Carey was the seventh and youngest son of Henry , first Lord Hunsdon , and brother of George Carey. He was an emissary to the Low Countries in his teens, fought there in 1587, and against the Armada. He was knighted by Essex in 1591. As he was on good terms with James VI, he managed, by careful planning, to be the one to bring the king the news of Elizabeth 's death, riding from London to Edinburgh (where he arrived on 26 Mar. 1603) in the space of two days. His reward was to be appointed a gentleman of the bedchamber; his wife gained a position in the queen 's household and his daughter became a maid of honour to Princess Elizabeth . Carey became governor of Prince Charles 's household in Feb. 1605, and in 1611 his master of the robes. When Charles was created Prince of Wales in 1617, Carey became his chamberlain. He followed Charles and Buckingham to Spain in 1623, on James 's instructions. He was created Earl of Monmouth in Feb. 1626 and died in Apr. 1639.

Richard Delamaine was possibly the author of Grammelogia (1631). As a result of the favour it procured from Charles I, its dedicatee, he was appointed quartermaster-general and tutor in mathematics to the king .