(Sir Francis), a renowned English general, was the second son of Geoffrey de Vere, a branch of the ancient family of that name, earls of Oxford, and was born in the year 1514. Concerning his education we are uninformed. About the age of 31 he embarked with the troops sent by Queen Elizabeth, under the command of the earl of Leicester, to the assistance of the states of Holland; in which service his courage and military genius became immediately conspicuous: but his gallant behaviour in the defence of Bergen-op-Zoom, in the year 1588, when besieged by the prince of Parma, established his reputation. After the siege was raised, he received the honour of knighthood from lord Willoughby, who succeeded the earl of Leicester in the command. He continued in the service of the states till about the year 1595; during which time, namely, in 1593, he was elected member of parliament for Leominster in Herefordshire. The famous expedition against Cadiz being resolved upon, Sir Francis Vere was called home, and appointed to a principal command under the earl of Essex. The success of this enterprise is universally known. In 1597 we find him again in Holland, present at the battle of Turnhout, of which he has given a particular description in his Commentaries. In the same year he embarked, with the earl of Essex, in the expedition to the Azores; and at his return was appointed governor of the Briel in Holland, with the command of the English troops in the service of the states. In 1600 he was one of the three generals at the battle of Newport, and had the honour of having the victory universally ascribed to his conduct and resolution. The states of Holland, then at war with Spain, marched their army with an intention to besiege Newport in Flanders. The commanders were, count Ernest of Nassau, count Somes, and Sir Francis Vere. The Spaniards marched to intercept them, and this battle ensued. Sir Francis was shot first through the leg, and then through the same thigh; notwithstanding which, he rallied the flying army, and led them on to victory. The Spaniards lost 120 ensigns, and most of their foot were slain. Queen Elizabeth on this occasion declared him the worthiest captain of her time. (See Letters of the Sidney Family, vol. ii. p. 104.) But the last and most glorious achievement of his life was his gallant defence of Ostend, with about 1600 men, against an army of 12,000, from July 1601 until March 1601, when he resigned the government, and returned to Holland. An account of this memorable siege, which lasted above three years, to the destruction of the best troops of Holland, Spain, France, England, Scotland, and Italy, the reader may see in Vere's Commentaries, with the Continuation at the end. Queen Elizabeth died in the year 1603; the peaceful James succeeded to the throne; and Sir Francis Vere, with all the heroes of his time, sheathed his sword. He died in 1608, in the 54th year of his age; and was buried in St John's Chapel in Westminster abbey, where a splendid monument was erected to his memory. He married the daughter of —— Dent, a citizen of London, by whom he had three sons and two daughters, none of whom survived him. He will ever be remembered by posterity as one of the greatest heroes of our most heroic age.

The work above mentioned is intitled, "The Commentaries of Sir Francis Vere, being diverse pieces of service wherein he had command; written by himself by way of commentary." Cambridge, 1657, folio. It is elegantly printed, and adorned with prints of Sir Francis, Sir Horace Vere, Sir John Ogle, maps, and plans of battles, &c.