CAREW, Thomas II (1632-73), of Haccombe, Devon.

Carew’s ancestors settled in Devon about the beginning of the 14th century. Other branches produced knights of the shire in Tudor times, but the Haccombe family was less prominent. Carew’s father took no part in public life, and he may have owed his return for Tiverton at the general election of 1661 to his father-in-law, the last of the elder branch of the family, whose imposing residence lay some four miles away. An inactive Member of the Cavalier Parliament, Carew was appointed to 23 committees, the most important being to consider restraints on juries in 1668 and to receive information about conventicles in the following year. His court appointment of 1668 reflects the rise to power of his cousin Thomas Clifford, who was no doubt also responsible for his excise pension of £400. But he was not listed as a court supporter in 1669-71. During the second Dutch war he was given a post in the prize office, and he was also discharged the £1,500 for which he stood liable when a Devonshire tax-collector absconded. Nevertheless, according to his nuncupative will dated 13 Sept. 1673 he left a personal estate of only £480, half of it arrears of salary as sub-commissioner of prizes, and debts over £1,000. One creditor came to the house where he died on the day of the funeral ‘and made some disturbances to hinder the corpse from being carried out’, until the young heir agreed to renew the bond. Carew was the only member of the Haccombe branch of his family to sit in Parliament.4Trans. Devon Assoc. lvi. 313; J. Prince, Worthies of Devon, 164; Lysons, Devon, 45; Browning, Danby, i. 170; Letters to Williamson (Cam. Soc. ix), 54; C6/35/47.