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 wrote de 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 the Turkish Historie. Sir <Edward> Stradling, of Glamorganshire, was then his vice-admirall, at whose house is an excellent picture of his, as he was at that time: by him is drawen an armillary sphaere broken, and undernethe is writt IMPAVIDUM FERIENT (Horace). See excellent verses of Ben: Johnson (to whome he was a great patrone) in his 2d volumne.
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 Society Of 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 his then only 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?
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 your Oxon. 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 exquisitely limmed 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.