Inscribed memorial tablet above the effigy of Elizabeth Hardwick in Derby Cathedral
English: Inscription on Bess of Hardwick's memorial, Derby Cathedral Memorial to Elizabeth, Countess of Shrewsbury, aka Bess of Hardwick, ca. 1520-1607 P.M. ELIZABETHÆ IOHANNIS HARDWICK de HARDWICK in agro DERB: Armigeri filiæ fratriq; IOHANNI tandem cohæredi; Primo ROBERTO BARLEY de BARLEY in dicto com: DERB: Armig: nuptæ Postea WILLº. CAVENDISH de CHATSWORTH Equ: aur: (Thesaurario cameræ Regibus HENRICO VIIIº. EDOARDO VIº. ad MARIÆ Reginaæ quibus etiam fuit à secretioribus consilijs) Deinde WILLº. ST LOW militi Regij satellitij capitaneo: AC ultimò prænobili GEORGIO comiti SALOPIÆ desponsatæ Per quem WILM. CAVENDISH prolem solummodo habuit: filios tres, scilt. HENRICVM CAVENDISH de TVTBVRY in agro STAFF: Armig: (qui GRACIAM dicti GEORGII comitis SALOPIÆ filiam in uxorem duxit) sine prole legitimâ defunctum; WILLM. in Baronem CAVENDISH de HARDWICK, nec non in comitem DEVONIÆ per serenissimum nuper Regem IACOBVM euectum, Et CAROLVM CAVENDISH de WELBECK Equ: aur. patrem honoratissimi WILLM. CAVENDISH de Balneo militis Bar: OGLE jure materno Et in uicecom: MANSFEILD, Comitem Marchionem ac Ducem de NOVO CASTRO super TINAM et Comitem de OGLE merito creati: Totidemq; filias: scilt. FRANCESCAM HENRICO PIEREPONT Equ: aurato, ELIZABETHAM CAROLO STVARTO LENOXIÆ Comiti Et MARIAM GILBERTO Comiti SALOPIÆ enuptas. Hæc inclitissima ELIZABETHA SALOPIÆ comitissa. Ædium de CHATSWORTH, HARDWICK, et OLDCOTES, magnificentiâ clarissimarum fabricatrix. Vitam hanc transitoriam XIIIº. die mensis Februarij Anno ab incarnatione Dni. MDCVIIº. ac circa annum Ætatis suæ LXXXVIIm. finuit. Et gloriosam expectans resurrectionem subtùs jacet tumulata. Which I venture to translate: In Pious Memory of Elizabeth daughter of John Hardwick of Hardwick in the county of Derbyshire, and co-heir of her brother John. First married to Robert Barley, Esq. of Barley in the said county of Derbyshire, Afterwards to Sir Willm. Cavendish of Chatsworth (Chamberlain to Kings Henry VIII & Edward VI and Queen Mary, whose Privy Councils he also served). Next to William St Low, Captain of the King's Guard, and finally betrothed to the most noble George Earl of Shrewsbury. By whom Willm. Cavendish alone had issue: three sons, to wit Henry Cavendish, Esq. of Tutbury in Staffordshire: (who took to wife Grace daughter of the said George Earl of Shrewsbury) died without legitimate issue: William, created Baron Cavendish of Hardwick, and also recently Duke of Devonshire, by the most serene King James; and Sir Charles Cavendish of Welbeck, father of the most honorable Willm. Cavendish of Bath, Baron Ogle by maternal right and created Viscount Mansfield, Marquis and Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Earl of Ogle. And as many daughters, to wit, Francesca, married to Sir Henry Pierepont, Elizabeth to Charles Stuart Earl of Lenox, and Mary to Gilbert Earl of Shrewsbury. This most renowned Elizabeth Countess of Shrewsbury, Builder of the houses of Chatsworth, Hardwick and Oldcotes, most famous by their splendour, Departed this transient life the 13th of February In the year from the incarnation of our Lord 1607 and about the 87th year of her age And expecting the glorious resurrection she lies buried hereunder.