In 20 Hen. VI. he was in the wars of France, and in 24 Hen. VI. his father made him lord treasurer m of Ireland. In 32 Hen. VI. he had livery" of his lands, having succeeded to the earldom the year before; and in 35 Hen. VI. was made lord treasurer of England; and the same year, on May 14th, a chapter of the Order of the Garter being held at Windsor, he presided there, deputed thereto verbally by the King, a commission having been before given him at Hertford, on April 18th. On December 19th, 1459, he had," in consideration of the charge he had been at in the King's service, a grant of a hundred marks yearly, during his life, out of the revenues of the lordship of Wakefield, in com. Ebor. but on July 10th, 1460, he was slain 9 in the battle of Northampton, with Sir Christopher his brother, fighting for the Lancastrian interest, and was buried in the priory of Worksop, with this inscription:

Sepulchrum magnanimi atque præpotent. Domini, Domini Johannis de Tallot, Comitis Salopiæ secundi, ex Regio sanguine ducentis originem. Qui Henrico Regi fidissimus, Bello apud Northamptoniam gesto, ante signa strenue pugnans, honestá morte occidit die decimo Julii, Anno Domini nostri Jesu Christi 1460. Cujus Animæ propitietur Deus. Amen."

He had to wife first Catherine, one of the daughters and heirs of Sir Edward Burnel, son of Hugh Lord Burnel, but had no issue by her. His Lordship next married Elizabeth, daughter of James Butler, Earl of Ormond and Wiltshire; and by her left issue five sons.

First, John, his successor, third Earl of Shrewsbury.

Second, Sir James Talbot, Knight, who died without issue. Third, Sir Gilbert Talbot, of Grafton in Worcestershire, Knight Banneret, ancestor to the present Earl of Shrewsbury, and Earl Talbot.

Fourth, Christopher, archdeacon of Chester, and rector of Whitchurch in Shropshire; and,

Fifth, George.

4

Registr. de Wyrksop. Vid. F.sc. 38 H. VI. n. 36, et Esc 5 E. IV n 41.

r Claus. 9 H. V. m. 20.

• Monast. Angl. vol. ii. p. 939, b n. 10, et Pat. 36 H. VI. p. 2, m. 6.

As also two daughters, Lady Anne, wife of Sir Henry Vernon, of Haddon, in com. Derb. Knight, and Lady Margaret, wife to Thomas Chaworth, of Wyverton in Nottinghamshire, Esq. son of Sir William Chaworth, Knight.

The said Elizabeth, Countess of Shrewsbury, departed this life on Saturday next after the nativity of the Blessed Virgin, September 8th, 1473.

JOHN, THIRD EARL OF SHREWSBURY, in 11 Edw. IV. was made chief justice of North Wales, with commission to array and arm all persons of body able, and estate sufficient, residing in the counties of Salop, Stafford, and the marches of North Wales, for the defence of that country from the danger of those unlawful and tumultuous assemblies, then frequent in those parts. In 12 Edw. IV. he was constituted one of the King's commissioners, to treat with certain commissioners from James III. King of Scotland, concerning grievances from the subjects of that realm. He married a Catherine, daughter of Humphry Stafford, Duke of Buckingham; and departing this life on June 28th, 1473, was buried in the priory of Worksop leaving issue by his Countess, who survived till December 26th, 1476, George his son and heir, aged five years.

Second, Thomas, who died without issue, and was buried in the Prædicants priory, London.

And Lady Anne, who was married to Thomas Butler, Lord Sudley.

f

GEORGE, FOURTH EARL OF SHREWSBURY, in 1 Hen. VII. was made one of the King's privy-council, and was in the battle of Stoke, near Newark on Trent, June 16th, 1487, against Lambert Simnel and his adherents; where having distinguished himself by his courage and bravery, he was soon after elected a Knight of the Garter, and was installed on Sunday after Easter, in 1488. In 5 Hen. VII. he was one of the principal commanders of those forces sent in aid of Maximilian I. Emperor, against Charles VIII. of France.

In 1509 he was constituted steward of the King's household,

Ex Autog. apud Haddon penes prænob. Joh. Comit. Rutl.

* Pat. 39 H. VI, m.

y Ibid. m 3.

a Catal of Nobil. by R. B.

< Catal. of Nobil. by R. B.

e Ibid. p. 573, n. 20. f Anstis's Reg of the Gart. vol. i. p. 228, 231.

* Polyd. Virg. p. 584, n. 20.

Herb. Hist. of H. VIII. p. 3.

k

and one of the privy-council. In 1513 he commanded the van of the King's army at the siege of Therouenne. In June 1520 he was present at that memorable interview of King Henry VIII. and Francis I. of France, betwixt Guisnes and Ardres; as also at those famous warlike exercises then performed there. In 14 Hen. VIII. he was' lieutenant general of the North, and made some inroads into Scotland; and in 17 Hen. VIII. was made constable of the castles of Radnor and Wigmore. In 1529 he was amongst other of the great lords who subscribed those articles" which proved so fatal to Cardinal Wolsey; as also, the year following, that declaration sent to Pope Clement VII. for ratifying the divorce betwixt the King and his first Queen Catherine. In 28 Hen. VIII. on that rebellion in the north P called the pilgrimage of grace, he was constituted the King's lieutenant, to march thither with a powerful army; and, with the Duke of Norfolk, brought them to submission, and obtained for them the King's pardon. On that dangerous insurrection the Earl of Shrewsbury raised many men, before he had the King's commission for it; by which hazardous step he much advanced the service. Lord Herbert, in his Life of King Henry VIII. observes of this Earl, "That though his zeal for the welfare of the state were above scruples, and that some learned men in the law besides had told him, that, his intention being good, his action could not be construed ill; he yet said, he knew his danger so well, as he had sent to the King for a pardon: while for deterring the rebels, as well as the satisfying many, who otherwise might have suspected him, he gave an oath to his men to be true unto the King; protesting further, that, according to the ancient loyalty of the Talbots to the crown when it had been on a stake, he would have lived and died in defence of it."

r

This Earl of Shrewsbury is characterised by Polydore Virgil to be a person noble, prudent, and moderate through the whole course of his life; and departing this life at his manor of Wingfield, in com. Derb. on July 26th, 1541, was buried at Sheffield. By his first Lady, Anne, daughter of William Lord Hastings, chamberlain to Edward IV. he had issue six sons.

t

Glover's Visitation of Yorksh. penes præhon Joh. Com Egmont. p. 41,

42, and Catal of Nob by R. B.

First, Henry, who died young, and was buried in the priory of Calk, in com. Derb.

Second, Francis, who succeeded him in his lands and honours. Third and fourth, John and John, who died in their infancy, and were buried at Ashby de la Zouch.

Fifth, William, who was born at Sheffield, and was promoted to be marshal of Ireland, and died without issue; and,

Sixth, Richard, born at Chelsea.

Also five daughters, first, Margaret, " wife to Henry Clifford, Earl of Cumberland, but died soon after marriage, and was buried in the vault of Skipton castle; second, Elizabeth, married to William Lord Dacre of Gillesland; third, Anne; fourth, Dorothy, both born at Wingfield manor; and, fifth, Mary, wife to Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland.

His second wife was Elizabeth, daughter and co-heir of Sir Richard Walden, of Erith in Kent, Knight, (where she is buried) by whom he had issue John, who died young; and Lady Anne, first married to Peter Compton, son and heir of Sir William Compton, Knight, (ancestor to the present Earl of Northampton,) afterwards to William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke.

FRANCIS, FIFTH EARL OF SHREWSBURY, born in Sheffield castle, A. D. 1500, was summoned to parliament among the Barons, on February 17th, 1532-3, his father then living and in the year his father died obtained from the King, by exchange for the manor of Farnham Royal, in com. Buck. the inheritance of the scite of the priory of Worksop, in com. Nott. with divers other lands.

a

In 34 Hen. VIII. this Earl Francis was in that army which then marched into Scotland; and in 36 Hen. VIII. commanding the rear of the English army, they plundered Leith, and made great spoil, by burning and rapine, in the city of Edinburgh, and all the country thereabouts. The same year he was also constituted the King's lieutenant of the north; and on April 23d, in 37 Hen. VIII. was (in a chapter held at St. James's) elected, and on May 17th following installed, one the Knights Companions of the most noble Order of the Garter. In 2 Edw. VI. he was sent

E MS. famil. Clifford, lib. iii. p 17, penes Dom. Lovell.
* Catal. of Nob. by R. B.
Journal of P. de eodem anno.

a Ibid. p. 507, 508.

Anstis's Reg. of the Garter, vol i. p. 434.

z Herb. præd p 483.

▸ Ibid. p 511.

Hayward's Life of Ed. VI. p. 49, 50.

с

again into Scotland with 15,000 men (against the French and Scots, then in arms) for the relief of Haddington, at that time besieged; where, after he had victualled and reinforced the town, he encamped near the enemy: but finding them not inclinable to fight, though they had received great supplies, he returned to his camp, and soon after set out for England. Also the same year he was constituted justice of all the forests beyond Trent; and in 1 Mariæ made president of the council in the north.

Of this Earl, his father, and the two succeeding generations, we have memoirs in the Introduction to the Illustrations of British History, drawn from the HOWARD, TALBOT, and CECIL papers, by Mr. LODGE, who has given us a specimen in how interesting and instructive a manner a Peerage might be written, by one, who could unite the industry and opportunity to search into original documents with a genius like his, added to the leisure to make use of them to the extent required for so multifarious a work as an account of our numerous English nobility: but such a work would require many years of unbroken labour and undivided attention.

66

Francis, fifth Earl," says he, "though a nobleman of no ordinary abilities, appears to have been confined almost entirely to a military life, and his services in that line are largely detailed in the first volume of the Illustrations. The bravery, prudence, and fidelity, which had distinguished him in his important public situations, during the reign of Queen Mary, induced Elizabeth to retain him among those few servants of the late reign, whom she admitted to her privy-council, when she mounted the throne; but his steady adherence to the religion of his ancestors probably obstructed his further promotion. Of the whole body of the tem poral peers, who had so lately and unanimously subscribed to the recognition of the temporal authority, only this nobleman and one more (Viscount Montague) could now be found to oppose the revocation of that concession. He survived this uncourtly act of sincerity but for a few months, and dying September 25th, 1560, (aged sixty) was buried with his father at Sheffield," leaving issue, by his first wife Mary, daughter to Thomas Lord Dacres of Gillesland, George his only surviving son and successor (his younger son Thomas dying before, unmarried) and one daughter, Lady Anne, married, first, to John Lord Bray," and afterwards

• Pat. 2 E. VI. p 2.
Glover præd.

f Pat. I M. p. 2.

I. 15, in Offic. Arm. 279, a