He appears to have been a highly quarrelsome individual, feuding with not only his stepmother but his brother and other family members, his tenants, and even Elizabeth I herself.

[3] In 1576, Talbot and his wife stayed at Goodrich Castle in Herefordshire and sent his father a gift of local produce, a Monmouth cap, Ross boots, and perry.

[4][5] On 1 May 1578 Talbot was walking in the tiltyard, the tournament ground, at Greenwich Palace, and by chance saw Queen Elizabeth at the window of the gallery overlooking the yard, in her nightgown.

[7] In January 1589 he wrote to William Cecil from Handsworth Manor commiserating with him over the winter weather, and sent him a blanket and some Hallamshire foodstuffs.

Shrewsbury was also interested in sport, though sometimes had gout, and he wrote in September 1607 that he was laid up on a couch at Sheffield Lodge, "neither fit for football nor tennis".

[20] He sent the Earl of Shrewsbury a case of knives with handles representing the twelve Apostles, of Sheffield workmanship.

[21] As well as bringing up their three daughters, Gilbert and Mary Talbot spent a good deal of time with their orphaned niece, Arbella Stuart.

The downfall of Arbella, who as the closest relative of King James I of England had greatly offended him by marrying without his consent, had serious consequences for Gilbert and Mary: Mary, who had aided the marriage, went to the Tower of London as a result, and Gilbert lost his seat on the Privy Council.