Sir Francis Kane 1611-1681 During the English Civil War Sir Francis was the Royalist commander of the castle when the Parliamentarians laid siege to Lincoln on 3-6 May 1644. Initially, heavy rain and mud made the steeply sloped mound below the castle walls too slippery to climb. However, the Parliamentarians eventually scaled the walls with ladders and overwhelmed the small Royalist force within. Sir Francis was taken prisoner.