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- BIOGRAPHY
Without his parents' consent, George Vaux married Elizabeth Roper on 25 July 1585. Because of this, his parents had disinherited George Vaux in favour of a younger brother, Ambrose. However, George Vaux died almost ten years later, leaving Elizabeth a young widow.
From 1598 onwards, she sheltered a Jesuit, John Gerard, at Harrowden for several years. In November 1605 John Gerard was suspected of complicity in the Gunpowder plot. For nine days a hundred men searched Harrowden but failed to find him. Apparently John Gerard had fled to the continent until six years later, in November 1611, it was feared that he had returned to Harrowden. Elizabeth was then arrested and sent to the Fleet prison. After indictment at the Old Bailey for refusing to take the Oath of Allegiance on 19 February 1612, she was condemned to perpetual imprisonment and confined in Newgate. Here she remained until she was released on 3 July 1613 for eight months to recover her health. In November 1625 she was living at Boughton, but it is not known when or where she died.
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