Kenelme Digby

, the magazine of all Arts, or as one ((d))((d)) Edw. Leigh in his Treatise of Religion and Learning, &c. lib. 3. cap. 15. stiles him The ornament of this Nation, son and heir of Sir Everard Digby of Dry-stoke in Rutlandshire Kt. by Mary his wife, daughter and sole heir to Will. Mulsho of Gothurst commonly called Gadhurst in Buckinghamshire, was born at Gothurst on the eleventh ((e))((e)) As in the book of Nativities collected by Dr. Rich. Napier of Buckinghams. MS. in the hands of Elias Ashmole Esq. and in an Almanack for 1673 published by Joh. Gadbury. day of July 1603, (1 Jac. 1.) yet Ben. Johnson for rhyme-sake will have ((f))((f)) In his Ʋnderwoods, pag. 243. it June, thus;

Witness thy action done at Scanderoon

Upon thy birth day the eleventh of June.

The ages wonder for his noble parts,

Skill’d in six Tongues, and learn’d in all the Arts.

He was not only Master of a good, graceful, and judicious stile, but also wrot an admirable hand, both fast and Roman. His person was handsome and gigantick, and nothing was wanting to make him a compleat Chevalier. He had so graceful elocution and noble address, that had he been dropt out of the Clouds in any part of the World he would have made himself respected; but the Jesuits, who cared not for him, spoke spitefully, and said ’twas true, but then he must have stayed there above six weeks. He had a great faculty, (which proceeded from abundance of wit and invention) of proposing and reporting matters to the Virtuosi, especially to the philosophical Assembly at Montpelier, and Royal Society at home. Which is the reason why many say, that as he was most exactly accomplish’d with all sorts of Learning, so was he guilty withall of extravagant Vanities. Nay one, ((h))((h)) Hen. Stubbe in his Animadversions upon the Plus Ultra of Mr. Glanvill, p. 161. a most noted Author, doth not stick to say that this our eminent Virtuoso was the Pliny of our age for lying, having been provoked to say so, not only from the said Reports, but from another, which put men to a very great wonder, viz. of a City in Barbary under the King of Tripoli that was turned into stone in a very few hours by a petrifying Vapor that fell upon the place, that is, Men, Beasts, Trees, Houses, Utensels, &c. every thing remaining in the same posture, as Children at their Mothers breasts, &c. But this report the Reader is to understand that Sir Kenelme had from an Englishman, Mr. Fitton, residing in Florence, Library-keeper to the great Duke there, by Letter dated 2 Jul. 1656, and he from the great Duke, who a little before had written to the Bassa of Tripoly to know the truth. Which strange accident being look’d upon as the great wonder of the world, was put into the common News-book of that time called Mercurius Politicus, as having been received from Sir Kenelme then residing at Tholouse in France, who sent a full account of it to a friend of his in England in Sept. following. But as no man knew better than Sir Ken. how to abound, and how to live like a Philosopher, for both were indifferent to him, so none of his time knew better how to take, and pocket up, Abuses; which indeed belongs to a true Philosopher. In the beginning of the Civil Wars he shew’d himself active for the Kings Cause, and thereupon was forced to compound for his estate in 1649. Which being done, the Parliament then sitting, voted that he should depart the Commonwealth, and not return without leave from the House under pain of death, and confiscation of his estate. Notwithstanding which, he did afterwards return for a time, and, as ’tis said, cringed to Oliver, but in what sense, whether in order for the good of the Rom. Catholicks, or for the carrying on of some publick design, I cannot now tell. About the same time he being Chancellour to Henrietta Maria the Queen Mother of England, she sent him as her Envoy from France to the Pope, was at his first coming to Rome highly venerated by all people, as being a person not only of a majestick port and carriage, but of extraordinary Parts and Learning. At length growing high, and huffing his Holiness, he was in a manner neglected, and especially for this reason, that having made a collection of money for the afflicted Catholicks in England, was found to be no faithful Steward in that matter. As for his Works they are these.

Letter giving an account of the fight with the Venetians at the bay of Scandaroon.

Conference with a Lady about choice of Religion. Par. 1638. &c. Lond. 1654. oct. Answer’d by Will. Twisse, but never published.

Observations upon Religio Medici. Lond. 1643. 44. oct. &c. They were the conceptions of one night, and of an hasty birth. The said Rel. Medici was pen’d by Dr. Tho. Browne, as I shall elsewhere tell you.

Treatise of the nature of Bodies. Par. 1644. fol. Lond. 1658. 1665. and 69. all three in qu. Answer’d by Alex. Rosse in a book intit. The philosophical Touchstone: or, observations on Sir Ken. Digby’s Discourses of nature of Bodies and of the reasonable Soul, &c. in which his erroneous Paradoxes are refuted, &c. Lond. 1645. qu.

Treatise of the nature of Mans Soul. Par. 1644. fol. Lond. 1645. 58. 69. qu. This, (which was answer’d by Rosse also) with the Treatise of the nature of Bodies, were translated into Latin by J. L. and had a Preface put to them by Tho. White who writes himself Thomas Anglus ex Albiis East-saxonum.—Par. 1651. folio.

Observations on the 22d Stanza in the ninth Canto of the second book of Spencers Fairy Queen. Lond. 1644. octavo.

Institutionum peripateticarum libri quinque, cum appendice Theologica de origine mundi. Par. 1651. fol. set at the end of the two Translations made by J. L. before mention’d. Translated into English by the said Tho. White.—Lond. 1656. oct.

Letters to the Lord George Digby concerning Religion. Lond. 1651. oct.

Of the cure of Wounds by the powder of Sympathy. Lond. 1658. oct. Spoken in French in a solemn Assembly at Montpelier in France 1657. and translated into English by Rich. White.—Lond. 1660. Reprinted at Lond. with the Treatise of bodies, an. 1669. and translated into Lat. by Laur. Stransius of Darmstad in Hassia. It is also printed in the book intit. Theatrum sympatheticum, published by Joh. Andreas Endter, at Norimberg 1662. in qu. and is also printed in the German Language. This is the so much approved sympathetical powder, said to be prepared by Promethean fire, curing all green wounds that come within the compass of a remedy in a short time, and likewise the Tooth-ach infallibly.

Discourse concerning the Vegitation of Plants, Lond. 1661. oct. and 69. qu. Spoken on the 23 of Jan. 1660, in a large meeting of the Royal Society in Gresham Coll.—Printed in Lat. at Amsterd. 1663. and 69. in tw. under this title Dissert. de plantarum vegitatione.

Choice and experimental Receipts in Physick and Chirurgery.

Cordial and distilled Waters and Spirits, Perfumes and other Curiosities.—These two last things were translated out of several Languages (for so they were collected and written) by George Hartman sometimes Steward to Sir Kenelme the Collector, and by him published at Lond. 1668. oct. The first was printed afterwards under this title Medicina experimentalis.—Franc. 1677. oct.

His Closet opened; whereby is discovered several ways of making Metheglin, Sider, Cherry-wine, &c. Lond. 1669. 77. oct.

Excellent directions for Cookery, &c. Lond. 1669. 77. octavo.

Choice collection of rare chymical Secrets and Experiments in Philosophy. As also rare and unheard of medicines, Menstruums and Alkahests, with the true secret of volatizing the fixt salt of Tartar, &c. Lond. 1682. oct. &c. Published by Hartman before mention’d, who had operated for Sir Kenelme for many years. These are all the things which he hath written, that I yet know of, except, as some are pleased to say, (which I scarce believe) the Letter to Dr. Sam. Turner concerning the Church and the Revenues thereof. Lond. 1646. 47, which he published at the request of the Earl of Dorset. See more in Rich. Steuart, under the year 1651. He also translated into English A Treatise of adheering to God. Lond. 1654. oct. Written by Albert the great, Bishop of Ratisbon. To conclude: he paid his last debt to nature in his house in Covent Garden, on the eleventh day of June in sixteen hundred sixty and five,1665. and was buried in a Vault, built at his own charge, under the east end of the south Isle or Alley joyning the Choire of Ch. Ch. within Newgate in London, by the body of Venetia his sometimes wife, daughter and co-heir of Sir Edw. Stanley of Tongue-Castle in Shropshire; to whose memory he had, some years before his death, erected over the said Vault a stately altar monument of black marble, and thereon had caused her bust, made of Copper gilt, to be fastned, with four inscriptions of Copper gilt to be affixed to the said monument. Which being done, he caused the draught or picture of the said monument, with the several inscriptions, to be entred in a large folio book of Vellam, containing the history of the family of Digby, which our Author caused to be made of all matters relating thereunto that could be found from record either remaining in the custody of his family, or in the Tower, or any office, in London; together with the pictures of their monuments that could be found in any Church whatsoever, in which they had been buried. Which book, as his son John hath said, did cost his father about 1000 l. The next year after our Author Sir Kenelme was buried, the said monument with bust was spoiled and defaced when the Church it self was burnt in the dismal conflagration that then hapned in London. His study of books (being a most admirable collection) which he had conveyed into France in the time of the Rebellion, fell, after his death, for want of his being naturalized, into the French Kings hands, of whom being beg’d by a certain Gentleman, it was sold, as the report then went, for ten thousand Crowns. Sir Everard Digby, father to Sir Kenelme, was a most goodly Gentleman, and the handsomest man of his time, but much pitied for that it was his ill fate to suffer for the Powder-plot in 1605 aged 24; at which time when the Executioner pluck’d out his heart, (when his body was to be quartered) and according to the manner held it up, saying Here is the heart of a Traytor, Sir Everard made answer, Thou liest. This a most famous ( ((†))((†)) Franc. Lord Bacon. Author mentions, but tells us not his name, in his Historia vitae & mortis. The said Sir Everard, was son of Everard Digby of Dry stoke before mention’d, sometimes Master of Arts and Fellow of S. John’s Coll. in Cambridge, an. 1579, a Publisher then, and after, of several books, (as the Bodleian Catalogue will tell you) among which is A Dissuasive from taking away the Goods and Livings of the Churchy, &c. Printed at Lond. in qu. This Everard the Writer died at Dry-stoke in 1592. or thereabouts. Sir Ken. Digby had a younger brother called Sir Joh. Digby, who very readily serv’d his Majesty K. Ch. 1. when his Parliament took up Arms against him, was a Colonel, and afterwards a Major Gen. in the western parts of England, while Mr. Joh. Digby, a younger son of John Earl of Bristow, was a Gen. there for his Maj. as I have elsewhere told you.