Edward Darcy

Sir Edward Darcy, Darcey or Darsey (1543/1544 – 28 October 1612) of Stainforth, West Riding of Yorkshire, was an English politician and courtier. His monopoly by way of having a wide patent on playing cards was declared illegal in 1602.

Background and career

Darcy was the eldest son of Mary Carew (daughter of Sir Nicholas Carew) and of Sir Arthur Darcy (the son of Thomas Darcy, 1st Baron Darcy of Darcy) [1][2] He was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge before being admitted to the Inner Temple in 1561.[3] He was a Member of Parliament for Truro, Cornwall from 1584 to 1585. In 1589 he was a groom of the Privy Chamber under Queen Elizabeth; in that year the Queen granted the reversion of the manors of Epsom and Ashtead to him as Sir Francis Carew's nephew, which matured in 1612 on the latter's death.[2] In 1595 he received the manor of Stainforth Underbargh and 20 dwelling houses with lands there.[4]

Queen Elizabeth granted Darcy an exclusive patent in 1598 for the manufacture, importation and sales of playing cards. The Court of Queen's Bench four years later, held the patent invalid in the landmark case Darcy v Allein (“The Case of Monopolies”).[5]

Knighted on 23 April 1603, Sir Edward died 28 October 1612, aged 69,[3] and was buried at St Botolph's Aldgate.[6]

Family

He married Elizabeth Evelyn (d. 1634), niece of John Evelyn[1] and their issue included two eldest sons Robert and Christopher.

  • Robert Darcy m. Mary d. 1618
    • Edward Darcy (parted with manors)
  • Christopher Darcy d. 1623

References
  1. H.E. Malden (editor) (1911). "Parishes: Epsom". A History of the County of Surrey: Volume 3. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 31 October 2013.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  2. H.E. Malden (editor) (1911). "Parishes: Epsom". A History of the County of Surrey: Volume 3. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 31 October 2013.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  3. "Darsey, Edward (DRSY561E)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
  4. Francis Collins (editor) (1890). "Yorkshire Fines: 1595". Feet of Fines of the Tudor period [Yorks]: part 4: 1594–1603. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 31 October 2013.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  5. EDWARD WYNDHAM HULME, The Early History of the English Patent System, in 3 SELECT ESSAYS IN ANGLO-AMERICAN LEGAL HISTORY 117, 122–138 (1909)
  6. Edward Darcy at Find a Grave
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