King Charles II and Jane Lane Riding to Bristol (c1665). Oil on canvas. 212 x 238. Jane Lane played a heroic role in the escape of Charles II in 1651. The main significance of the story is the key part that the escape played in forming the character and the opinions of Charles. Jane was the daughter of Thomas Lane and Anne Bagot of the parish of Bentley and Hyde. Her parents had married at Blithfield, Staffordshire, in 1608. Their son, John, was born on 8 April 1609, the first child of what was to be four sons and five daughters. There are several early christening dates for a Jane Lane in the International Genealogical Index which have been estimated by contributors, most probably based on a spurious date for her marriage. However she was known as Jane Lane in 1651 and so was unmarried at that date. Her eventual marriage to Sir Clement Fisher is known to have occurred on 8 December 1663, being performed by the Most Rev. Gilbert Sheldon, Archbishop of Canterbury. Known birth dates for Jane Lane's siblings are: Colonel John Lane, born 8 April 1609. Walter Lane, born May 1611. William Lane, baptised 7 August 1625. Richard Lane, youngest son. Withy Lane. Withy is stated in the book Flight of the King as being the eldest daughter of the family. Jane Lane. Anne Lane. Mary Lane, born 1619. Elizabeth Lane. Following defeat at the Battle of Worcester on 3 September 1651, Charles II escaped and headed north into Shropshire and Staffordshire with several companions including Lord Derby and Henry, Lord Wilmot. A reward of E1000 was offered for the capture of the King. It is likely that the King and anyone helping him would have been executed for treason, if caught. The King had a distinctive appearance: very dark and six feet two inches tall. Furthermore, there were cavalry patrols specifically tasked with finding the King. At this time it was illegal for Catholics to travel more than five miles away from their homes without a pass from the Sheriff of the County. Helping the King would therefore be hazardous. Wilmot had gone to Bentley Hall, the home of Colonel John Lane, who had been an officer in the Royalist Army since 1642. His sister was Jane Lane. She was described by John Evelyn as an acute wit, an excellent disputant though no beauty. Wilmot learned that Jane had obtained a permit from the military for herself and a servant to travel to the seaport of Bristol, to visit a relation, Ellen Norton, who was having a baby. Lord Wilmot saw the opportunity of escaping through Bristol in the guise of the servant, since no lady would travel alone. On learning of the King's failure to reach Wales, Wilmot decided that the King should take advantage of the military pass and travel to Bristol as Jane Lane's servant, and then find a ship to take him to France. When the King reached Bentley Hall early on 10 September 1651, he was quickly dressed as a tenant farmer's son and adopted the alias William Jackson' for the next part of his journey. The party then set out, Charles riding the same horse as Jane Lane. They were accompanied by Withy Petre, her husband John Petre, and Henry Lascelles, another related Royalist officer. Lord Wilmot refused to travel in disguise; he rode openly half a mile ahead of the party and if challenged he said he would claim to be out hunting. This was a risky yet useful decoy. The party rode through Rowley Regis then Quinton to Bromsgrove. When they arrived at Bromsgrove they found that the horse ridden by Charles and Jane had lost a shoe. The King, playing the role of servant, took the horse to a blacksmith. The King when he later told his story to Samuel Pepys and others said. As I was holding my horse's foot, I asked the smith what news. He told me that there was no news that he knew of, since the good news of the beating the rogues of the Scots. I asked him whether there was none of the English taken that joined with the Scots, He answered he did not hear if that rogue, Charles Stuart, were taken; but some of the others, he said, were taken. I told him that if that rogue were taken, he deserved to be hanged more than all the rest, for bringing in the Scots. Upon which he said I spoke like an honest man; and so we parted. The party reached Wootton Wawen where cavalry had gathered outside the inn. Here John and Withy Petre went ahead of the party. The King, Jane and Henry Lascelles with great coolness rode through the troops. The party then continued through Stratford-upon-Avon, and on to Long Marston where they spent the night of 10 September at the house of John Tomes, another relation of Jane's.