Martha Denny facts for kids
Martha Denny lived a long time ago, from 1505 to 1572. She was an English Catholic woman who faced challenges for her faith. In 1562, she was even sent to prison for going to a Catholic church service. Martha was married to Sir Wymond Carew. They had a very large family, with 16 or 19 children! One of their sons, Sir Matthew Carew, became a lawyer.
Her Family and Marriage
Martha Denny was born in 1505. Her father was Sir Edmund Denny, who held an important job as the Chief Baron of the Exchequer. This meant he was a top judge in the government's money court. Her mother was Mary Troutbeck. Martha's brother, Sir Anthony Denny, was a close friend and trusted advisor to King Henry VIII of England. He was a key member of the King's private staff, called the Privy Chamber.
Martha married Sir Wymond Carew, who was from Antony, Cornwall. They had a very big family, with 16 or 19 children! We don't know exactly how many of them grew up to be adults. Some of their children included:
- Thomas Carew
- Roger Carew
- George Carew
- John Carew
- Sir Matthew Carew (1531–1618), who became a lawyer.
- Anthony Carew
- Harvey Carew
- Prudence Carew
- Temperance Carew
- Elizabeth Carew
Sir Wymond Carew had an important job working for King Henry VIII. He was the treasurer for two of the King's wives: Anne of Cleves and Catherine Parr. This meant he managed their money.
The Carew family lived a very fancy life. They had large homes in places like Bletchingley, Surrey, Hertfordshire, and Hackney. When Martha's husband, Sir Wymond, passed away in 1549, he left behind a lot of debt. The family owed about £8,000, which was a huge amount of money back then! Because Martha couldn't pay these debts, their home in Hackney and other lands became the property of the Crown (the King or Queen) in 1554.
Standing Up for Her Beliefs
After losing her home in Hackney, Martha Denny moved to London. In England at that time, the official religion was Protestant. Being a Catholic and attending Catholic services was against the law. People who refused to follow the new official religion were called "recusants."
On September 8, 1562, Martha was arrested in London. Her crime was attending a Roman Catholic mass. She was put on trial and found guilty. She refused to pay the fine, which was 100 marks. Because she wouldn't pay, she was sent to prison for six months.
Martha was arrested again on April 4, 1568, for the same reason. However, this time, Queen Elizabeth herself gave Martha a special pardon. This meant Martha did not have to go to prison again.
Martha Denny passed away on January 9, 1572.
