Biography of Kenelm Digby 1603-1665

In 1603 Kenelm Digby was born to Everard Digby (age 25).

In 1625 [his son] Kenelm Digby was born to Kenelm Digby (age 22) and [his wife] Venetia Stanley (age 25).

In 1625 Kenelm Digby (age 22) and Venetia Stanley (age 25) were married.

In 1627 [his son] John Digby was born to Kenelm Digby (age 24) and [his wife] Venetia Stanley (age 27).

After 1627 [his son] John Digby and [his daughter-in-law] Catherine Howard were married. She the daughter of Henry Howard 15th or 22nd Earl of Arundel 5th Earl of Surrey 2nd Earl Norfolk (age 18) and Elizabeth Stewart Countess Arundel and Norfolk (age 17). They were half fourth cousin twice removed.

On 30th April 1633 [his wife] Venetia Stanley (age 33) died.

Around 1640 Anthony Van Dyck (age 40). Portrait of Kenelm Digby (age 37).

John Evelyn's Diary. 18th September 1641. I went to see that most impregnable town and fort of Hysdune, where I was exceedingly obliged to one Colonel Crombe, the Keutenant-govemor, who would needs make me accept the honour of being captain of the watch, and to give the word this night. The fortification is very irregular, but esteemed one of the most considerable for strength and situation in the Netherlands. We departed towards Gorcum. Here Sir Kenelm Digby (age 38), travelling towards Cologne, met us.

John Evelyn's Diary. 23rd March 1646. It was Easter-Monday that I was invited to breakfast at the Earl of Arundel's. I took my leave of him in his bed, where I left that great and excellent man in tears on some private discourse of crosses that had befallen his illustrious family, particularly the undutifulness of his grandson Philip turning Dominican Friar (since Cardinal of Norfolk), and the misery of his country now embroiled in civil war. He caused his gentleman to give me directions, all written with his own hand, what curiosities I should inquire after in my journey; and, so enjoining me to write sometimes to him, I departed. There stayed for me below, Mr. Henry Howard (age 17) (afterward Duke of Norfolk), [his son] Mr. J. Digby (age 19), son of Sir Kenelm Digby (age 43), and other gentlemen, who conducted me to the coach.

John Evelyn's Diary. 7th November 1651. I visited Sir Kenelm Digby (age 48), with whom I had much discourse on chemical matters. I showed him a particular way of extracting oil of sulphur, and he gave me a certain powder with which he affirmed that he had fixed ☿ (mercury) before the late King. He advised me to try and digest a little better, and gave me a water which he said was only rain water of the autumnal equinox, exceedingly rectified, very volatile; it had a taste of a strong vitriolic, and smelt like aqua fortis. He intended it for a dissolvent of calx of gold; but the truth is, Sir Kenelm was an arrant mountebank. Came news of the gallant Earl of Derby's execution by the rebels.

John Evelyn's Diary. 17th November 1651. To see Monsieur Febure's course of chemistry, where I found Sir Kenelm Digby (age 48), and divers curious persons of learning and quality. It was his first opening the course and preliminaries, in order to operations.

John Evelyn's Diary. 6th April 1654. Came my Lord Herbert (age 50), Sir Kenelm Digby (age 51), Mr. Denham, and other friends to see me.

John Evelyn's Diary. 11th July 1654. Was the Latin sermon, which I could not be at, though invited, being taken up at All Souls, where we had music, voices, and the orbos, performed by some ingenious scholars. After dinner, I visited that miracle of a youth, Mr. Christopher Wren (age 30), nephew to the Bishop of Ely. Then Mr. Barlow (age 46) (since Bishop of Lincoln), bibliothecarius of the Bodleian Library, my most learned friend. He showed us the rarities of that most famous place, manuscripts, medals, and other curiosities. Among the MSS. an old English Bible, wherein the Eunuch mentioned to be baptized by Philip, is called the Gelding: "and Philip and the Gelding went down into the water", etc. The original Acts of the Council of Basil 900 years since, with the bulla, or leaden affix, which has a silken cord passing through every parchment; a MS. of Venerable Bede of 800 years antiquity; the old Ritual secundum usum Sarum exceeding voluminous; then, among the nicer curiosities, the "Proverbs of Solomon", written in French by a lady, every chapter of a several character, or hand, the most exquisite imaginable; an hieroglyphical table, or carta, folded up like a map, I suppose it painted on asses' hide, extremely rare; but, what is most illustrious, there were no less than 1,000 MSS. in nineteen languages, especially Oriental, furnishing that new part of the library built by Archbishop Laud, from a design of Sir Kenelm Digby (age 51) and the Earl of Pembroke (age 33). In the closet of the tower, they show some Indian weapons, urns, lamps, etc., but the rarest is the whole Alcoran, written on one large sheet of calico, made up in a priest's vesture, or cope, after the Turkish and Arabic character, so exquisitely written, as no printed letter comes near it; also, a roll of magical charms, divers talismans, and some medals.

John Evelyn's Diary. 9th August 1661. Sir Kenelm Digby (age 58) presented every one of us his "Discourse of the Vegetation of Plants"; and Mr. Henshaw (age 43), his "History of Saltpeter and Gunpowder". I assisted him to procure his place of French Secretary to the King (age 31), which he purchased of Sir Henry De Vic (age 62).

From 1662 to 1665 Kenelm Digby (age 59) lived at 43 King Street.

John Evelyn's Diary. 21st November 1662. Spent the evening at Court, Sir Kenelm Digby (age 59) giving me great thanks for my "Sylva"..

On 11th June 1665 Kenelm Digby (age 62) died.

John Evelyn's Diary. 18th June 1670. Lord Stafford (age 55) rose from the table, in some disorder, because there were roses stuck about the fruit when the dessert was set on the table; such an antipathy, it seems, he had to them as once Lady Selenger also had, and to that degree that, as Sir Kenelm Digby tells us, laying but a rose upon her cheek when she was asleep, it raised a blister: but Sir Kenelm was a teller of strange things.

John Evelyn's Diary. 27th January 1685. I din'd at Lord Sunderland's (age 43), being invited to heare that celebrated voice of Mr. Pordage, newly come from Rome; his singing was after the Venetian recitative, as masterly as could be, and with an excellent voice both treble and basse; Dr. Walgrave accompanied it with his theorba lute, on which he perform'd beyond imagination, and is doubtlesse orie of the greatest masters in Europe on that charming in strument. Pordage is a priest, as Mr. Bernard Howard (age 44) told me in private. There was in the roome where we din'd, and in his bed-chamber, those incomparable pieces of Columbus, a Flagellation, the Grammar-schoole, the Venus and Adonis of Titian; and of Vandyke's that picture of the late E. of Digby (father of the Countess of Sunderland (age 39)), and Earle of Bedford (age 68), Sr Kenelm Digby, and two Ladys of incomparable performance; besides that of Moses and the burning bush of Bassano, and several other pieces of ye best masters. A marble head of M. Brutus, &c.