Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Carew, Richard (d.1643?)

1367354Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 09 — Carew, Richard (d.1643?)1887William Prideaux Courtney

CAREW, Sir RICHARD (d. 1643?), writer on education, was the eldest son of Richard Carew, the poet and antiquary [q. v.] The chief facts in his life are set out in the opening sentences of his 'True and readie Way to learne the Latine Tongue.' He was put to school in his 'tender youth, and so continued for nine or ten years.' Three years were spent at the university of Oxford — he was probably the Richard Carew who matriculated at Merton College on 10 Oct. 1594 — and three more in studying law at the Middle Temple. After this course of instruction he was despatched with his uncle on an embassy to the king of Poland, and as the king was at the time on a visit in Sweden Carew followed him thither. On his return he was sent by his father into France, with Sir Henry Nevill, ambassador to Henry IV, to 'learn the French tongue,' and in the third book of Charles Fitzgeoffry's 'Afianiæ ' is an epigram addressed to him on his return from his French travels. In 1614 he was one of the members for the county of Cornwall, and in 1620 he represented Michell, a Cornish borough in which the family connections possessed great influence. He was twice married, his first wife being Bridget daughter of John Chudleigh of Devonshire, and the second wife being Miss Rolle of Heanton. He was created a baronet on 9 Aug. 1642, and his death took place about 1648. On 3 Sept. 1640 there was licensed by the Company of Stationers 'a booke called "The Warming Stone."' This was by Carew, and it was a treatise written to prove that a 'warming stone' was 'useful and comfortable for the colds of aged and sick people' and for many other diseases. The author was himself said to have been 'cured of several distempers by it,' and its virtues were attested by numerous cases around his family seat. Editions of this tract are known to have been published in 1652, 1660, and 1670. Carew was one of the persons who examined the attendants at Antony Church on the thunderstorm on Whitsunday 1640, and an account of the storm which was written by him, appeared in the 'Western Antiquary,' i. 44-5. In 1664 Samuel Hartlib published 'The true and readie way to learne Latine tongue attested by three excellently learned and approved authours of three nations,' of which Carew was the English author. Hartlib was apparently under the impression that it was the composition of the poetical antiquary, but it was in reality the work of his son. Carew was opposed to much grammar teaching, his wish being for translation backwards and forwards.

[Boase and Courtney's Bibl. Cornub. i. 9, 58, iii, 1111; Arber's Stationer's Registers, iv. 519.]

W. P. C.

Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.54
N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line

Page Col. Line  
62 ii 23 f.e. Carew, Sir Richard: for 1642 read 1641