Francis Lovelace
Return to England
### Return to England

Lovelace, whose property in New York had been confiscated by the Dutch, was sent home in disgrace to England. The Duke of York, blaming Lovelace for the loss of his namesake colony, confiscated his plantation on [Staten Island](/wiki/Staten_Island "Staten Island") and his English estates for a £7,000 debt. In January 1675 he was committed to the [Tower of London](/wiki/Tower_of_London "Tower of London"), where he was interrogated by commissioners. His answers were deemed unacceptable, but no further proceedings were brought against him. He contracted [dropsy](/wiki/Dropsy "Dropsy") and, because of his health, was released in April. He went to live at [Woodstock, Oxfordshire](/wiki/Woodstock%2C_Oxfordshire "Woodstock, Oxfordshire") and died, in [penury](/wiki/Penury "Penury"), by 22 December 1675 when [administration](/wiki/Intestacy "Intestacy") of his estate was granted to his brother Dudley.

The third new Governor of New York after Francis Lovelace was [John Lovelace, 4th Baron Lovelace](/wiki/John_Lovelace%2C_4th_Baron_Lovelace "John Lovelace, 4th Baron Lovelace") of [Hurley](/wiki/Hurley%2C_Berkshire "Hurley, Berkshire") – no kin to Francis of the Bethersden Lovelaces. Early genealogists confused Francis with an identically named son of [Richard Lovelace, 1st Baron Lovelace](/wiki/Richard_Lovelace%2C_1st_Baron_Lovelace "Richard Lovelace, 1st Baron Lovelace") of Hurley, due to a pamphlet issued at the time of his appointment mistakenly asserting that he was the brother of the said Richard. The confusion has also spread to more modern historians.


Who administered Lovelace's estate after his death?