Anthony Cary 1656-1694

Anthony CARY, 5th Viscount Falkland 1656-1694

Biographical Note

Born at Farley Castle, Somerset, son of Henry Cary, 4th Viscount Falkland; he succeeded to the title on his father's death in 1663. Matriculated at Christ Church, Oxford 1672, but did not graduate. Treasurer of the Navy 1681-89, MP for Oxfordshire 1685, for Great Marlow 1689-94, where he was active as a Tory. First Lord of the Admiralty 1693; died shortly before being able to take up his appointment as envoy to The Hague.

Books

Cary's will has no mention of books; his estate passed to his wife Rebecca (d.1709), and as he had no male heir the Viscountcy passed to a cousin. His library was sold by retail sale in London, beginning 20 July 1710 (presumably following his widow's death). No catalogue survives, but the sale was advertised in The Daily Courant as "a collection of the most valuable historians, travellers of the best editions, in French, English and Latin, most of them gilt and letter'd".

Characteristic Markings

None of Falkland's books have been identified.

Sources

• Will of Anthony Cary, The National Archives PROB 11/421/339.
• History of Parliament.
• Alston, R. C. Inventory of sale catalogues 1676-1800. St Philip, 2010.
• Fevre, Peter Le. "Cary [Carey], Anthony, fifth Viscount Falkland (1656–1694), Admiralty official." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.