Winifred Herbert

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Winifred Maxwell, Countess of Nithsdale, née Winifred Herbert (c.1680-1749), is best known for arranging the daring escape of her husband from the Tower of London in 1716.

Her father was William Herbert, 1st Marquess of Powis, and she married, on March 2, 1699, William Maxwell, 5th Earl of Nithsdale, a Catholic nobleman. The couple had met at the French court, where Winifred's father was in exile, while Nithsdale was paying his respects to the former King James II of England. While resident at Terregles, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, the couple had five children. In 1715, Nithsdale joined the Jacobite rebellion, but he was captured at the Battle of Preston and sent to the Tower of London. Having been tried for treason, he was sentenced to death, despite Winifred's personal appeal to King George I. On the night before his execution was due to take place, she persuaded the guards to let her see him, dressed him in women's clothing (including the "Nithsdale Cloak", which is still held by the family) and smuggled him out. They escapted to France, and went from there to Rome in the retinue of James Francis Edward Stuart.