Jane Lane, Lady Fisher facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jane Lane
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A painting of Jane Lane, Lady Fisher, holding a crown
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| Born | c. 1626 |
| Died | 9 September 1689 |
| Nationality | English |
| Known for | Escape of Charles II |
Jane Lane (born around 1626 – died 9 September 1689) was an English woman who played a very brave part in helping King Charles II escape in 1651. This happened after the Battle of Worcester, a big fight during the English Civil War. Jane helped the King by riding with him, while he was disguised as her servant, all the way from Staffordshire to Somerset.
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Who Was Jane Lane?
Jane Lane was born in a place called Bentley, near Walsall. Her parents were Thomas Lane and Anne Bagot. Her family was loyal to the King, also known as Royalists.
Jane had several brothers and sisters. Her brother, John Lane, was a colonel in the Royalist army. In 1644, their family home, Bentley Hall, was attacked and robbed by the Parliament's forces. This shows that her family was deeply involved in the conflict.
The King's Daring Escape
After losing the Battle of Worcester in September 1651, King Charles II was in great danger. He needed to escape England because a huge reward of £1000 was offered for his capture. If caught, he would likely be executed for treason. The King was easy to spot because he was very tall (1.88 m) and had dark hair. Plus, soldiers were actively searching for him.
At this time, it was also illegal for Catholics to travel far from their homes without special permission. Helping the King was extremely risky.
A Clever Plan to Escape
The King's friend, Lord Wilmot, went to Bentley Hall, Jane Lane's home. Jane had a special permit from the army to travel to Bristol with a servant. She was going to visit a relative there. Lord Wilmot realized this was a perfect chance for the King to escape.
The plan was for King Charles to pretend to be Jane's servant. This way, they could travel without drawing too much attention. No lady would travel alone back then.
Journey to Bristol
On September 10, 1651, King Charles arrived at Bentley Hall. He dressed as a farmer's son and used the fake name ‘William Jackson’. He rode on the same horse as Jane Lane. They were also joined by Jane's sister, Withy Petre, her husband John Petre, and another Royalist officer, Henry Lascelles.
Lord Wilmot rode ahead of them, openly, pretending to be out hunting. This was a risky but smart way to distract anyone who might be looking for the King.
The group rode through several towns. At Bromsgrove, the horse ridden by Charles and Jane lost a shoe. The King, still playing the servant, took the horse to a blacksmith to get it fixed.
They continued their journey, even riding calmly through a town where soldiers were gathered. They spent the night at a relative's house in Long Marston.
On September 11, they traveled through more towns, finally reaching Abbots Leigh near Bristol on September 12. They stayed at the home of Mr. and Mrs. George Norton, who were friends of Jane. The Nortons did not know that the King was staying with them!
To avoid suspicion, Charles even talked to a servant who had been in his personal guard. The King asked the servant to describe what the King looked like at the Battle of Worcester. The servant looked at Charles and said, "The King was at least three fingers taller than [you]." This helped Charles keep his disguise.
From Bristol to Trent
After trying to find a ship from Bristol to France without luck, Charles and Wilmot decided to try the south coast of England instead.
Jane Lane had to pretend to receive a letter calling her back home. This allowed her to leave with the King without making her hosts suspicious.
On September 16, Charles and Jane left and traveled to Castle Cary. The next day, they reached Trent in Somerset. They stayed at Trent House, the home of Colonel Francis Wyndham, another Royalist. The King hid there for a few days while Wyndham and Wilmot tried to find a ship from Lyme Regis or Weymouth. While in Trent, the King saw local villagers celebrating because they believed he had been killed in battle. On September 18, Jane Lane returned home.
Jane's Life in Exile
However, the authorities soon found out that Jane had helped the King escape. Before her home, Bentley Hall, could be searched, she left. She traveled to Yarmouth pretending to be a simple country girl and then sailed to France.
She arrived in Paris in December 1651 and was welcomed by the King's family, who were also living in exile. Jane became good friends with King Charles and his mother, Queen Henrietta Maria. The King thought very highly of her.
In 1652, King Charles arranged for Jane to become a lady-in-waiting for his sister, Princess Mary, in Holland. During his time in exile, Charles often wrote to Jane Lane and wished he could do more to help her.
Life After the King's Return
When King Charles II finally returned to England and became King again in 1660 (an event called the Restoration), Jane Lane also came back. The King gave her a pension of £1000 every year and many gifts, including portraits of himself and a lock of his hair. Parliament also gave her £1000 to buy a special jewel to remember her brave service.
Because of her courageous loyalty, her family was given the right to add the three Lions of England to their family coat of arms. This was a great honor!
Jane married Sir Clement Fisher, 2nd Baronet in 1663. He had served under her brother, John Lane, during the Civil War. They did not have any children.
Lady Fisher died on September 9, 1689, and was buried at Packington. There is a memorial to Jane and her parents in St Peter's Collegiate Church, Wolverhampton.
Jane Lane in Stories
Jane Lane's amazing story has been told in several books:
- She is the main character in the 2012 novel The King's Mistress by Gillian Bagwell.
- She plays an important part in Georgette Heyer's novel, Royal Escape, published in 1938.
- Jane Lane also appears in an episode describing Charles II's escape in Charlotte Mary Yonge's book Under the Storm (1888).
