manuscripts/FullDisplay.aspx?ref=Stowe_MS_557 British Library, Stowe MS 557 Inventory of the Royal Wardrobe]{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
The auditor Francis Gofton noted in December 1604 that the Queen's gold crown and other items weighing in total 53 ounces were kept by Edward Cary.<ref>M. S. Giuseppi, ''HMC Salisbury Hatfield'', vol. 16 (London, 1933), pp. 385-6.</ref>
A February 1606 payment to the goldsmith John Williams includes his supply of gold chains and medallions with the king's portrait remaining "under the charge of Sir Edward Cary, Knight, one of the Jewelhouse".<ref>Frederick Devon, ''Issues of the Exchequer during the Reign of King James I'' (London: Rodwell, 1836), p. 29.</ref> Some of the plate made by Williams, in the style of the Tudor goldsmith Cornelis Hayes and destined as diplomatic gifts, remains in the Kremlin.<ref>Timothy Schroder, ''A Marvel to Behold: Gold and Silver at the Court of Henry VIII'' (Woodbridge, 2020), pp. 243-4, Kremlin Armoury MZ 642, 643: See also PRO E355/1955 & 1956.</ref> Auditor Gofton managed the accounts of the disgraced Lord Cobham.<ref>''HMC Salisbury Hatfield'', vol. 16 (London, 1933), p. 331.</ref> He delivered Cobham's "garter" and "George" jewels to Cary in March 1605.<ref>''HMC Salisbury Hatfield'', vol. 17 (London, 1938), p. 96.</ref>
Cary died on 18 July 1618 in London at Cary House in Great Bartholomew's, West Smithfield, and was buried at Aldenham in the chancel of St John the Baptist on 6 August.<ref>Henry W. Aldred, 'Baron Hunsden', William Smith, ''Old Yorkshire'' (London, 1890), p. 175.</ref>
==Marriage and children== [[File:Jane Carey.jpg|thumb|right|Jane Cary, by Cornelius Johnson]] He married Katherine Knyvett (1543–1622),<ref>Richard Simpson, ''The Lady Falkland, Her Life'' (London, 1861), p. 129.</ref> a daughter of Sir Henry Knevet or Knyvett (died 1546) and his wife Anne Pickering, and widow of Henry Paget, 2nd Baron Paget. She was a sister of his colleague at court, Thomas Knyvett,<ref>Amy Kenny, 'Katherine Knyvett Paget Cary', Carole Levin, Anna Riehl Bertolet, Jo Eldridge Carney, ''A Biographical Encyclopedia of Early Modern Englishwomen'' (Routledge, 2017), p. 499.</ref> and was known as the "Baroness Paget Cary".<ref>Janet Arnold, ''Queen Elizabeth's Wardrobe Unlock'd'' (Maney, 1988), p. 339.</ref> Their children included: * Henry Cary, 1st Viscount Falkland, who was Master of Jewel House jointly with his father.<ref>Frederick Devon, ''Issues of the Exchequer during the Reign of King James I'' (London: Rodwell, 1836), p. 305: ''Calendar State Papers Domestic, 1603–1610'', p. 147.</ref> He married Elizabeth Tanfield in 1602.<ref>Heather Wolfe, ''Elizabeth Cary, Lady Falkland, Life and Letters'' (RTM, 2001), p. 108.</ref> * Philip Cary (MP for Woodstock), his eldest daughter was Miriall Cary (1610–1611).<ref>''Herald and Genealogist'', 3, pp. 44–45.</ref> * Adolphus Cary (died 1609), married Anne Corbett (died 1601) in August 1596.<ref>''Herald and Genealogist'', 3, pp. 44-5.</ref> A member of the Earl of Nottingham's embassy to Spain in 1605. He was the subject of an epitaph by John Davies of Hereford, addressed to his brother, Philip Cary.<ref>[https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1604-1629/member/carey-adolphus-1578-1609 'CAREY (CARY), Adolphus (c.1578–1609), of Berkhamsted', ''History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1604–1629'', ed. Andrew Thrush and John P. Ferris, 2010]</ref> His death from smallpox was investigated by the College of Physicians. William Paddy was exonerated and Dr Antoine was censured.<ref>Maurice Lee, ''Dudley Carleton to John Chamberlain, 1603–1624'' (Rutgers UP, 1972), p. 110.</ref> * Philip Cary (died 1631), married Elizabeth Bland * Katherine Cary, who married Henry Longueville of Wolverton in January 1597.<ref>''Herald and Genealogist'', 3, p. 44.</ref> * Frances Cary, who married (1) Ralph Baesh of Stansted Bury (a son of Edward Baeshe and grandson of Ralph Sadler), and (2) in March 1605, George Manners, 7th Earl of Rutland.<ref>Jessica L. Malay, Anne Clifford's Autobiographical Writing, 1590–1676 (Manchester, 2018), pp. 46, 271: ''Herald and Genealogist'', 3, p. 44.</ref> In 1622, her mother, Katherine, Lady Paget, left her the new canopy and couch from her bedchamber.<ref>''Herald and Genealogist'', 3, p. 131.</ref> * Elizabeth Cary, who married John Savile, 1st Baron Savile of Pontefract * Meriel Cary (died 1600), who married Thomas Crompton of Hounslow and Skerne in October 1597,<ref>[https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1558-1603/member/crompton-thomas-iii-1607 'CROMPTON, Thomas III (d.c.1607), of Hounslow, Mdx. and Skerne', ''History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1558–1603'', ed. P.W. Hasler, 1981]</ref> Elizabeth I wrote to her mother, to "good Kate", on the occasion of her death. She is commemorated by a wall monument at Aldenham. In December 1616, their daughter Catherine Crompton (born 1599),<ref>''Herald and Genealogist'', 3, p. 44.</ref> married Thomas Lyttleton of Hagley (his mother was Meriel Lyttelton).<ref>John Nichols, ''Progresses of Queen Elizabeth'', vol. 3 (London, 1823), pp. 497-8: Robert Phillimore, ''Memoirs and Correspondence of George, Lord Lyttlton'', vol. 1 (London, 1845), p. 20: John Noake, ''Worcestershire Relics'' (London, 1887), p. 270.</ref> * Anne Cary (born 1585), who married Francis Leke, 1st Earl of Scarsdale in September 1607.<ref>''Herald and Genealogist'', 3, p. 45.</ref> * Jane Cary, who married Edward Barrett, 1st Lord Barrett of Newburgh.<ref>Arthur Collins, ''Peerage of England'' (London, 1794), p. 93.</ref>
Edward Cary, by his will, left his gold buttons to be divided between his two younger daughters Manners and Barrett. His widow continued to known as Katherine, Lady Paget. She died in 1622. In her will, she left her new fashionable couch and canopy to her daughter Lady Manners, and her cabinet to Lady Leke.<ref>John Gough Nichols, 'Cary: Viscounts Falkland', ''Herald and Genealogist'' (London, 1866), p. 131.</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cary, Edward}} Category:1618 deaths Category:Court of Elizabeth I Category:Masters of the Jewel Office Category:Grooms of the Chamber Edward