Peter Carew

Sir Peter Carew (1514? – 27 November 1575) of Mohuns Ottery, Luppitt, Devon, was an English adventurer, who served during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England and took part in the Tudor conquest of Ireland. His biography was written by his friend and legal adviser, the Devon historian John Hooker (d.1601).

He is to be distinguished from his first cousin and immediate heir Sir Peter Carew, who was killed at the Battle of Glenmalure in 1580.

Carew was the third son of Sir William Carew, a Devonshire gentleman, and was born at Ottery Mohun (now Mohuns Ottery) in the parish of Luppitt. He attended grammar school in Exeter, where he was a frequent truant, and at St Paul's School. By his own account (set down in his biography) he once climbed a turret on Exeter city wall and threatened to jump if his master came after him. His father then had him led back to his house on a leash, like a dog, and for punishment coupled him to one of his hounds for a time.

Carew was placed in the service of a French friend of his father's, but suffered demotion to muleteer and was only saved in February 1526, when a family relation, on his way to the siege of Pavia in the service of King Francis I of France, heard Carew's companions call the young man by name. On the way to the siege, the relative died and Carew took up with a marquis, who died in battle. Carew later served Philibert, Prince of Orange, after whose death he was sent by Orange's sister to King Henry VIII of England with letters in despatch; the king noted his proficiency in riding and French and took him into service.

In 1540, he travelled abroad with his cousin and visited Constantinople, Venice, Milan and Vienna, where his cousin died. He served in the war against France on land and at sea. In 1544, he led a company of foot apparelled in black at his own expense, with his brother George Carew – who was in command of the Mary Rose when she sank – and served as commander of the horse. For his service in the campaign he was knighted in 1545.

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