Mildmay Fane KB MP (1602 - 1666)

Born 24 Jan 1602 in Mereworth, Kent, England

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Vere) Fane — married 21 Jun 1638 in Hackney, Middlesex, England

Descendants

Died 12 Feb 1666 at age 64 in Apethorpe, Northamptonshire, England

Biography

Mildmay Fane KB MP was born in England.

Sir Mildmay Fane was a member of the aristocracy in England.

Early Life

Mildmay Fane was born on the 24th January 1602 in Mereworth, Kent, England. He was the eldest son of Francis Fane and Mary Mildmay ^[1][2]

He spent much of his early life in the family home of Apethorpe, Northamptonshire. (A property that came into the family via his mother) ^[3].

He matriculated in the Michaelmas (autumn) term of 1618 at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He was awarded an M.A. in 1619 ^[4].

He was admitted to the Lincoln's Inn (the Inns of Court) on August 7th, 1622. ^[4]. However, a month later he was allowed to travel extensively in Europe before taking up his political career ^[3].

In December 1624 his father was given the title of the first Earl of Westmoreland. From this time Mildmay styled himself Lord Burghersh.

He married firstly Grace Thornhurst on the 6th July 1626. They had 1 son, Charles Fane, his heir, and 5 daughter's, 3 of which died d.v.p. (when their father is still alive). ^{[3] [1]}. Secondly he married Dame Mary Vere and had one son Vere Fane, who became 4th baronet, and four daughters including Mary Fane (Cecil) who became the Countess of Exeter ^{[3] [1]}.

Political Career

As a young man he first became a Member of Parliament in 1621, representing Peterborough, Northamptonshire until 1624. Subsequently he represented Kent in 1625, before representing Peterborough again from 1626 until 1629. ^[3].

He doesn't appear to have been a particularly active parliamentarian.

During the civil war he supported the Royalist cause until he was arrested and imprisoned in the Tower in October 1642. On the 1st April 1643 he was released on parole, keeping to his house in Bartholomew Close ^[5] . In August of that year he was permitted to ride his horse within 5miles of London. He had been fined and his estates sequestered. In 1644 he came before Parliament and made an arrangement with it, such that he was released for a bond of £1000 on the 14th February 1644 ^[5][3]. He retired to his estate in Apethorpe, Northamptonshire where he wrote poetry and plays. His submission to Parliament was overlooked at the restoration of the monarch and he was made Lord-Lieutenant of Northamptonshire on 11 July 1660^[5][2], a post he held until his death in 1666.

Literary Interests

From being a young man Mildmay had a life-long interest in writing poetry and plays. In 1648 he printed for private circulation a volume of poetry entitled Otia Sacra. He also published another volume entitled Fugitive Poetry, inspired by the events of the Commonwealth ^[5]. He wrote many stage plays and masques ^[1].

Honours

He was created a Knight of the Bath (KB) on the Coronation of King Charles I (1 Feb 1626). ^[5]

He became the 2nd Earl of Westmoreland upon the death of his father in March 1629.

On the death of his mother in Apr 1640, Mildmay acquired the courtesy title of Lord Le Despenser^[3].

Mildmay wrote his will on September 22nd 1662. He died on the 12 Feb 1666, aged 64 yrs 1 month ^[3][4].

He was buried at St Leonard, Apethorpe. ^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Wikipedia - Mildmay Fane, 2nd Earl of Westmorland (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mildmay_Fane,_2nd_Earl_of_Westmorland)
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire. Burke J. and Burke J.B., 10edtn. Publ. Henry Colburn, London. 1848. Google Books. page 1039. (https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Burke_s_Genealogical_and_Heraldic_Histor/99lDAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA1039&bsq=westmoreland).
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7} History of Parliament. (https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1604-1629/member/fane-mildmay-1602-1666)
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2} Ancestry.com. Cambridge University Alumni, 1261-1900 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4} Dictionary of National Biography Vol. 6, pp 1042-3 (images 1059-60) (https://www.ancestry.co.uk/discoveryui-content/view/21674:1981)
6. ↑ "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK1V-JHNN : 15 December 2015), Mildmay Fane, 1666; Burial, Apethorpe, East Northamptonshire Borough, Northamptonshire, England, St Leonard Churchyard; citing record ID 148666471, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.

Acknowledgements

’This profile has been improved by a member of the England Project's Orphan Trail.’’’