From Library Journal Bess of Hardwick was better known as Elizabeth, the Countess of Shrewsbury, and was a leading figure in Elizabethan England, most notably as the jailer of Mary Queen of Scots. Her role in British history is far wider than that, however, and her story is quite interesting as she went through a succession of husbands, with each one bringing her closer to the royal court. Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate
