San Diego Sarah on 27 Aug 2018  •  Link

Frances Wray married Treasurer of the Navy Harry Vane MP on July 1, 1640; the marriage settlement made him a wealthy man, bring him Raby Castle amongst other properties. According to his biographers, his relationship with Frances was happy and fulfilling as they shared spiritual goals and intimacy.

But Sir Harry’s ideas were unacceptable to both Parliament and the Royalists, so on 14 June, 1662, Sir Harry Vane was taken to Tower Hill and beheaded. Samuel Pepys was there and recorded the event.

Sir Harry and Frances Wray Vane had ten children. Of their five sons, only the last, Christopher, had children, and succeeded to his father's estates. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hen…

Col. Henry Danvers’ wife went to London in July 1663 to convey news of the latest rebellion schemes to Lady Frances Vane, who seems to have been a key contact with revolutionaries in the City. -- per 3:327-28, 393; G. Lyon Turner, "Williamson's Spy Book," Transactions of the Congregational Historical Society, 5 (1912): 315. 11 C.S.P.D., Chas. If, 3:463,565,606,638; 4:246.

Around this time one of Pepys’ enemies, John Scott, was determined to marry the widowed Lady Vane, but I see no reference to him being successful in this effort. – see Intelligence and Espionage in the reign of Charles II, by Allen Marshall, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-52127-0

Sounds like an interesting lady. I wish I had found more about her to report here.