[836]Sir Kenelm Digby[DU], knight: he was borne at
'Witnesse thy actions done at ScanderoonUponthybirthday, the eleaventh of June.'
'Witnesse thy actions done at ScanderoonUponthybirthday, the eleaventh of June.'
[Memorandum:—in the first impression in 8vo it is thus; but in the folio 'tismy, instead ofthy.]
Mr. Elias Ashmole assures me, from two or three
nativities by Dr.
He was the eldest son of Sir Everard Digby, who was accounted the handsomest gentleman in England. Sir Everard sufferd as a traytor in the gunpowder-treason; but king James restored his estate to his son and heire. Mr. Francis Potter told me that Sir Everard wrote a bookeDe Arte Natandi. I have a Latin booke of his writing in 8vo:—Everardi[837]DygbeiDe duplici methodo libri duo, in dialogues 'inter Aristotelicum et Ramistam,' in 8vo: the title page is torne out.—His second son was Sir John Digby, as valiant a gentleman and as good a swordman as was in England, who dyed (or was killed[LXV.]) in the king's cause at Bridgewater, about 1644.
[LXV.]I can easily learne, if you desire it[838].
[LXV.]I can easily learne, if you desire it[838].
It happened in 1647 that a grave was opened next toSir John Digby's (who was buried in summer time, it seemes), and the flowers on his coffin were found fresh, as I heard Mr. Harcourt (that was executed) attest that very yeare. Sir John died a batchelour.
Sir Kenelme Digby was held to be the most accomplished cavalier of his time. He went to Glocester hall in Oxon, anno <1618> (vide A. Wood'sAntiq. Oxon.). The learned Mr. Thomas Allen (then of that house) was wont to say that he was theMirandulaof his age. He did not weare a gowne there[839], as I have heard my cosen Whitney say.
There was a great friendship between him and Mr. Thomas Allen; whether he was his scholar I know not. Mr. Allen was one of the learnedest men of this nation in his time, and a great collector of good bookes, which collection Sir Kenelme bought (Mr. Allen enjoyeing the use of them for his life) to give to the Bodlean Library, after Mr. Allen's decease, where they[840]now are.
He was a great traveller, and understood 10 or 12 languages. He was not only master of a good and gracefull judicious stile, but he also wrote a delicate hand, both fast-hand and Roman. I have seen lettres of his writing to the father[841]of this earle of Pembroke, who much respected[842]him.
He was such a goodly handsome person, gigantique and
great voice, and had so gracefull elocution and noble
addresse, etc., that had he been drop't out of the clowdes[843]in any part of the world, he would have made himselfe
respected. But the Jesuites spake spitefully, and sayd
'twas true, but then he must not stay there above six
weekes. He was envoyé from Henrietta Maria (then
Queen-mother) to Pope
He was well versed in all kinds of learning. And he had also this vertue[844], that no manknew better how to abound, and to be abased, and either was indifferent to him. No man became grandeur better[845]; sometimes again he would live only with a lackey, and horse with a foote-cloath.
He was very generous, and liberall to deserving persons. When Abraham Cowley was but 13 yeares old, he dedicated to him a comedy[846], calledLove's Riddle, and concludes in his epistle[847]—'The Birch that whip't him then would prove a Bay.' Sir K. was very kind to him.
When he was at Rome one time, (I thinke he was envoyé
from Mary the Queen-mother to Pope
Anno ... (quaere the countesse of Thanet) much against his mother's, etc., consent, he maried that celebrated beautie and courtezane, Mrs. Venetia Stanley, whom Richard earle of Dorset kept as his concubine, had children by her, and setled on her an annuity of 500li.per annum; which after Sir K. D. maried was unpayd by the earle; and for which annuity Sir Kenelme sued the earle, after mariage, and recovered it. He would say that a handsome lusty man that was discreet might make a vertuose wife out of a brothell-house. This lady carried herselfe blamelessly, yet (they say) he was jealous of her[LXVI.]. She dyed suddenly, and hard-hearted woemen[849]would censure him severely.
[LXVI.]Richard earle of Dorset invited her and her husband once a yeare, when, with much desire and passion he beheld her, and only kissed her hand; Sir Kenelme being still by.
[LXVI.]Richard earle of Dorset invited her and her husband once a yeare, when, with much desire and passion he beheld her, and only kissed her hand; Sir Kenelme being still by.
After her death, to avoyd envy and scandall, he retired in to Gresham Colledge at London, where he diverted himselfe with his chymistry, and the professors' good conversation. He wore there a long mourning cloake, a high crowned hatt, his beard unshorne, look't like a hermite, as signes ofsorrowe for his beloved wife, to whose memory he erected a sumptuouse monument, now quite destroyed by the great conflagration. He stayed at the colledge[850]two or 3 yeares.
The faire howses in Holbourne, between King's street and Southampton street, (which brake-off the continuance of them) were, about 1633, built by Sir Kenelme; where he lived before the civill warres. Since the restauration of Charles II he lived in the last faire house westward in the north portico of Convent garden, where my lord Denzill Hollis lived since. He had a laboratory there. I thinke he dyed in this house—sed quaere.
He was, 164.., prisoner for the king (Charles I) at Winchester-house, where he practised chymistry[851], and wrote his booke of[852]Bodies and Soule, which he dedicated to his eldest son, Kenelme, who was slaine (as I take it) in the earle of Holland's riseing[853].
Anno 163 ... tempore Caroli Imihe received the sacrament in the chapell at Whitehall, and professed the Protestant religion, which gave great scandal to the Roman Catholiques; but afterwards helooked back.
He was a person of very extraordinary strength. I remember one at[854]Shirburne (relating to the earl of Bristoll) protested to us, that as he, being a midling man, being sett in chaire, Sir Kenelme tooke up him, chaire and all, with one arme.
He was of an undaunted courage, yet not apt in the least to give offence. His conversation was both ingeniose and innocent.
Mr. Thomas White, who wrotede Mundo, 1641[855], and Mr. ... Hall of Leige, e societate Jesu, were two of his great friends.
As for that great action of his at Scanderoon, see theTurkish Historie. Sir
There is in print in French, and also in English (translated by Mr. James Howell), a speech that he made at a philosophicall assembly at Montpelier, 165..Of the sympathetique powder—see it[856]. He made a speech at the beginning of the meeting of the Royall SocietyOf the vegetation of plants.
He was borne to three thousand pounds per annum. His ancient seat (I thinke) is Gote-herst in Buckinghamshire. He had a fair estate also in Rutlandshire. What by reason of the civil warres, and his generous mind, he contracted great debts, and I know not how (there being a great falling out between him and histhenonly son, John[LXVII.]) he settled his estate upon ... Cornwalleys, a subtile sollicitor[857], and also a member of the House of Commons, who did putt Mr. John Digby to much charge in lawe: quaere what became of it?
[LXVII.]He married ... sister to this present Henry, duke of Norfolke, no child living by her. His 2d wife ... Fortescue, by whom he haz ... Quaere the issue?
[LXVII.]He married ... sister to this present Henry, duke of Norfolke, no child living by her. His 2d wife ... Fortescue, by whom he haz ... Quaere the issue?
Mr. J. D. had a good estate of his owne, and lived handsomely then at what time I went to him two or 3 times in order to yourOxon. Antiqu.; and he then brought me a great book, as big as the biggest Church Bible that ever I sawe, and the richliest bound, bossed with silver, engraven with scutchions and crest (an ostrich); it was a curious velame[858]. It was the history of the family of the Digbyes, which Sir Kenelme either did, or ordered to be donne. There was inserted all that was to be found any where relating to them, out of records of the Tower, rolles, &c. All ancient church monuments were most exquisitelylimmed by some rare artist. He told me that the compileing of it did cost his father a thousand pound. Sir Jo. Fortescue sayd he did beleeve 'twas more. When Mr. John Digby did me the favour to shew me this rare MS., 'This booke,' sayd he, 'is all that I have left me of all the estate that was my father's!' He was almost as tall and as big as his father: he had something[859]of the sweetnesse of his mother's face. He was bred by the Jesuites, and was a good scholar. He dyed at....
Vide in ... Lives when Sir Kenelme dyed.
Sir John Hoskyns enformes me that Sir Kenelme Digby did translate Petronius Arbiter into English.
Notes.[DU]Aubrey gives in trick the coat:—'azure, a fleur de lys argent [Digby];
impaling, argent on a bend azure 3 bucks' heads caboshed or [Stanley]'; and
adds the reference 'vide his life in ...' some book, presumably, whose title
he had forgot.[DV]'June' was written; but Aubrey noted in the margin 'Quaere Mr. Ashmole
pro nativitate by Dr.
[DU]Aubrey gives in trick the coat:—'azure, a fleur de lys argent [Digby]; impaling, argent on a bend azure 3 bucks' heads caboshed or [Stanley]'; and adds the reference 'vide his life in ...' some book, presumably, whose title he had forgot.
[DU]Aubrey gives in trick the coat:—'azure, a fleur de lys argent [Digby]; impaling, argent on a bend azure 3 bucks' heads caboshed or [Stanley]'; and adds the reference 'vide his life in ...' some book, presumably, whose title he had forgot.
[DV]'June' was written; but Aubrey noted in the margin 'Quaere Mr. Ashmole
pro nativitate by Dr.
[DV]'June' was written; but Aubrey noted in the margin 'Quaere Mr. Ashmole
pro nativitate by Dr.