Background
Martha was born in 1505, the daughter of Sir Edmund Denny, Chief Baron of the Exchequer, and Mary Troutbeck.
Martha was born in 1505, the daughter of Sir Edmund Denny, Chief Baron of the Exchequer, and Mary Troutbeck.
Her husband was Sir Wymond Carew, by whom she had 19 children, including lawyer Sir Matthew Carew. Following the loss of her home at Hackney, Martha moved to London, where on 8 September 1562, she was arrested for having attended a Roman Catholic Massachusetts After being tried and convicted, she refused to pay the required fine of 100 marks and was sent to prison for six months.On 4 April 1568, she was arrested a second time for the same offence.
This time, however, she received a pardon from Queen Elizabeth I. Martha died on 9 January 1572.
Her brother was Sir Anthony Denny, a leading member of the Privy Chamber, and a confidant of King Henry VIII of England.