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Paternal Family Tree: Vane
1551 Arrest of the Duke of Somerset and his Supporters
1552 Trial and Execution of Edward Seymour Duke of Somerset and his Supporters
Ralph Fane was born to Henry Vane of Hadlow in Kent.
Tudor Tracts Chapter 4. [Aug 1547]. Certain Noble men and othersm being special Officers in this Expedition.
The Duke of Somerset, my Lord Protector's Grace, General of the Army: and Captain of the Battle [the main body], having in it 4,000 footmen.
The Earl of Warwick, Lord Lieutenant of the Army; and having the Foreward, of 3,000 footmen.
The Lord Dacres, the Rereward, of 3,000 footmen.
The Lord Grey of Wilton (age 38), Lord Lieutenant of Boulogne, High Marshal of the Army, and Captain General of all the Horsemen there.
Sir Ralph Sadler (age 40) Knight, Treasurer of the Army.
Sir Francis Bryan (age 57) Knight, Captain of the Light Horsemen, being in number, 2,000.
Sir Ralph Vane Knight, Lieutenant of all the Men of arms and Demi-lances, being in number, 4,000.
Sir Thomas Darcy (age 40) Knight, Captain of all the King's Majesty's Pensioners and Men of arms.
Sir Richard Lee Knight, Devisor [i.e., Engineer] of the fortifications to be made.
Sir Peter Mewtys Knight, Captain of all the Hackbutters a foot, being in number, 600.
Sir Peter Gamboa Knight, a Spaniard, Captain of 200 Hackbutters on horseback.
Sir Francis Fleming Knight, Master of the Ordnance.
Sir James Wilford Knight, Provost Marshal.
Sir George Blague and Sir Thomas Holcroft, Commissioners of the Musters.
Edward Sheley (age 44), my Lord Grey; Lieutenant of the Men of arms of Boulogne.
John Bren, Captain of the Pioneers, being 1,400.
Tudor Tracts Chapter 4. [10 Sep 1547]. Of this, Sir Ralph Vane, Lieutenant of all our Horsemen, (as I think, he, first of all men, did note it) quickly advertised my Lord; whose Grace thereby did readily conceive much of their meaning: which was to win of us the hill, and thereby the wind, and sun (if it had shined, as it did not; for the weather was cloudy and lowering); the gain of which three things, whither [whichever] party, in fight of battle, can hap to obtain, hath his force doubled against his enemy.
In all this enterprise, they used, for haste, so little the help of horses, that they plucked forth their ordnance by draught of men; which at this time began freely to shoot off towards us: whereby we were furthered warned that they meant more than a skirmish.
Tudor Tracts Chapter 4. [10 Sep 1547]. Their device was thus. That my Lord Grey (age 38), with his band of Boulogners, with my Lord Protector's band, and my Lord Leiutenant's; all to the number of an eighteen hundred men, on the East half: and Sir Ralph Vane, with Sir Thomas Darcy (age 40) Captain of the Pensioners, and my Lord Fitzwalter with his band of Demi-lances; all to the number of a sixteen hundred, to be ready and even with my Lord Marshal, on the West half: and thus, all these together, afore [before], to encounter the enemy a front: whereby either to break their array, and that way weaken their power by disorder; or, at the least, to stop them of their gate [march], and force them to stay, while our Foreward might wholly have the hill's side, and our Battle and Rereward be placed in grounds next that in order, and best for advantage.
And after this, then that the same our horsemen should retire up the hill's side; to come down, in order, afresh, and infest them on both their sides; while our Battles should occupy them in fight a front.
The policy of this device, for the state of the case, as it was, to all that knew of it, generally allowed to be the best that could be: even so, also, taken to be of no small danger for my Lord Marshal, Sir Ralph Vane, and others the assailers; the which, nevertheless, I know not whether more nobly and wisely devised of the council, or more valiantly and willingly executed of them.
For even there, with good courage taking their leaves of the council, my Lord Marshal requiring only that if it went not well with him, my Lord's Grace would be good to his wife and children; he said, "he would meet these Scots!" And so, with their bands, these captains took their way towards the enemy.
By this, were our Foreward and theirs with a two flight shot asunder. The Scots hasted with so fast a pace, that it was thought of the most part of us, they were rather horsemen than footmen. Our men, again, were led the more with speed.
Annales of England by John Stow. The 16, of October [1551], Edward Seimer Duke of Somerset (age 51), the Lord Gray of Wilton (age 42), Sir Ralph Vane, Sir Thomas Palmer, Sir Myles Partridge, Sir Michael Stanhope (age 44), Sir Thomas Arundell (age 49) knightes, and divers other Gentlemen, were brought to the Tower of London [Map]. The next morrowe, the Dutchesse of Somerset (age 54) was also brought to the Tower [Map].
The liberties of the Stilpard [Map] were ceased into the kings hands for divers causes forfeited, contrarie to the enter-course.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 16 Oct 1551. The xvj day of October was had to the Towre the duches of Somersett (age 54) and Sir Raff a Vane and Sir John Thyn (age 36), [as also] Sir Thomas Holcroft (age 46), Sir Michael Stanhope (age 44), Mr. Hammond, Mr. John Seimour (age 24), Mr. Walley, Mr. Nudigate, Mr. Banister, Mr. Brayne, Mr. Crane and his wife, Sir Myles Parterege, and Sir Thomas Arundell (age 49) and Lady (age 36).
On 26 Feb 1552 Miles Partridge and Ralph Fane were hanged. Thomas Arundell of Wardour Castle (age 50) and Michael Stanhope (age 45) were beheaded at Tower Hill [Map] for plotting to assassinate John Dudley 1st Duke Northumberland (age 48).
Thomas Arundell of Wardour Castle was buried at St Peter ad Vincula Church, Tower of London [Map].
Wriothesley's Chronicle. 27 Jan 1552. The 27 of January Sir Raphe Vane, knight, was arraigned at Westminster, and condempned for felony, and had judgment to be hanged.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 27 Jan 1552. The xxvijth day of January was reynyd at Westmynster Hall ser Raff a Vane knyght of tresun, and qwyt of hytt, and cast of felony to be hangyd,-the v yer K. E. vjth.
Annales of England by John Stow. 26 Feb 1552. The 26 of February, Sir Ralph a Vane and Sir Miles Partridge were hanged on the tower hill [Map], Sir Michael Stanhope (age 45) with Sir Thomas Arundel (age 50) were beheaded there: all which foure persons tooke on their death that theyp never offended against the kings maiestie, nor against any of his counfell.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 26 Feb 1552. The xxvjth day of Feybruarii, the wyche was [the morrow aft]er saynt Mathuwe day, was heddyd on the Tower [hill sir] Myghell Stanhope (age 45) knyght, and ser Thomas Arundell (age 50); [and in]-contenent was hangyd the seylff sam tyme sir Raff [a Vane] knyght, and ser Mylles Parterege knyght, of the galowse besyd the .... and after ther bodys wher putt in to dyvers nuw coffens [to be be-] red and heds in to the Towre in cases and ther bered .. cent.
Note. Execution of sir Thomas Arundell. One of the "metrical visions" of George Cavendish, the gentleman usher of Cardinal Wolsey, furnishes some biographical particulars of sir Thomas Arundell: viz. that he was educated with Cardinal Wolsey, and was chancellor to queen Katharine Howard. He is also made to confess that "I was cheaf councellor in the first overthrowe of the duke of Somerset, which few men did know." (See Singer's edition of Cavendish's Life of Wolsey, 1825, vol. ii. p. 125.) A letter of the earl of Northumberland in 1527, directed "To his beloved cosyn Thomas Arundel, one of the gentleman of my lord legates prevy chambre," and at its foot "To my bedfellow Arundel," with which term he also commences, is printed from the duke of Northumberland's archives, ibid. p. 246. With regard to his fate there is a curious passage in a very rare book, bishop Ponet's "Short Treatise of Politic Power," which Strype has quoted in his Memorials, vol. ii. 306: but with an interpolation which, as it is made silently, is perfectly inexcusable. Writing of the earl of Warwick, Ponet states,—"at th'erles sute Arundel hathe his head with the axe divided from the shoulders."
But Strype, imagining that the earl of Arundel (who was also involved in trouble at this period, having been fined 12,000l. in Jan. 1549–50,) was the suffering party named by the bishop, altered this passage thus:——"at the earl's suit, Arundel escaped, otherwise had his head with the axe been divided from his shoulders."
See the "Life of Henry Earl of Arundel, K.G." edited by J. G. Nichols, 1834, p. 7; or the Gentleman's Magazine for July 1833, p. 16, and for Feb. 1848.
Note. Sir Michael Stanhope also makes a poetical lament in Cavendish's Metrical Visions. He states that he had been dubbed knight by king Edward, and had been of his privy chamber. He was half-brother of the duchess of Somerset (as sir Thomas Arundell was half-brother of the countess of Arundel), and was great-grandfather of the first earl of Chesterfield. See a curious letter regarding his widow's funeral written by their son sir Thomas Stanhope in 1588, in the Archæologia, vol. xxxi. p. 212.
Chronicle of Greyfriars. 26 Feb 1552. Item the xxvj. day of the same monyth, the which was fryday, was hanged at Towre hylle sir Myllys Partryge knyght, the wych playd wyth kynge Henry the viiite at dysse for the grett belfery that stode in Powlles church-yerdea; and sir Raffe Vane, theys too ware hanged. Also sir Myhyll Stonnappe (age 45) and sir Thomas Arndelle (age 50), theys too ware beheddyd at that same tyme. And theis iiij. knyghttes confessyd that they ware never gyltd for soche thynges as was layd unto their charge, and dyde in that same oppinion.
The daye before endyd the parlament.
Note a. "Neere unto this schoole (St. Paul's) on the north side thereof, was (of old time) a great and high Clochier or Bell-house, foure-square, builded of stone, and in the same a most strong frame of timber, with foure bells, the greatest that I have heard; these were called Jesus' bells, and belonged to Jesus' Chappell, but I know not by whose gifte. The same had a great spire of timber covered with lead, with the image of Saint Paul on the top, but was pulled down by sir Miles Partridge knight, in the reigne of Henry the Eighth. The common speech was, that hee did set one hundred pounds upon a cast at dice against it, and so wonne the said clochier and bells of the king, and then causing the bells to be broken as they hung, the rest was pulled downe." Stowe's Survay.
Tudor Tracts Chapter 4. [10 Sep 1547]. The Scots were somewhat disordered with their coming out about the slaughter of our men; the which they did so earnestly then intend, they took not one to mercy. But more they were amazed at this adventurous and hardy onset. My Lord's Grace having before this, for causes aforesaid, placed himself on this Fauxside Bray, and thereby quickly perceiving the great disorder of these straggling horsemen, hemmed them in from further straying; whom Sir Ralph Vane, with great dexterity, brought in good order and array again.
GrandFather: Henry Fane of Hildenborough in Tunbridge
Father: Henry Vane of Hadlow in Kent