That bastard Valentine

There's isn't much of an official date of birth for Valentine Carey, the bishop of Exeter and presume illegitimate son of Henry Carey, but some account put his birth around the time of Henry coming at Berwick-up-on-tweed (I wonder if Lady Hunsdon was still around when that happen) with a completely unknown woman. He doesn't seem to pop up until many year later around 1585 and most of his highlight were made after the first lord Hunsdon death. There is some speculation on the matter if he actually was a bastard or perhaps was actually connected to a minor branch of the Carey family (though Notes and queries, page205,* seem to be the only place I saw anything about that) and so far most hint seem to indicate that he was. I saw one small thing in an unrelated book about the then lord Hundson (who is one of Henry son) and Valentine being refer to as Cousin, though I think its a mistake by the author (lineage not really being the topic of his book and it would be the kind of thing to easily get wrong), but also if he is a cousin it can be a first degree one as Henry had no brother that would cary the name. The problem is that there is effectively no way for sure (Hunsdon clearly didn't count those in his official list), so let us stick to the mainstream account).

His will actually seem to hint a bit more toward bastardom, because a John Hodson his refer to as his brother (source) and while John the son of Henry was dead for several years and third Lord Hunsdon, he specifically mention that this goes to his children, which in the context of him referring to the third Lord Hundson has more sense.  However there is one thing that really got my attention.

His will mention two sisters Lawson and one as Veghelman.  Meaning those two girls are possible two additional bastards of his. Though I also wonder if Veghelman an actual name (:P ) 

He also married a woman called Dorothy Coke and had five sons (source) it also interesting to note that if he is indeed his bastard he seem to name him after a  man working under him.

I strongly recommend reading Oxford dictionnary of national biography on him, but also here a few more links. (His funeral  place is rather impressive.)

here some more on his career and life

https://archive.org/stream/cu31924029445180#page/n167/mode/2up http://www.devon.gov.uk/localstudies/78267/407.html&s=lu9hLZGDQBX

http://books.google.ca/books?id=qTA9AQAAIAAJ&pg=PA386&dq=Richard+coke+lord+hunsdon&hl=fr&sa=X&ei=StiGUt7fJqL82wWpjYDAAg&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Richard%20coke%20lord%20hunsdon&f=false

* Notes and Queries seem to have a few discussion on the Carey lineage available to read google book, so check them out.