"After his return, and a short stay made in England, he was sent by his Father into France with Sir Hen. Nevill, who was then Ambassador Leiger unto K. Hen. 4. that he might learn the French Tongue, which by reading and talking, he overcame in three quarters of a Year :"
All this, I say, cannot hold, if it be true that, tho' he understood
Italian, French, High-Dutch, and Spanish, he had never been out of
England ; as his Countryman Charles Fitzgeffry seems to assert in the
following Compliment to him:
Quis Deus tibi tam bene invocatus (n),
Disertissime millium trecentum
Idemq; optime omnium CARAEE,
(Seu quis multiplicem eruditionem,
Seu quis, quo magis emicas elenchum
Morum ponderet elegantiorum,
Virtutumq; tot auream coronam)
Quis (inquam) Deus (o Deus profecto!)
Tantis te spoliis, tot & trophaeis
Terrarum locupletat exterarum,
Domi perpetuo interim morantem
Et libris patriaeque servientem?
Quo Graij tibi, quo tibi Latini
Auri pondera tanta? quove Hetrusci,
Galli, Teutones, invidiq; Iberi
Tam assatim te opibus suis bearunt?
O si tot Deus ora, totq; linguas
Mihi idulserit, ut tuas referrem
Laudes, quot dedit ora quotq; linguas
Tibi uno Deus ore, lingua in una?
I may add, that Mr. 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.