Fourth marriage Bess of Hardwick

arms of talbot: gules, lion rampant within bordure engrailled or

despite being courted several suitors, bess did not remarry until 1568, when married fourth time become countess of shrewsbury. new husband, george talbot, 6th earl of shrewsbury, 1 of premier aristocrats of realm, , father of 7 children first marriage. indeed, 2 of children married 2 of hers in double ceremony in february 1568: bess s daughter mary cavendish, aged 12, given in marriage shrewsbury s eldest son gilbert, aged 16; while bess s son, sir henry cavendish, aged 18, married shrewsbury s daughter lady grace talbot, aged 8.

in year before bess , earl of shrewsbury married, political disturbance arose in scotland north, profoundly affect lives. rebel scottish lords rose against mary, queen of scots, imprisoned her, , forced abdicate in favour of one-year-old infant son, james. in may 1568, mary escaped captivity in scotland, , fled south towards england, seeking protection of cousin, queen elizabeth. however, english authorities not sure how receive her. on 18 may, taken protective custody @ carlisle castle local officials.

queen elizabeth felt obliged host , protect mary, cousin, against rebellious scottish lords. however, due mary s persistent claim english throne, elizabeth regarded threat. elizabeth had mary moved bolton castle in yorkshire, lodged under guard of francis knollys, pending york conference inquiry, regarding mary s fate. inquiry results inconclusive; yet elizabeth did not set mary free. instead, mary detained under custody of earl of shrewsbury, , wife bess. elizabeth s instruction bess , husband amounted little more mary s house arrest. mary reached new residence, tutbury castle, in february 1569, when 26 years old, , remain in custody of shrewsbury , bess 15 years. elizabeth shifted costs of imprisonment shrewsbury. mary s presence in home, financial costs , political tensions, may have contributed rift between shrewsbury , bess, lead break-up of marriage.

while in care of earl , countess, queen mary lived @ 1 or of many houses in midlands: tutbury, wingfield manor, chatsworth house, , sheffield manor. throughout period, bess spent time mary s companion, working on embroidery , textile projects. indeed, mary s work later become part of bess s historical collection @ hardwick hall, inspired rhyme, hardwick hall, more glass wall , because of number , size of windows.

bess of hardwick, 1550s

bess joined mary @ chatsworth extended periods in 1569, 1570, , 1571, during time worked on oxburgh hangings. not until mary removed keeper, sir amias paulet, got trouble lead execution. previous queen s change in custody, shrewsbury , bess separated good. had been apart, off , on, since 1580; , queen elizabeth had tried them reconcile. mary seems have aggravated, if not created, problems playing them off against each other. countess spread rumors husband shrewsbury had been in relationship mary, charge has never been proved or disproved, seems unlikely given shrewsbury s disposition , increasingly poor health. on death in 1590, bess became dowager countess of shrewsbury.