Shirley was a noted rake, including amongst his lovers the notorious Lady Vane.
Margaret had taken care to legally protect her own estates and jointure, so that Shirley could have no claims on her property.
Shirley's persistent and aggressive demands for money ensured that the rupture would be permanent, although she ultimately settled £750 per year on him to extinguish his claims.
[3] Shirley entered Parliament in 1742 at Brackley, on the interest of the 1st Duke of Bridgewater, who had withdrawn his support from George Lee after the latter accepted office in the Carteret Ministry.
By the 1761 election, the two were separated, and Margaret put up one of her agents, Richard Stevens, in Shirley's place; he did not again sit in Parliament.