 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 married to Sir Edward Dering.