Tremayne was in 1578 senior of the four clerks to the privy council, but he chiefly resided in Devonshire, where he acted as commissioner for the restraint of grain and held other local offices. On 24 Oct. 1580 the queen wrote from Richmond commanding him to assist Francis Drake in sending to London bullion brought into the realm by Drake, but to leave ten thousand pounds' worth in Drake's hands. This last instruction ‘to be kept most secret to himself alone.’
Tremayne made his will, 17 Sept. 1582. The Earl of Bedford wrote to announce his death to Burghley a few days later. Burghley, in reply, described Tremayne as ‘a man worthy to be beloved for his honesty and virtues.’ In September 1576 he married Eulalia, daughter of Sir John St. Leger of Annery. A son Francis, named after Tremayne's ‘good lord’ Bedford, lived for only six weeks after his father, and at his death the estates passed to Degory, Edmund's third brother. Degory erected in 1588 a fine monument to his five brothers, Roger, Edmund, Richard, and the twins, with their effigies well modelled and lifelike. Edmund appears as an elderly man with a refined and thoughtful face.
Tremayne's ‘Discourses on Irish Affairs’ remain unprinted among the Cottonian manuscripts at the British Museum.
Richard Tremayne (d. 1584), younger brother of Edmund, was fourth son (the younger of twins) of Thomas Tremayne. He was sent to Exeter College, Oxford, where he graduated B.A. in 1547–8. He was elected a fellow on 28 March 1553, and proceeded M.A. on 17 July. He vacated his fellowship by flying to Germany in the first year of Mary's reign (Ex. Coll. Reg. ed. Boase). On his epitaph he is stated to have ‘fled for the gospel's sake.’ He was at Louvain on 16 Nov. 1555, acting as tutor to Sir Nicholas Arnold's son. He was reckoned among the conspirators against the queen, and on 4 April 1556 was declared a traitor with his brother Nicholas and others who were concerned in Sir Anthony Kingston's plot. Tremayne returned to England very soon after Elizabeth's accession, and was favourably regarded at court. He was made archdeacon of Chichester by Elizabeth on 7 April 1559. Cecil had some correspondence (17 July) with Sir Nicholas Throckmorton, ambassador in France, regarding Tremayne's employment in the diplomatic service, ‘he having the high Dutch tongue very well.’ But he stayed at home, and was ordained deacon by Grindal, bishop of London, on 25 Jan. 1559–60 (Strype). He had been re-elected fellow of his college on 17 Oct. 1559, but vacated his fellowship by absence the ensuing May. He was also presented by the college to the vicarage of Menheniot (Carew), and was installed treasurer of Exeter Cathedral on 10 Feb. 1559–60. For reasons not stated in the ‘Bishops' Register’ he was deprived of his treasurership, but reinstalled on 27 Oct. 1561, and held the office until his death. He became rector of Doddiscombleigh on 15 Jan. 1560–61, holding the living until 1564, when he resigned.
Tremayne was something of a puritan. He sat in convocation as proctor for the clergy of Exeter, and signed the canons establishing the Thirty-nine Articles. On 13 Feb. he spoke, and gave his two votes in favour of sweeping alterations in the Book of Common Prayer. He was elected fellow of Broadgates Hall (afterwards Pembroke College), Oxford, on 20 Feb. 1564–5. On 15 Feb. 1565–6 he took the degree of B.D., proceeding D.D. on 26 April. He became rector of Combe-Martin in 1569, and the Earl of Bedford vainly recommended him on 23 July 1570 to Cecil for the vacant bishopric of Exeter.
Tremayne was buried on 30 Nov. 1584 at Lamerton, and his will was proved on 15 Dec. at Exeter. On 19 Sept. 1569 he married Joanna, daughter of Sir Piers Courtenay of Ugbrooke. His only child, Mary, married Thomas Henslowe. He gave to Exeter College a copy of the polyglot bible in eight volumes, printed by Christopher Plantin at Antwerp, 1569–72, at the command of Philip II.
[State Papers, Dom., For., and Irish; Carew manuscripts; Burnet's Hist. of the Reformation, ed. Pocock; Strype's Life of Archbishop Grindal, Annals of the Reformation, and Ecclesiastical Memorials; Foxe's Acts and Monuments, 1849; Reg. Univ. Oxon.; Boase's Reg. Coll. Exon.; Froude's Hist.; Prince's Worthies of Devon; Carew's Survey of Cornwall; Risdon's Devon; Bibl. Cornub. ed. Boase and Courtney; Life of Sir Peter Carew, by Sir John Maclean; Antiquities of the City of Exeter, 1731, ed. R. Isaacke; Visitations of Devon, edited by Vivian; Burghley Papers, Hist. MSS. Comm. Report.]
TREMAYNE or TREMAINE, Sir JOHN (d. 1694), lawyer, eldest son of Lewis Tremayne, lieutenant-governor of Pendennis Castle, who married Mary, daughter and coheiress of John Carew of Penwarne in Mevagissey, was born in the parish of St. Ewe, Cornwall. He was brought up to the study of the law, by 1678 was a man to be consulted (Fitzherbert MSS., Hist. MSS. Comm. 13th Rep. App. vi. p. 8), and soon acquired considerable
