CARY of Cockington

[John Higgins]

Sir Robert Cary of Cockington, Devon, was an MP in the first quarter of the 15th century and is covered in Roskell's History of Parliament, 2:495ff. He was married twice, first to Margaret, dau. of Sir Philip Courtenay of Powderham by his wife Ann Wake, and second to Jane, dau. of Sir William Hankford and widow of [John?] Wadham. He had two children, a son Philip and a daughter Joanna. There seems, however, to be some confusion (at least among secondary sources) as to which wife was the mother of the children. Roskell goes with the first wife Margaret Courtenay, as do various Burke's volumes and a Cary pedigree in Lipscomb's Bucks. But a Cary pedigree in Vivian's edition of the visitations of Devon goes with the second wife (while adding a footnote that Burke's says otherwise and that the visitation pedigree wrongly identifies the first wife as Elizabeth, rather than Margaret, Courtenay).

I suspect that Roskell et al. are correct in saying that the children are by the firstwife, if for no other reason than the naming of the son Philip for his grandfather Philip Courtenay. And also the Cary visitation pedigree is wrong at at least one point, as mentioned above. But I'd be curious to know if there is any more definitive evidence on this point.

FWIW, Douglas Richardson's RPA/PA3 and MCA both miss the Courtenay/Cary connection, because they apparently follow the Courtenay pedigree in Vivian's Devon which says that Margaret mar. Sir Robert Carew [not Carey] of Cockington. Vivian got the name wrong here but got it right in his edition of the Cornwall visitations (also cited in RPA and MCA). As a result, some interesting descents in the Cary/Carey family are overlooked in both books.

[WJhonson]

Cutter in his "... Families of Massachusetts..." also has this

http://books.google.com/books?id=kmujIJi3_FkC&pg=RA1-PA26&dq=cary+of+cockington&as_brr=1

[Brad Verity]

On May 17, 3:41 pm, "John Higgins" <jthigg...@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

> Sir Robert Cary of Cockington, Devon, was an MP in the first quarter of the 15th century and is covered in Roskell's History of Parliament, 2:495ff. He was married twice, first to Margaret, dau. of Sir Philip Courtenay of Powderham by his wife Ann Wake, and second to Jane, dau. of Sir William Hankford and widow of [John?] Wadham. He had two children, a son Philip and a daughter Joanna.

[snip]

> I suspect that Roskell et al. are correct in saying that the children are by the firstwife, if for no other reason than the naming of the son Philip for his grandfather Philip Courtenay. And also the Cary visitation pedigree is wrong at at least one point, as mentioned above. But I'd be curious to know if there is any more definitive evidence on this point.

Dear John,

I agree that Sir Robert's children were from his first wife Margaret
Courtenay of Powderham, whom he married about 1402. Robert Dymond in
his 1871 article 'Cary Family of Devon' in 'The Herald and
Genealogist' Volume 6, also agrees. Dymond includes several pieces of
primary evidence on this family, some of which can piece together a
chronology.

(p. 15): "8th October 1414.--Edward Courtenay, son of Edward Courtenay
(the blind) Earl of Devon, and who died before his father, assigns
over with two other feoffees unto Robert Cary and Jane his wife the
manors of Highhampton and Northlew and the property mentioned in the
next deed."

Northlew had been granted to Robert Cary for his life in October 1413,
with no mention of a wife, so it would seem that he married second
wife Jane Hankford in 1414. This would be proof enough that Philip
Cary was the son of the first wife, for there is no record of a
wardship or minority for Philip (who inherited on his father's death
in about 1431), and who was definitely at least age 21 in 1433, when
he was elected to Parliament.

(pp.11-12): "At Exeter, 4th October, 16 Henry VI. on the death of
Philip Cary ... and afterwards Robert Cary continued in possession
during his whole life, and died thereof seized, Joan his wife
surviving; after whose death Philip Cary, son and heir, entered, &c.
The said Philip died on Sunday the feast of S. Tecla the Virgin last
past, leaving a son and heir William, but before his death granted two
parts of the manor to Sir Philip Courtenay and John Gambon, to secure
to Cristina wife of the said Philip Cary, &c.; remainder, after her
decease, to William son and heir of the said Philip. The said
William, born 12th August last past."

(p. 12): "Proofs of age of Cristina Cary, sister and heir of Richard,
son and heir of William Orchard, deceased ... whom Philip Cary
married; the which Richard, under age, and the King's ward, died at
Shebbeare, co. Devon, on Saturday next [before] the feast of St.
Thomas the Apostle, 1st Henry VI ... the said Cristina was born at
Lodford, and baptized in the church of St. Michael of Shebbeare; that
she was 14 years and upwards on the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle
last past..." Unfortunately, Dymond doesn't state when the Proof of
Age was taken, so we can't pinpoint Cristina's birth year. It also
indicates that Cristina was married to Philip Cary by whatever year
her Proof of Age was taken.

(p. 11): "At Exeter, 21st October, 27 Henry VI. on the death of Joan
Cary, widow of Sir Robert Cary. The lands in this inquisition appear
to be the assignment of a dowry by Philip (son and heir of Robert
Cary, husband of the said Joan) ... She died 4th December last past.
William, son and heir of the said Philip Cary, aet. 12 on the 12th day
of August last past, is the next heir." If Dymond quoted this IPM
properly, it is further proof that Joan was not the mother of Philip
Cary, as there is no mention of he being her son, only that he was son
of Robert Cary.

There are plenty of descendants of Robert Cary of Cockington and
Margaret Courtenay of Powderham, including the Lords Hunsdon,
Viscounts Falkland, and naval hero Lord Nelson.

Cheers, --------Brad

[John Higgins]

Thanks for this further information. I was pretty sure that Margaret
Courtenay was the mother of the children of Sir Robert Cary, and these
excerpts provide further chronological support for that conclusion. Aslo
thanks for the reference to H&G - there appear to be a number of articles on
the Cary family in that periodical...worth checking out.

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[Brad Verity]

On May 18, 2:14 am, Brad Verity <royaldesc...@hotmail.com> wrote:

> Unfortunately, Dymond doesn't state when the Proof of
> Age was taken, so we can't pinpoint Cristina's birth year. It also
> indicates that Cristina was married to Philip Cary by whatever year
> her Proof of Age was taken.

Many thanks to Rosie Bevan for looking up the Proof of Age for
Cristina Orchard Cary, published in CIPM Vol. 22 (no. 228), and taken
on 19 December 1422:

"The jurors say that Christine was born at Ladford and baptised in St
Michael's church, Shebbear, and was aged 14 years and more on 29
November last"

This shows that Cristina was born in 1408 (by November), and that she
and Philip Cary were married by 1422. Further evidence that Philip
was born before 1413, and so was Robert Cary's son by his first wife
Margaret Courtenay of Powderham.

Cheers, ----------Brad