Lady Arabella Stuart (1575-1615) was the only child of Charles Stuart, 1st Earl of Lennox (1555-1576) and Elizabeth Cavendish (1555-1582). As a direct descendant of Henry VII, Arabella was considered as a potential candidate to succeed her cousin twice removed, Elizabeth I, although there is no evidence that she herself wanted this. In 1610, Arabella was fourth in line to the throne and was found to have secretly married William Seymour, 2nd Duke of Somerset (1588-1660), sixth in line to the throne, without the permission of the king, who was unhappy at the union of two potential Tudor pretenders to the throne. Both Arabella and Seymour were placed under separate house arrest, but escaped (Arabella disguised as a man) and planned to meet in Lee, Kent, to sail for France. Mis-timed, they set off in separate boats, she for Calais; he for Flanders. Arabella's boat was overtaken by one of the king's ships and she was imprisoned in the Tower of London, where she remained until her death four years later.