Person:Philip Cary (1)

Biography

In the 'Devon Carys', Volume I,^[1] at the end of its Chapter VI, Fairfax Harrison (1869-1938) tells us:-

« Philip Cary of Cockington (1400?-1437), of the ninth generation, has left a brief record. He appears in history only for a moment as knight of the shire for Devon in the Parliament of 1433. There was a Cary admitted to Lincoln's Inn in 1423; he may have been that one. He was a contemporary of Jeanne d'Arc and in Parliament voted confidence in the Duke of Bedford who had approved the sentence by which the Pucelle was burned at the stake in Rouen in 1431. During 1422 Philip Cary married Cristina, daughter and ultimately heiress of William Orchard, of the Somerset family of that ilk, and died on "Sunday, the feast of S. Tecla the Virgin," 1437,* leaving a son and heir who was to achieve the second attainder in the family. »

[* Inq. p.m., 16 Hen. VI, c. 53. In the Visitation of 1620 he is entered as "Sir Philip Cary, Knight," but this is not borne out by the record of the inquisition on his death, which describes him simply as armiger.]

In The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1386-1421 (ed. J.S. Roskell, L. Clark, C. Rawcliffe., 1993),c at the end of its page for Philip's father, Sir Robert Cary, there is the following:-

« The date of [Sir Robert] Cary’s death is not known, but there is no mention of him after August 1431 and it seems likely that he died before 1433, when his son, Philip, was elected a knight of the shire for Devon. Philip himself died in September 1437, but Robert Cary’s widow lived on until 1447. »

From this we learn that Philip Cary "was elected a knight of the shire for Devon." Which may have given rise to the notion that he had been knighted; and therefore entitled to be styled 'Sir Philip.' But to be 'elected a knight' here merely means he was elected to Parliament. Unfortunately the period from 1422 to 1504 is not yet available on 'The History of Parliament' website. But we are also informed on his father's page, that he, Philip Cary "died in September 1437." The reference source for which is his, Philip's 'Inquisition post mortem.' And we have the website 'Mapping the Medieval Countryside' to thank for having transcribed the text of this. From which:-

« PHILIP CARY, ESQUIRE ⁿ⁰⁶⁷

101 Writ. ‡ 12 October 1436. [Wymbyssh]. [ / ] DEVON. Inquisition. Exeter. 4 October 1437. [Gille].

... He died on 23 September last.ⁿ⁰⁶⁹ William Cary, his son and next heir, was born on 12 August last. »

« ... n067^: Styled as esquire in the writ only. [ ... ]

n069^ : ‘Sunday the feast of St Tecla the Virgin last’, but 23 September fell on a Monday in 1437. In 1436, however, it fell on a Sunday. »

The first of these notes emphasizes his having been styled as an "esquire" rather than a "Sir" – as in 'Knight of the Garter,' which it appears he was not. But the last note points out a certain difficulty with his date of death. As it is clear, if he died in September of 1437, he could not have died on "Sunday the feast of St Tecla the Virgin." Or else, if he did die on that feast day and it having been a Sunday, it could only have been in the year before: 1436. However, as the weight of opinion among all sources, insists he died in 1437, we must (perhaps) conjecture that if he did die on the Monday, September 23rd – the day after the feast of St. Tecla, it was so close to it, that it remained in the mind of whoever was recording the date of his death, that they simply confused it with the feast day. And who knows? Perhaps he died just a little after midnight to make it technically the 23rd. But with the community still celebrating the feast day!

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4} Harrison, Fairfax. Devon Carys, Vol. 1, (New York: De Vinne Press, 1920) Chapter VI, pp. 119-121.

   This section of chapter VI may be accessed directly at: archive.org/
   Source:Harrison, Fairfax. Devon Carys

2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 The visitation of the county of Devon in the year 1620 Colby, Frederic Thomas, 1827-1899, ed; College of Arms, London, 1872. p. 48.

   Accessed 04 July 2021 at: archive.org/

3. ↑ ^3.0 3.1 Vivian, J. L. (John Lambrick), 1830-1896, and College of Arms (Great Britain). The Visitations of the County of Devon: Comprising the Herald's Visitations of 1531, 1564, & 1620. Exeter: For the author, by H. S. Eland, 1895. p. 150.

   « Sir Phillip Carye, Kt. of Cockington, son and heir [of Sr. Robt. Carye, Kt., of Cockington], M.P. for Devon 1433, died on Sunday the feast of St. Tecla the Virgin 1437. Inq. p.m. 16 Hen. VI, No. 53. »
   Accessed 04 July 2021 at: babel.hathitrust.org/

4. ↑ ^4.0 4.1 The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1386-1421, ed. J.S. Roskell, L. Clark, C. Rawcliffe., 1993.

   « The date of [Sir Robert] Cary’s death is not known, but there is no mention of him after August 1431 and it seems likely that he died before 1433, when his son, Philip, was elected a knight of the shire for Devon. Philip himself died in September 1437,
   Accessed 04 July 2021 at: historyofparliamentonline.org/

5. ↑ Chancery: Inquisitions Post Mortem, Series I, Henry VI The National Archives' catalogue online.

   Catalogue description: Cary, Philip, esq: Devon
   Reference: C 139/88/53 / Description: Cary, Philip, esq: Devon
   Date: 16 Hen VI / Held by: The National Archives, Kew
   Legal status: Public Record(s) / Closure status: Open Document, Open Description
   Accessed 04 July 2021 at: nationalarchives.gov.uk/

6. ↑ King's College London, 2014.| Mapping the Medieval Countryside [online] > E-CIPM 25-101: PHILIP CARY, ESQUIRE.

   «  PHILIP CARY, ESQUIRE ⁿ⁰⁶⁷
   101 Writ. ‡ 12 October 1436. [Wymbyssh].
   DEVON. Inquisition. Exeter. 4 October 1437. [Gille].
   Jurors: Edward Pomeray; Richard Holand; John Holand; William Mey; John Kayleway; William Blenche; Thomas Bosse; William Werthe; John Ippecras; Henry Beare; Roger Baron; and Richard Badeworthy
   « He held no lands or tenements of the king in chief, but Robert Vaggescomb and John Vppecote granted 1/2 manor of Cockington to John Cary and Thomas Cary, clerk, and the heirs of the body of John, with remainder to the right heirs of John Cary. ...
   « ... Philip afterwards, long before his death, granted the two parts of the manor, exceptions excepted, to Philip Courtenay, knight, and John Gambon, and to their heirs, with the intention that Philip and John make satisfaction for all Philip Cary ’s debts from the issues. With satisfaction made, they were to grant the two parts to Christine, who was wife of Philip Cary, for life, with successive remainders to William, son of Philip, and the heirs of his body; and to John, earl of Huntingdon, and his heirs.
   Cockington, the manor, held of John, earl of Huntingdon, as of his manor of Dartington by knight service. Annual value of two parts of the manor, £26 13s. 4d.
   He held the following.
   Inwardleigh and Westacott, 1 1/4 knights’ fees, of no annual value, held of John Botreaux and Anne his wife, countess of Devon, in right of Anne.
   He died on 23 September last.ⁿ⁰⁶⁹ William Cary, his son and next heir, was born on 12 August last. »
   Notes:
   « C 139/88/53 mm. 1–2
   n067^ : Styled as esquire in the writ only.
   ...
   n069^ : ‘Sunday the feast of St Tecla the Virgin last’, but 23 September fell on a Monday in 1437. In 1436, however, it fell on a Sunday. »
   Accessed 5 July 2021 at: inquisitionspostmortem.ac.uk/

7.   "St Thecla" on the 'Make me an island' website.

   Submitted by the hermits on Mon, 12/10/2015 - 21:34
   « Feast Day (new calendar): October 28th / Feast Day (old calendar):
   October 15th
   Multiple identities
   There are several attestations of the cult of Thecla in Britain. All of them seem to have some relation with the cult of ancient Thecla protomartyr, Paul's companion, known from the apocryphal Acts of Paul and Thecla. This indicates the acquaintance of the church on the British Isles with Eastern saints in general and the cult of St Thecla in particular.
   Whereas St Thecla of Kitzingen is presented well in historical sources, another saint – Tetha or Tecla is more obscure. She was venerated in Cornwall as a companion of 5th century female saint, Irish nun Breaca in her missionary work in Cornwall. Even more obscure is St Tecla or Tegla Virgin known at a Welsh village Llandegla which means “Parish of Saint Tecla” in Welsh. She is said to be the daughter of a ruler of Gwynedd, north Wales. A church dedication to Thecla can be read also in the town Llandegley, Radnorshire.
   The calendar is also problematic. St Thecla of Kitzingen is celebrated either on October 15 or 28, while Tetha's feast day is on October 27, according to one source. Both Welsh places bearing Tegla's names had festivals around 24th September, which is the feast day of Thecla the protomartyr. One of them, Llandegla, had a large fair on October 15th, the day of St Thecla of Kitzingen. .... »
   Accessed 04 July 2021 at: makemeanisland.co.uk/

8.   There is a certain difficulty in pinpointing the actual date of his death. That is assuming the Post Mortem Inquisition is correct in its assertion that Philip Cary "died on Sunday the feast of St. Tecla the Virgin 1437." The first question being which 'Saint Tecla' (or 'Thecla') was this? The most well known saint of this name today would probably be St. Thecla of Iconium, known as both "virgin and martyr." Her feast day was celebrated by the Latin church on September 23rd. Although she is also celebrated—and possibly more widely so—by the eastern orthodox church, for which her feast day is a day later on September 24th. And that day does fall on a Sunday. If you go by the Gregorian calendar. But in 1437, it was still the Julian calendar which everyone in the Christian world followed. And that had September 23rd falling on a Monday and the 24th on a Tuesday. So perhaps we should look at a different St. Tecla.
   « ... Whereas St Thecla of Kitzingen is presented well in historical sources, another saint – Tetha or Tecla is more obscure. She was venerated in Cornwall as a companion of 5th century female saint, Irish nun Breaca in her missionary work in Cornwall. Even more obscure is St Tecla or Tegla Virgin known at a Welsh village Llandegla which means “Parish of Saint Tecla” in Welsh. She is said to be the daughter of a ruler of Gwynedd, north Wales. A church dedication to Thecla can be read also in the town Llandegley, Radnorshire.
   The calendar is also problematic. St Thecla of Kitzingen is celebrated either on October 15 or 28, while Tetha's feast day is on October 27, according to one source. Both Welsh places bearing Tegla's names had festivals around 24th September, which is the feast day of Thecla the protomartyr. One of them, Llandegla, had a large fair on October 15th, the day of St Thecla of Kitzingen. .... » ^S7
   And October 15 in 1437 was a Sunday. But also only by the Gregorian calendar. By the Julian Calendar it was a Tuesday.
   Or else the year is wrong. If Philip Cary actually died one year earlier – when the feast of Saint Thecla of Iconium in 1436 did fall on a Sunday – Sunday, the 23rd of September.