Collins[2] says that, on the death of Sir William Cavendish, she married Sir William St. Lowe, “possessor of divers fair lordships in Gloucester, which, in articles of marriage, she took care should be settled on her, and her own heirs, in default of issue by him, and accordingly, having no child by him, she lived to enjoy his whole estate, excluding his former daughters and brothers.” On his death she married George, Earl of Shrewsbury, “whom she brought to terms” in an excellent marriage settlement, and she made him marry his eldest son and heir to her own youngest daughter, and his youngest daughter to her own eldest son. Well, in her case, may Collins speak of “Conditions that, perhaps, never fell to any one woman ... to rise by every husband into greater wealth, and higher honours; to have an unanimous issue by one husband only, etc.”
[2] Historical Collections of the Noble Families of Cavendish, etc., p. 14 seq.
The “unanimous issue by one husband only” was the best part of the business, as it had the effect of concentrating the riches of four very wealthy husbands upon the offspring of one.
The grandmother of the first Duke of Newcastle, says Collins, “built three of the most elegant seats that were ever raised by one hand within the same county, beyond example, Chatsworth, Hardwick, and Oldcoates, all transmitted to the first Duke of Devonshire”.
Collins presently hints at a slight thorn which accompanied the roses of Lady Shrewsbury’s riches, at a certain period. He says: “It must not be forgotten, that this lady had the honour to be the Keeper of Mary, Queen of Scots, committed prisoner to George, Earl of Shrewsbury for seventeen years.” On the tomb of her husband, George, at Sheffield, is inscribed: “quod licet a malevolis propter suspectam cum captiva Regina familiaritatem saepius male audivit”.
THE CASTLE OF THE OGLES
Inherited by Newcastle from his mother. From his book on horsemanship
Possibly the excellent Lady Shrewsbury may have been more concerned about her husbands making first-rate settlements upon her before marriage, than about their morals after marriage. In the case of Mary, Queen of Scots, however, she gave Queen Elizabeth a gentle hint that there were “goings-on,” with the result that Lord Shrewsbury was immediately deprived of the smiles of his captive Queen.
The Sir William Cavendish with whom we have to deal was born during the reign of Queen Elizabeth in 1592. Of course his mother was an heiress. Undoubtedly his grandmother would not have allowed his father to marry any one who was not! She was, in fact, the younger of the two daughters and co-heiresses of the seventh Baron Ogle. The elder co-heiress was the wife of the Earl of Shrewsbury, and, as was very proper, she died without issue.