Mary Talbot, Countess of Shrewsbury
Encyclopedia
Mary Talbot, Countess of Shrewsbury (1556–1632) was the wife of Gilbert Talbot, 7th Earl of Shrewsbury
.
. By all accounts, Mary inherited her mother's strong will and colourful character. Bess of Hardwick remarried to Sir William St. Loe, who left his wife everything when he died in 1564/5, making her one of the most eligible women in England
. A number of important men began to court her, including George Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury
.
From The Living Age:
, later the 7th Earl of Shrewsbury
, in 1568.
Their children were:
as an adult. This may have been one of the reasons why she gave financial assistance to her niece Arbella Stuart
in 1610, with the knowledge that the latter was planning to elope to the Continent
. For this she was imprisoned in the Tower of London
. She was tried for her role in the escape, and was heavily fined, but not released. Later, Arbella accused Mary of being involved in a Catholic
plot.
In 1615, after Arbella
's death, Mary was released from the Tower
, partly in recognition of her role in detecting the murder of Sir Thomas Overbury
. However, a few years later, in 1618, she was called to give evidence in the course of an inquiry into the rumors that Arbella had secretly given birth to a child. Mary refused to testify, and was returned to the Tower, where she remained until 1623.
Gilbert Talbot, 7th Earl of Shrewsbury
Gilbert Talbot, 7th Earl of Shrewsbury, 7th Earl of Waterford, KG was was a peer in the peerage of England.He was the eldest surviving son of George Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury, by the latter's first marriage to Gertrude Manners, daughter of the first Earl of Rutland.In 1568, Gilbert was...
.
Family
Born Mary Cavendish, she was the daughter of Sir William Cavendish, who died when she was about a year old, and his wife Bess of HardwickBess of Hardwick
Elizabeth Talbot, Countess of Shrewsbury Elizabeth Talbot, Countess of Shrewsbury Elizabeth Talbot, Countess of Shrewsbury (c. 1521 – 13 February 1608, known as Bess of Hardwick, was the daughter of John Hardwick, of Derbyshire and Elizabeth Leeke, daughter of Thomas Leeke and Margaret Fox...
. By all accounts, Mary inherited her mother's strong will and colourful character. Bess of Hardwick remarried to Sir William St. Loe, who left his wife everything when he died in 1564/5, making her one of the most eligible women in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. A number of important men began to court her, including George Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury
George Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury
George Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury, 6th Earl of Waterford, 12th Baron Talbot, KG, Earl Marshal was a 16th century English statesman.-Life:...
.
From The Living Age:
Lady St. LoeBess of HardwickElizabeth Talbot, Countess of Shrewsbury Elizabeth Talbot, Countess of Shrewsbury Elizabeth Talbot, Countess of Shrewsbury (c. 1521 – 13 February 1608, known as Bess of Hardwick, was the daughter of John Hardwick, of Derbyshire and Elizabeth Leeke, daughter of Thomas Leeke and Margaret Fox...
consented to give her hand and heart to the 6th Earl of ShrewsburyGeorge Talbot, 6th Earl of ShrewsburyGeorge Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury, 6th Earl of Waterford, 12th Baron Talbot, KG, Earl Marshal was a 16th century English statesman.-Life:...
in consideration of his settling a large jointure on her, and marrying his second son, Gilbert TalbotGilbert Talbot, 7th Earl of ShrewsburyGilbert Talbot, 7th Earl of Shrewsbury, 7th Earl of Waterford, KG was was a peer in the peerage of England.He was the eldest surviving son of George Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury, by the latter's first marriage to Gertrude Manners, daughter of the first Earl of Rutland.In 1568, Gilbert was...
, to her daughter, Mary Cavendish, and his daughter Grace to her son Henry Cavendish. These preliminary alliances were duly effected in 1568, one of the brides, Mary, being then not quite twelve years old. The parents were married soon after.
Marriage
She married her stepbrother Gilbert TalbotGilbert Talbot, 7th Earl of Shrewsbury
Gilbert Talbot, 7th Earl of Shrewsbury, 7th Earl of Waterford, KG was was a peer in the peerage of England.He was the eldest surviving son of George Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury, by the latter's first marriage to Gertrude Manners, daughter of the first Earl of Rutland.In 1568, Gilbert was...
, later the 7th Earl of Shrewsbury
Earl of Shrewsbury
Earl of Shrewsbury is a hereditary title of nobility created twice in the peerage of England.-First creation, 1074:The first creation occurred in 1074 for Roger de Montgomerie, one of William the Conqueror's principal counselors...
, in 1568.
Their children were:
- George, 1575-1577
- MaryMary Talbot HerbertMary Herbert, Countess of Pembroke was the wife of William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke.Mary was the daughter of Gilbert Talbot, 7th Earl of Shrewsbury, by his wife Mary, and was thus a granddaughter of Bess of Hardwick. She married William Herbert on 4 November 1604. They had only one child,...
, later Countess of PembrokeEarl of PembrokeEarl of Pembroke is a title created ten times, all in the Peerage of England. It was first created in the 12th century by King Stephen of England. The title is associated with Pembroke, Pembrokeshire in West Wales, which is the site of Earldom's original seat Pembroke Castle... - ElizabethElizabeth Grey, Countess of KentElizabeth Grey, Countess of Kent was the wife of Henry Grey, 8th Earl of Kent.She was a daughter of Gilbert Talbot, 7th Earl of Shrewsbury and Mary Cavendish....
, later Countess of KentEarl of KentThe peerage title Earl of Kent has been created eight times in the Peerage of England and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.See also Kingdom of Kent, Duke of Kent.-Earls of Kent, first creation :*Godwin, Earl of Wessex... - John, born and died 1583
- Alethea, later Countess of ArundelEarl of ArundelThe title Earl of Arundel is the oldest extant Earldom and perhaps the oldest extant title in the Peerage of England. It is currently held by the Duke of Norfolk, and is used by his heir apparent as a courtesy title. It was created in 1138 for the Norman baron Sir William d'Aubigny...
Imprisonment
Although her family was Protestant, Mary converted to CatholicismCatholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
as an adult. This may have been one of the reasons why she gave financial assistance to her niece Arbella Stuart
Arbella Stuart
Lady Arbella Stuart was an English Renaissance noblewoman who was for some time considered a possible successor to Queen Elizabeth I on the English throne....
in 1610, with the knowledge that the latter was planning to elope to the Continent
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. For this she was imprisoned in the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
. She was tried for her role in the escape, and was heavily fined, but not released. Later, Arbella accused Mary of being involved in a Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
plot.
In 1615, after Arbella
Arbella Stuart
Lady Arbella Stuart was an English Renaissance noblewoman who was for some time considered a possible successor to Queen Elizabeth I on the English throne....
's death, Mary was released from the Tower
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
, partly in recognition of her role in detecting the murder of Sir Thomas Overbury
Thomas Overbury
Sir Thomas Overbury was an English poet and essayist, and the victim of one of the most sensational crimes in English history...
. However, a few years later, in 1618, she was called to give evidence in the course of an inquiry into the rumors that Arbella had secretly given birth to a child. Mary refused to testify, and was returned to the Tower, where she remained until 1623.