Carew, in his Survey of Cornwall, giving an account of the eminent Men born in that Dutchy, reckons among the Civilians Doctor Carew (o) :
"In the Civil Law", says he (p), " there lived of late Doctor Kennals, and now (q) doth Doctor Carew, one of the antientest Masters of the Chancery; in which Calling, after his younger Years spent abroad to his benefit, he hath reposed himself."
He mentions him again among the Persons employed in State Affairs, and therethrough stept to Preferment (r).
"Master George Carew", says he, " in his younger Years gathered such Fruit as the University, the Inns of Court, and Foreign Travel could yield him. Upon his Return, he was first call'd to the Bar, then supply'd the Place of Secretary to the Lord Chancellor Hatton; and after his Decease, performed the like Office to his two Successors, by special Recommendation from her Majesty, who also gave him the Prothonotaryship of the Chancery; and in anno 1598 sent him Ambassador to the King of Poland, and other Northern Potentates, where through unexpected Accidents, he underwent extraordinary Perils; but God freed him from them, and he performed his Duty in acceptable manner : And at this present the Commonwealth useth his Service, as a Master of the Chancery."
Had our Author attended this worthy Person in his Embassies, it is hardly possible he should not have taken some notice of it here; being elsewhere so ready to honour himself with the Friendship or Acquaintance of the Great Men of his Time.
As to what Mr. Wood adds, viz. that Mr. Carew was sent by his Father into France with Sir Henry Nevill.... that he might learn the French Tongue, &c. I am afraid he hath mistaken our Author for his Son, who, in effect, went into France with a Nevill, in order to learn the French Tongue ; as it appears by the following Verses of the aforesaid Fitzgeffry, upon his Return.
Ad (s) RICHARDUM CARAEUM, Ri. Filium, e Gallijs reducem.
Melligo juvenum Caraee, quotquot Damnoni occiduis alunt in oris : Ecquid Fama sinistimae (t) auricellae Veris se insinuat meae susurris, Te longae peregrinitates omnes Exanclasse (v) molestias, marisq; Emensum omnia taedia, ad parentes Patremq; unanimum, piamq; matrem, Membrorum incolumi statu redisse, Onustum omnigenae eruditionis Gazis & Spoliis, quot aut Camoenae Dant vaenum emporio Lutetiano Aut culto Aureliae urbis in Lycaeo. Qua tibi Aonii latus NEVILLI Phoeboeumq; TRELAVNIVM sequuto Aulam invisere curiamq; magni Regis contigit, aemulam tonantis. At o Liligeri potentis Aula AEtatem bene sit tibi, quod almum CAREUM modo patriae patriq; Post desiderium utriusq; longum, Salvumq; incolumenq; reddidisti. At tu non modo stemmatum opumq; Verum & laudis & eruditionis Patritae genuinus artis haeres Cresce in spem patriae, hostium timores, Patris delicias, Elisae amores, Donec concilijs senex, at ore Et membris juvenis sat intigellus (x) Totum Nestora vixeris, tuisq; Album feceris Albiona factis : Melligo juvenum CARAEE quotquot Damnoni occiduis alunt in oris.
Learning is not only useful, but necessary in all Conditions and States of Life; but I will presume to say, that it is more particularly so to all Gentlemen, who are allotted to live in the Country. And if they cannot pass their leisure Hours in reading, or cultivating Arts and Sciences, they will spend that time in such things as must be detrimental to their Families, and, at the end, fatal to their own Persons. Our Author could never fall into those Inconveniences : He loved Letters, and not only made them subservient to his own Entertainment, but sometimes useful to the Publick.
As he was a great Master of Languages, he delivered his Opinion upon the true and ready way to learn the Latin Tongue, in answer to a Quaere, Whether the ordinary way by teaching Latin by the Rules of Grammar, be the best way for Youths to learn it (y)? He wrote likewise a Dissertation, shewing the Excellency of the English Tongue (z) : and published a Translation of the Examen de Ingenios para las Sciencias, written by Juan Huerte, that ingenious and learned Spanish Physician.