John Digby

was born of an antient and gentile family living in the Parish of Coleshill in Warwickshire, in the month of Febr. 1580, became a Commoner of Magd. Coll. in 1595, and the next year I find him to be one of the Poets of the University to bewail the death of Sir Hen. Unton of Wadley in Berks. Knight. Afterwards he travelled into France and Italy, and returned a well-qualified Gentleman. So that his Abilities and Fidelity being occasionally discerned by K. James, he was admitted Gentleman of the Privy Chamber, and one of his Majesties Carvers, in the year 1605, being then newly created Master of Arts of this University. On the 16 of Feb. following he received the honor of Knighthood, and in Apr. 1611 he was sent Ambassador into Spain, as he was afterwards again in 1614. In the beginning of January (about the third day) 1615, Sir Franc. Cottington was ((a))((a)) Camden in Annal. Reg. Jac. 1. MS. sub an. 1616. sent into Spain to call him home, and about the middle of March following he returned into England. On the 3 of Apr. 1616 he was ((b))((b)) Ibid. admitted one of the Kings Privy Council, and Vicechamberlain of his Majesties Houshold in the place of Philip Lord Stanhope, who was persuaded by the Kings Letters to give up that Office. In July 1617 he was sent again into Spain, and the next year upon his return, he was ((c))((c)) Baronage of England, tom. 3. p. 437. a. advanced to the dignity of a Baron of this Realm 25 of Nov. by the Title of the Lord Digby of Shirebourne in Dorsetshire. In 1620 he was sent Ambassador to the Archduke Albert, and the next year following to Ferdinand the Emperor; as also to the Duke of Bavaria. Whence returning in Octob. 1621, he was again in 1622 employed Ambassador extraordinary to the Spaniard touching a Marriage between Prince Charles (who followed him in few months after) and Princess Maria Daughter to Philip 3. King of that Realm; and on the 15 of Sept. the same year he was created Earl of Bristow. After his return he shew’d himself right able to appear before the English Parliament, where he worsted the greatest Minion (Buckingham) the Folly, Love, or Wisdom of any King since the Conquest ever bred in this Nation. As thro a prodigious dexterity he became the Confident of K. James, so likewise of his son K. Ch. 1. for a time, tho they drove on, if not contrary, divers designs. From that time till the beginning of the Long Parliament, we find no great matter of him, when then he being found guilty of concealing, some say of promoting, a Petition of the Gentry and Ministers of Kent, which was to be delivered to the Parliament, he with Thomas Mallet, were committed for a time to the Tower 28 March 1642. Afterwards perceiving full well what destructive Courses the Members of that Parliament took, he left them and became a zealous Adherer to the King and his Cause, for which at length he suffer’d Exile, and the loss of his Estate. He hath extant these things following.

Several Speeches, as (1) Speech in the High Court of Parliament 7 Dec. 1640. About which time he spake another upon the delivery of the Scottish Remonstrance and Schedule of their Charges. (2) Sp. in the High Court of Parl. 20 May 1642. concerning an accommodation of Peace and Union to be had between the K. and his two Houses of Parliament. Lond. 1642. qu. in one sh. Reprinted at Caen in Normandy 1647. in fol. and qu. The speaking of which Speech giving displeasure to the H. of Lords, he thereupon spake (3) Another Speech 11 June 1642 in vindication of the former, and of accommodation. Lond. 1642. in 1 sh. in qu. Repr. at Caen in 1647. in fol. and qu. (4) Sp. at the Council Table in favour of the continuation of the present War. Oxon 1642. qu. It was spoken after Edghill Fight, and was reprinted at Lond. the same year. Other Speeches of his I have seen in MS. which for brevity sake I now pass by.

A Tract wherein is set down those motives and ties of Religion, Oaths, Laws, Loyalty and Gratitude, which obliged him to adhere unto the King in the late unhappy Wars in England.

Tract wherein he vindicateth his honor and innocency from having in any kind deserved that injurious and merciless censure, of being excepted from pardon or mercy either in life or fortunes.—These two Tracts have the general Title of His Apologie.

Appendix containing many particulars specified in his first Tract (meaning his Motives and tyes of Religion) with the citations of the Chapters and Pages wherein they are cited—The said two Tracts with the Appendix were printed together, with the two Speeches before mention’d of an accommodation, at Caen in the year 1647. in a thin fol. reprinted 1656. qu.

Answer to the Declaration of the H. of Commons of the eleventh of Febr. 1647, in which they express the Reasons for their Resolution of making no more Addresses or receiving any from his Majesty—Printed (at Caen) 1648. qu. Dedicated to his good Countrymen of England and Fellow-subjects of Scotland and Ireland. After this Answer was printed, it came into the mind of our Author the Earl of Bristow, to make some additions thereunto, as well to the Preface as Work it self. Which being so done, they were not printed, only reserved in MS, being larger than the Answer it self, as a copy ((d))((d)) In the hands of Hastang Ingram of Little Wolford in Warwicksh. Gent. sometimes Servant to the said Earl of Bristow. of them, which I have perused, shew. Besides these things he hath (1) Several Letters in the book called Cabala, Mysteries of State, &c. Lond. 1654. quart. (2) Several Letters in the Cabala, or Scrinia sacra. Lond. 1663. fol. and also hath translated from French into English Pet. du Moulins book Concerning the Protestants Faith, which he published in the name of Joh. Sanford his Chaplain. He hath also several scatter’d Copies of English Verses flying abroad; to one of which, is an Ayre of 3 Voices set by the incomparable Hen. Lawes, in his Ayres and Dialogues, &c. Lond. 1653. fol. This great Count yielded to Nature at Paris on Friday the 21 of January in sixteen hundred fifty and two,1652/3. and was buried there, in a piece of ground (then, or before, a Cabbage Garden, as ’tis said) which Sir Rich. Browne Clerk of the Council had a little before bought to bury the bodies of Protestants that die in or near that City. A scurrulous ((e))((e)) March. Nedham in his Merc. politic. numb. 137. p. 2180. Writer saith, that “He was buried in a mean Churchyard, with little solemnity, not one Lord appearing at his funeral, nor any other person of quality, except his second Son Mr. Joh. Digby, and a certain Knight. His eldest the Lord George Digby absented himself, tho he was in town, and not only so, but ’tis said he forbore inviting any to save funeral expences: which being talked abroad, hath much crak’d his Reputation, because he is observed lavish enough upon other occasions, &c. ” But let the truth of these things remain with the Author, while I proceed to speak of other matters. This Earl left behind him his eldest son named George, whom I shall at large mention elsewhere, and another son named John born in London, entred a Nobleman into Magd. Coll. in the beginning of the year 1634 aged 16, sided with the King in the beginning of the Civil War, an. 1642, and being esteemed a valiant and good man, was made General of the Horse in the Army of Ralph Lord Hopton. When the King’s Cause declined, he went into France, and sometimes followed the Court of K. Ch. 2. but getting nothing thence, he lived very obscurely, and came into England in 1654, where continuing for a time among the afflicted Royalists, retired afterwards to Pontoise in France, entred himself among the Religious there, became a secular Priest, and said Mass daily there to the English Nuns, in which condition he was living there after the Restauration of K. Ch. 2. as I have been informed by a Servant who then belonged to Walter Montague Abbat of Pontoise.