Benefactors to the Publick since the Reformation.
ELIZABETH HARDWICK was Daughter to John Hardwick of Hardwick in this County, Esquire. A Lady of an undaunted spirit, and happy in her several Marriages to great persons. First, to Sir William Cavendish, then to Sir William Saintloo, and at last to George Earl of Shrewsbury. She left two sacred (besides civil) Monuments of her Memory in this County; one that I hope will not [Her Tomb in All-Hallows] the other, that I am sure cannot be taken away, as registred in the Court of Heaven: Her stately Alms-House for twelve poor people in Derby.
It will not be amiss here to relate a passage which is reported of this Countess. Mary Queen of Scots being committed to the keeping of her husband George Earle of Shrewsbury, the custody of so great a Princess on the Earls cost, was found not onely chargeable, but dangerous; the Popish party daily practising her enlargement. Now it happened that this * 1.1 Countess coming to Court, Queen Elizabeth demanded of her, how the Queen of Scots did. Madam (said she) she cannot do ill, while she is with my Husband, and I begin to grow jealous, they are so great together. The Queen, who disliked any familiarity of that royall Prisoner with so great a Peer, presently ordered her re∣moval thence into the custody of others. This Countess died, Anno Dom.—
There is a Free Schoole in the Town of Derby, built as I understand by that Corpora∣tion, and endowed with threescore pounds a year, and I conjecture Mr. R. Fletcher thrice Bayliff of the Town, I say, by his laudatory Epitaph, I conjecture him very in∣strumental to this Work. I understand also that the said Town hath large Priviledges, in so much that L•…•…ndoners in some cases pay Toal at Derbey, but Derbey men in no case Toal at London. I grudge them not their great Priviledges, so long as they employ their publick stock to pious uses.
To conclude this Topick, I meet with this memorable passage in one, who continu∣eth the Work of an industrious * 1.2 Author, which I will not, yea must not omit.
Divers well disposed Citizens of London, desirous (as yet) not to be named, being born in or near to Ashburne in the Peak, in the County of Derbey, combining their loving benevolence together, have builded there a fair School-House, with convenient lodgings for a Master, and liberal maintenance allowed thereto.
I hope that their forwardnesse hath since provoked many, and that their Charity (to allude to their staple Commodity of this County) but in the Oar, in the times of our Fa∣thers, hath since been refined to perfection.