Mildmay Fane (12 September 1602 – 12 May 1666) was an English nobleman, politician, and poet of the early‑17th century. He succeeded his father, Francis Fane, as the 2nd Earl of Westmorland in 1629 and is principally remembered for his contributions to English verse, notably the privately printed collection Poems (1640) and the devotional work Otia Sacra (1648).
Early life and education
Mildmay Fane was born into the aristocratic Fane family, the son of Francis Fane, 1st Earl of Westmorland, and his wife, Mary Mildmay. He received a typical education for a nobleman of his period, including attendance at a university (insufficient encyclopedic information regarding the specific institution) and legal training at Lincoln’s Inn.
Political career
Before inheriting the earldom, Fane served as a Member of Parliament for Peterborough during the 1624–1625 Parliament. After becoming the 2nd Earl of Westmorland, he held various local and national responsibilities, aligning himself with the Royalist cause during the English Civil War (1642–1651). His political activities are documented in parliamentary records and contemporary correspondence.
Literary work
Fane’s most notable literary contribution is the 1640 volume Poems, a collection of lyric and pastoral verses that represents one of the earliest examples of a privately printed poetic anthology by an English peer. The collection includes reflections on love, nature, and courtly life. In 1648 he published Otia Sacra, a series of religious poems and meditations that reveal his piety and engagement with contemporary devotional trends. While not a major figure in the canonical literary canon, Fane’s works are of interest to scholars of early modern poetry and the cultural history of the English nobility.
Personal life
Fane married twice. His first marriage was to [Insufficient Encyclopedic Information]. His second marriage produced several children, among them Francis Fane, who succeeded him as the 3rd Earl of Westmorland.
Death and legacy
Mildmay Fane died on 12 May 1666 at the family seat in Kent. He was interred in the family chapel at Apethorpe, Northamptonshire. Although his poetry did not achieve lasting popular acclaim, it provides valuable insight into the literary tastes and personal expression of an English aristocrat during a period of significant political upheaval. Modern scholars reference his works when examining the intersection of noble patronage, private printing, and poetic production in the early modern era.