Mary Vere

Mary Vere (1581–1671) was an English letter writer.

She was born Mary Tracy, a daughter of Sir John Tracy (died 1591) of Toddington, Gloucestershire and his wife Anne, a daughter of Thomas Throckmorton (died 1568).[1] Her brother Sir Thomas Tracy was a member of the household of Anne of Denmark, as an usher of her privy chamber.[2]

She married firstly, William Hoby (died 1603). They had two children.

In October or November 1607, she married the veteran soldier Horace Vere.[2]

Their children included:

• Elizabeth Vere, who married John Holles, 2nd Earl of Clare
• Mary Vere, who married, (1) Sir Roger Townshend of Raynham in Norfolk, (2) Mildmay Fane, 2nd Earl of Westmorland
• Catherine Vere, who married, (1) Oliver St John, (2) John Poulett, 2nd Baron Poulett
• Anne Vere, who married Sir Thomas Fairfax in 1637
• Dorothy Vere, who married John Wolstenholme, eldest son of Sir John Wolstenholme of Nostell, Yorkshire
• Susanna Vere (1619–1623)

Mary Vere was a Puritan. She wrote "God will provide" at the front of most of the books in her closet.[3] In 1608 she donated a book to Sir Thomas Bodley's library, and asked that it be inscribed in Latin as a gift from the daughter of Sir John Tracy.[4] A number of religious works were dedicated to her.[5]

She was widowed in 1635. Mary Vere lived at Hackney. Her chaplain Samuel Rogers kept a diary. He much preferred her to Margaret Denny, the widow of Edward Denny, his previous patron.[6]

At the death of the widow of Lord Vere's eldest brother, John Vere, she inherited Kirby Hall, where she died on Christmas Eve 1671, aged 90.