She was the daughter of Daniel Harvey of Combe, Croydon, Surrey, a turkey merchant in London (brother of Doctor William Harvey who first described blood circulation accurately) and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Henry Kynnersley, also a London merchant.
Mary studied with Henry Lawes, who dedicated his book to her. In the dedication he highly praises her compositions, and says that few of any sex have matched their perfection. Some of her music was published in John Playford"s Select Ayres and Dialogues, and three of her songs were published in Lawes" Second book of airs.
These are the first known published works by a woman in England.
On 5 April 1648 Mary Harvey was married to Sir Edward Dering. They had seventeen children, seven of whom died young.
Lady Dering was buried at Pluckley in Kent, and has a memorial inscription in the church there.
