ESCAPE OF KING CHARLES II.

Evening Star, Issue 22774, 8 October 1937, Page 10

ESCAPE OF KING CHARLES 11.

THE (TODY OF JANE LANE The young woman who assisted King Charles 11. to escape after the Battle of Worcester was Jane Lane, daughter of Thomas Lane, of Bentley, near Walsall, Staffs. At the time of the Battle of Worcester she was living at Bentley Hall, the seat of her brother. Colonel John Lane, who arranged for the escape of Charles after hia defeat. Preparing to visit a friend at Abbots Leigh, near Bristol, Jane Lane obtained a pass from Captain Stone, Governor of Stafford, for herself, a manservant, and her cousin, Henry Lascelles. Early on the morning of September 10, 1651, the King disguised himself as a servant, assumed the name of William Jackson, one of Colonel Lane’s tenants, and took Jane’s horse to the hall door at Bentley. The King took Jane behind him on the pillion, and John Petre, her brother-in-law, and his wife, who had no idea of the identity of the servant, accompanied therm At Stratford-on-Avon Petre and his wife turned hack at the sight of the troops, but the others rode through the soldiers unchallenged, and arrived at Long Marston, where they stayed with a friend. . Next day they rode to Cirencester and stayed at the Crown Inn. When they arrived at Abbots Leigh, after three days’ travelling, the butler, an old royalist soldier, recognised Charles, but kept the secret. Unfortunately no ship ,was available at Bristol, and as tho risk of discovery was great Jane Lane left Abbots Leigh on the pretence of returning to her father at Bentley early on the morning of September 16. She took Charles; to Castle Cory, and then to the house of Colonel Francis Wyudham at Trent, near Sherborne, Dorset, where the King was able to escape to Frnace. The story of the escape soon became known, and Jane Lane was obliged to leave the country. She lived in Paris for a time, and became popular at tbe Court. After the Restoration Charles H. granted her a pension, and she married Sir Clement Fisher, of Packington Marga, Warwickshire. She died on. September 9, 1669.