Digby of Stoke Dry

EVERARD DIGBY (1410-61) filled the office of High Sheriff of Rutland in 1434, and represented that shire in Parliament. He fell at the battle of Towton, in 1440, fighting under the banner of the unfortunate HENRY VI.

He married Jaquetta, daughter and co-heir of Sir John Ellys, of Devon, and left seven sons and one daughter, of whom

SIR EVERARD DIGBY, Knight, Lord of Tilton and Stoke Dry (Drystoke), Rutland, eldest of the seven sons of Everard Digby, of Tilton, by Jacqueta, daughter and co-heir of Sir John Ellys, of Devon, was Sheriff of Rutland, 1459, 1486, and 1499, and MP for Rutland.

He fought gallantly at Bosworth in support of HENRY VII, and died in 1509, having had issue,

Simon, ancestor of the BARONS DIGBY;
EVERARD, of whom hereafter;
John.

The younger son,

SIR EVERARD DIGBY, Knight (c1472-1540), of Tilton and Stoke Dry, Sheriff of Rutland, 1513, 1518, 1528 and 1532, Leicestershire and Warwickshire, 1511.

He wedded Margery, daughter of Sir John Heydon, Knight, of Baconsthorpe, Norfolk, and was succeeded by his son,

KENELM DIGBY (c1518-90), of Stoke Dry, Sheriff of Rutland, MP for Rutland, 1545-84, who espoused Anne, daughter of Sir Anthony Cope, Knight, of Hanwell, Oxfordshire, Vice-Chamberlain to Catherine Howard, Queen Consort of HENRY VIII, and had issue,

Kenelm, his heir;
Gregory;
EVERARD, succeeded his brother;
Anthony;
John;
Anne.

The third son,

EVERARD DIGBY (c1550-92), of Stoke Dry, Fellow of St John's College, Cambridge, a man of learning and publisher of several works, married Maria, daughter and co-heir of Francis Neale, of Keythorpe, Leicestershire, and had issue (besides a younger son, John, of whom no account is given, and two daughters), two sons,

EVERARD, his heir;
George, of Sandon.

Mr Digby was succeeded by his elder son,

SIR EVERARD DIGBY (c1578-1606), of Stoke Dry, who received the honour of knighthood from JAMES I.

Sir Everard was reputed to be one of the handsomest men of his time, and by the accomplishments of his mind, said to be one of the finest men in England. Being led by religious motives to engage in the Gunpowder Plot, he was convicted on the 27th January, 1606, and executed three days afterwards, on the 30th January, at the west end of Old St Paul's Cathedral churchyard.

Sir Everard Digby

Sir Everard left by his wife Mary, daughter and heir of William Mulsho, of Gayhurst, Buckinghamshire, with whom he had a large fortune, two sons,

KENELM, his heir;
John (Sir).

The elder son was the celebrated

SIR KENELM DIGBY (1603-65), of Gayhurst, reputedly one of the most faithful adherents of the royal cause during the civil war, and an exile in consequence during the Commonwealth.

He wedded the renowned beauty, Venetia, youngest of the three surviving daughters and co-heirs of Sir Edward Stanley KB, of Tong Castle, Shropshire, and had issue (with a daughter), two sons,

Kenelm;
JOHN, his heir.

JOHN DIGBY, younger son and heir, inherited, under many disadvantages and vexations, most of his father's estates.

He espoused firstly, the Lady Catherine Howard, eldest surviving daughter of Henry Howard, 22nd Earl of Arundel, and sister of Thomas, restored to the Dukedom of Norfolk; and secondly, Margaret, fourth daughter of Sir Edward Longueville, 1st Baronet, of Wolverton, Buckinghamshire, and had issue by her, two daughters, his co-heirs,

Margaretta Maria;
Charlotte Theophila.

First published in October, 2017.