When twenty-seven years of age, she married, for his third wife, Sir William Cavendish. They were married at Bradgate, co. Leicester, at 2 a.m. Bradgate Park belonged Dorset, afterwards Duke

to the Grey family-the Marquis of of Suffolk, father of the Lady Jane Grey, the nine days Queen. Five of that family were god-parents to their children; amongst them the Lady Jane Grey, and her sister Lady Katharine Grey, who was sent to the tower, and died there, for marrying Edward Seymour, Earl of Hertford, without leave of Queen Elizabeth. At Welbeck there is a pocket-book which belonged to Sir William Cavendish, wherein he has written the names of the god-parents of all the children of his third marriage; and a very interesting list it is. Amongst them being Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth, Sir William Paulet, Marquis of Winchester, and Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, which accounts for their portraits being in the hall.

Sir William and Lady Cavendish's married life lasted ten years, from 1547 to 1557-through the reign of Edward VI., and the first years of Queen Mary. Sir William Cavendish died leaving Lady Cavendish, aged thirty-seven, with eight young children. Lady Cavendish presently married a third husband, Sir William St. Loe, of Tormarton, co. of Gloucester, Captain of the Guard to Queen Elizabeth. As Lady St. Loe, she was sent to the Tower for being confidante to the marriage of Lady Catharine Grey to Edward Seymour, and not disclosing it.

In 1568 Lady St. Loe was married to George, sixth Earl of Shrewsbury, who was then accounted the greatest subject of the realm. In 1569 the Queen of Scots was placed in their charge; after a time the Countess became jealous of the Queen, and she separated from her husband. In 1575 her daughter, Elizabeth Cavendish, was married at Rufford, to Charles Stuart, Earl of Lennox, brother to Lord Darnley, the husband of Mary Queen of Scots. Their only child was the Lady Arabella Stuart. If James I., the son of Darnley and Mary the Queen of Scots, had died without issue, then

the Lady Arabella was the next heir to the thrones of England and Scotland, and through her the Countess of Shrewsbury, at one time, hoped to be grandmother of the Queen of England, which added to her pride. Through her nearness to the throne, by the action of the Privy Council, the Lady Arabella Stuart was practically a prisoner at Hardwick for some years.

Mary Queen of Scots was beheaded in A.D. 1587. The Earl of Shrewsbury died in 1590, and was buried in Sheffield Parish Church. The Countess survived him seventeen years. she died at Hardwick, A.D. 1608, and was buried at All Saints' Church, Derby, aged eighty-seven.

Horace Walpole tells us that the income of the Countess was £60,000 a year, and that in A.D. 1760, her estates were let for £200,000, which in present value is probably over £300,000. And since then the fourth Duke married the heiress of the Boyles the Earl of Burlington and Corkwhich brought into the family, Lismore Castle, with—so it has been said-52,000 acres in co. Cork, and 27,000 acres in Tipperary, and Bolton Abbey and Lonesborough, and Chiswick in England; and Compton Place, Eastbourne has come through another heiress. The Dukes of Devonshire have a princely income, and they spend it in a princely manner

It is the extraordinary contrast from the beginning of her life to its close, that helps to make the life of Elizabeth Hardwick so interesting and surprising. She began life as the third daughter of Mr. John Hardwick, of Old Hardwick Hall. He was a country Squire, of small patrimony, whose family had been settled at Hardwick for six generations. His house was only the middle portion of the Old Hall, the two wings were added by the countess herself. Elizabeth Hardwick ended by marrying the first subject in the land, and at one time her grand-daughter was heir presumptive to the thrones of England and Scotland. The successors of three of her children became dukes-the Duke of Devonshire, the Duke of Newcastle, and the Duke of Kingston, now represented by the Dukes of Devonshire and Portland, and

MANSFIELD

WOODHOUSE.

Earl Manvers, and one daughter married the seventh Earl of Shrewsbury, another daughter married the Earl of Lennox; a wonderful close to her opening life.

After reading the above paper, Mr. Brodhurst shewed the visitors' book, which contained recent signatures of the King and Queen and of other guests from Chatsworth. The party then inspected the various rooms, while Mr. Brodhurst acting as guide, drew attention, from time to time, to the many details of antiquarian and historical interest.

At 12.45 p.m., Hardwick Hall was left behind, and our way made towards the inn where a well-served luncheon was very welcome, and was fully appreciated. After luncheon, most of our members strolled, by way of the park, to the top of the hill, before taking their seats in the brakes. The Chesterfield Road was then struck, viâ Rowthorne, and our journey was continued by way of the beautiful vale of Pleasley, which looked its best on this June afternoon. Mansfield Woodhouse was reached about 3.30 p.m. Here the vicar, the Rev. C. Webb, Mrs. Webb, Mr. and Mrs. F. J. Turner, Mrs. and Miss Need, met the visitors.

The members of the Society were indebted to the Rev. C. Webb for kindly affording them information about his church, in which he has been instrumental in introducing several improvements during his incumbency. He mentioned that George Fox was stoned here in the 17th century; also that the parish was notorious for the number of bridges it contained, in consequence of the stream that runs through the village, near to which traces of a Roman villa have been found.

Mr. George Fellows has furnished the following additional information.

Mansfield Woodhouse, no doubt, derived its name from its proximity to Sherwood Forest. Leland refers to it as "a little poor street at the end of this wood," and, in the more remote times of Henry VI., a Sir Robert Plumbton held a piece of ground here by service of sounding a horn to drive away the wolves.

The church of St. Edmund underwent a considerable restoration at the hands of Mr. (afterwards Sir) Gilbert Scott in the year 1847, which resulted in a very appreciable change in the appearance of the structure, for he did away with the clerestory, and substituted the present high-pitched slate roof, and built the north aisle. The church, however, has passed through other vicissitudes, for Thoroton quotes from an old forest book, written 1520 or 1533, "Be it had in mynd that the Towne of Maunsfeld Woodhouse was burned the Saturdays nexte afore the Fest of Exaltation of the holy Crosse, the yere of our Lord M.CCC.IIII. And the Kirk Stepull, with the Belles of the same, for the Stepull was afore of Tymber worke: and part of the Kyrk was burned."

The present steeple was built after this demolition. This and the Early English south arcade, with its clustered and filleted columns, and the side chapel, are the oldest and most interesting portions of the present fabric.

This new steeple in stone was commenced in 1306, and consists of a tower in three stages, the two lower being of the Early English, and the top one, containing the belfry windows, of the Decorated period, and is supported by strong buttresses at each angle.

The broach spire is peculiar in having the upper range of lights, which are unpierced, close to the apex of the spire; it is now braced together in several places with iron clamps, having been badly cracked by a severe earthquake shock, which occurred during service on a Sunday morning in the summer of 1830.

In the chantry chapel referred to is a monument in stone to Sir John Digby and his wife, Lucia, daughter of Thomas Trigget, of South Kirby, Yorks, with a long inscription

beneath. He came of an illustrious family, and was a staunch supporter of King Charles I. He died 1684. His grandson died without a male heir, and the estates were sold in 1736 to John Hall, Esq., whose descendants still own half the chapel;

the right to the other half having eventually passed with the possession of the Digbys' old manor house, which adjoins the church, to the Duke of Portland.