'Witnesse thy actions done at Scanderoon
Upon thy birthday, the eleaventh of June.'
[Memorandum:—in the first impression in 8vo it is thus; but in the folio 'tis my, instead of thy.]
Mr. Elias Ashmole assures me, from two or three nativities by Dr. <Richard> Nepier, that Ben: Johnson was mistaken and did it for the ryme-sake.—In Dr. Napier's papers of nativities, with Mr. Ashmole, I find:—'Sir Kenelme Digby natus July 11, 5h 40´ A.M. 1603, 14 Leo ascending,' and another scheme gives it at '4h A.M., 26 Cancer ascending'; and there are two others of Cancer and Leo.
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 booke De Arte Natandi. I have a Latin booke of his writing in 8vo:—Everardi[837] Dygbei De 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].
It happened in 1647 that a grave was opened next to Sir 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's Antiq. Oxon.). The learned Mr. Thomas Allen (then of that house) was wont to say that he was the Mirandula of 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 <Innocent X> where at first he was mightily admired; but after some time he grew high, and hectored with his holinesse, and gave him the lye. The pope sayd he was mad.