Background
He was the son and heir of Philip Cary (died 1437) of Cockington, Member of Parliament for Devon in 1433, by his wife Christiana de Orchard (died 1472), daughter and heiress of William de Orchard of Orchard (later Orchard Portman), near Taunton in Somerset. Christiana de Orchard survived her first husband and remarried to Walter Portman, 10 times Member of Parliament for Taunton, by whom she had issue, ancestors of the present Viscount Portman, owner of the Portman Estate in London.