68 ON THE MANOR HOUSE OF SOUTH WINFIELD. 



house "in consequence of the long abode here and the number 

 of people waxes unsavory." I shall have a word to say as to the 

 great number of her guards and attendants when quartered here, 

 when we come to her second confinement at Winfield. The 

 Queen herself desired to go to Sheffield, but was taken back to 

 Tutbury Castle on September 20th. It was during this 1569 stay 

 at Winfield, that Leonard Dacre's plot to rescue her was devised, 

 and that the proposition of the Duke of Norfolk to marry her 

 was made. 



Local tradition is strong to the effect that the Queen of the 

 Scots was imprisoned at Winfield for nine years, but this is clearly 

 an error. It was not until after nearly fifteen years of dreary 

 captivity, chiefly at Sheffield, that the Queen again saw Winfield. 



In October, 1583, a proposition was made by the Privy Council 

 for her removal to the Castle of Melbourne in the south of this 

 county, belonging to the Duchy of Lancaster, but on a report of 

 the condition of that building being drawn up it was found that 

 extensive repairs were first requisite. On March 20th, 1584, 

 instructions were sent to the Earl of Shrewsbury for the removal 

 of the Queen from his castle at Sheffield to Wingfield Manor 

 House, whilst Melbourne Castle was preparing. Having carefully 

 gone through the whole of the documents in the Public Record 

 Office pertaining to Mary Queen of Scots, as well as the little 

 known Talbot papers at the College of Arms, and the Shrewsbury 

 papers at Lambeth Palace library, I have come to the conclusion, 

 from reasons that would be far too long to now explain, that the 

 Earl of Shrewsbury, worn out by the jealousy, meanness, and 

 cruelty of his wife, as well as by the suspicions and displeasure of 

 Queen Elizabeth and her Council, and filled with a growing 

 sympathy for his prisoner, did his best to bring about this second 

 sojourn at Winfield in the hopes of her escape. The instructions 

 to the Earl state " that for the more safety in conveying the said 

 Queene (to Winfield), in case you shall find it necessary, for your 

 assistance you may use the ayde of the sheriffs of our countys 

 of Derby and Leicester." But various delays were imposed to 

 her removal from Sheffield ; writing from thence on August 25th, 



