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In 1530, Worksop was visited by Cardinal Wolsey, when he was on his way to Cawood, in Yorkshire, as will be seen by the following extract from "Cavendish's Life of Wolsey:"—"Then my lord, (i.e. Wolsey,) intending the next day to remove from thence (Newstead Abbey,) there resorted to him the Earl of Shrewsbury's keeper, and gentlemen, sent from him, to desire my lord, in their maister's behalf, to hunt in a parke of their maister's, called Worsoppe Parke."
At the latter end of this year, 1530, the Earl of Northumberland, Shrewsbury's son-in-law, was sent to arrest the Cardinal, at Cawood, and deliver him into the custody of the Earl of Shrewsbury. He arrived at Sheffield Manor on Tuesday, November 8th, and remained sixteen or eighteen days, and then proceeded to Leicester Abbey, where he died. This Earl of Shrewsbury died July 26th, 1531, at Win-field Manor, and was buried at Sheffield. He was succeeded by his son, by his first wife, Francis Talbot, fifth Earl of Shrewsbury, who was born at Sheffield, in 1500. Henry the VIII. said of him, "He is a gentleman, wise, and of good coorage." He was a great favourite with Henry VIII., and received from him considerable grants of Abbey lands, including the site of the dissolved Monastery of Worksop, which was founded by his ancestors.
He died September 21st, 1560, at Sheffield Manor. His son, by his first wife, now became his heir, who was George Talbot, the sixth Earl of Shrewsbury. The memoirs of this illustrious personage are intimately connected with a deeply interesting, though melancholy event in English history, the imprisonment of the beautiful and talented Mary, Queen of Scots, who was placed by Elizabeth under his care. It would occupy too much room to speak of her history further than as it is connected with the history of this place. There appears no doubt as to the fact that while under Shrewsbury's care, "she was allowed to visit Shrewsbury's seat at Worksop." The Talbot papers contain a letter to Baldwin, dated Nov. 3rd, 1583, denying that while the Queen was at Worksop she was permitted to walk in Sherwood Forest. (Talbot Papers, Vol. G. f. 225.) There is also a letter of her's, preserved in Labanoffs collection dated from Worksop, Sept. 3rd, of that year. This noble lord died at Sheffield Manor, November 18th, 1590. The title and inheritance then descended to his eldest surviving son, Gilbert Talbot seventh Earl of Shrewsbury. On the death of Queen Elizabeth, James VI., of Scotland, was named as her successor, and the proclamation was signed by the Earl of Shrewsbury. Worksop being in a convenient line for the Royal progress, the Earl wished to entertain him, and addressed the following letter to his agent, "John Harpur, Esq.:"—
"Mr. Harpur, yt maye be I shalbe verie shortly in the cuntrie, & perhaps may be soe happie as to entertaine the Kinge our sovaigne at Worsupp. I would entreate you to lett all my good frends in Derbyshire and Staffordshire know so much, to the end that I may have theire companie against such tyme as his Matie shall come thither. I know not how soone. If yt soe hap as I shall know wthin a few daies the certaintie; but then yt wilbe to late for your horses or anie thinge else to be prepared, unlesse you prepare them presently upon the receipt hereof. All things heere are well, & nothinge but unitie & good agreement. God continue yt. Amen, Amen.
"At my chamber in Whytehalle Pallace, this 30th of Marche, beinge Wednesdaie at night, in verie great hast 1603. "Your frende, most assured,
"GILB. SHREWSBURY.
"I will not refuse anie fatt capons & hennes, partridges, or the lyke, yf the King come to mee.
"G. SH.
"To my verie good friend, Mr. John Harpur, Esq., at Swarston, dd."
On the 5th April, 1603, the King left Edinburgh, and arrived at Worksop on the 20th, as will appear from the following brief account of his reception, by a contemporary writer:—" The 20th day, being Wednesday, his Majesty rode (from Doncaster) towards Worstop, the noble Earl of Shrewsbury's house; and at Batine, (Bawtry) the High Sheriffe of Yorkshire took his leave of the King, and there Mr. Askoth, the High Sheriffe of Nottinghamshire, received him,being gallantly appointed both with horse and man; and so he conducted his Majesty on, till he came within a mile of Blyth, where his highness lighted, and sat downe on a banke side to eate and drinke.
"After his Majesty's short repast, to Worstop his Majesty rides forward; but, by the way, in the Parke he was somewhat stayed, for there appeared a number of huntsmen, all in greene, the chief of which, with a woodman's speech, did welcome him, offering his Majestic to showe him some game, which he gladly condescended to see; and, with a traine set, he hunted a good space, very much delighted: at last he went into the house, where he was so nobly received, with superfluitie of all things, that still every entertainment seemed to exceed other. In this place, besides the abundance of all provision and delicacie, there was most excellent soul-ravishing musique, wherewith his highness was not a little delighted.
"At Worstop he rested on Wednesday night, and in the morning stayed breakfast; which ended, there was much store of provision left, of fowle, fish, and almost every thing, besides bread, beere, and wines, that it was left open for any man that would, to come and take."
On the demise of this Earl, 8th May, 1616, without surviving male issue, the title became the inheritance of his only surviving brother, Edward Talbot, the eighth Earl of Shrewsbury, who had married Jane, eldest daughter and co-heir of Cuthbert, Lord Ogle. This Edward died without issue, February 8th, 1617, when the Shrewsbury title passed to a distant relative, George Talbot, Esq., of Grafton, in Worcestershire.
The Howards.—On the death of Edward, the eighth Earl of Shrewsbury, in 1617, the title, it is seen, went to a distant relative; while the principal part of the property, including the ancient Baronies, descended to three surviving daughters of Gilbert, the seventh Earl. Lady Alethea Talbot was the youngest daughter, and Queen Elizabeth was her godmother; she married Thomas Howard, Earl of Arundel, Surrey, and Norfolk, himself Earl Marshal of England, only son of Philip, Earl of Arundel, and grandson of Thomas, Duke of Norfolk, who fell a sacrifice to the jealousy of Elizabeth, respecting Mary, Queen of Scots. From this it will be seen how the illustrious family of the Howards became possessed of Worksop Manor, and of the other ancient estates of the Lovetots, Furnivals, and Talbots The Lordship of the Manor of Worksop continued in this family through a long series of years, pregnant with many of the most interesting and important facts connected with the history of England, until it was sold to the late Duke of Newcastle; with whom and his representatives the lordship of the Manor has since been vested.