DIGBY, Sir KENELM Au English author and naval commander, lle was born three years before the execution of his father, Sir Everard Digby, noted as one of the gun powder plot conspirators. At the age of fifteen he was entered at Gloucester Hall, Oxford. Leaving the university in 1620, without a degree, he traveled abroad. Returning, he was knighted. In 1625 he married the celeorated Venetia Stan ley. In 1628 he equipped two ships at his own expense, and sailed on a privateering expedition against the French and Venetians in the Medi terranean. Ile won a victory in the harbor of Iskanderun. In 1632, on the death of Dr. Allen, of Gloucester Hall, Dighy inherited his collection of books and manuseripts, which he presented to the Bodleian Library. In the troubles between King Charles and Parliament. Dighy took the Royalist side, and was imprisoned in Winchester House, but in 1643 was allowed to retire to France. After Charles I. had fallen, Digby re turned to England. but Parliament forbade him the kingdom. under penalty of death. Retiring
to the Continent, he traveled in France and Italy; but in 1655 he was again in England. and was in frequent attendance at the Court of the Protector. He went again to France, and busied himself with the preparation of philosophical papers. Ile returned to England in 1661, and died there. works are numerous, and on a great variety of subjects. comprising: A Con frrence with a Lady About Choice of Religion (Paris. I63S) obscrrations on Spenser's Fairy Queen (London. 1644) ; A Treatise on the Soul, Proving Its Immortality (Park. 16441: Of the Cure of Wounds by the Powder of Sympathy (London, 165S1: and Discourse on Vegetation (London, 16611. etc. The Prirate Memoirs of Sir K. Diyby. etc., Written by Himself. were pub lished in London in 18•7. Consult: of the Scanderoon Voyage." in Camden Society Pub lications (London. 1S6S) ; and Poems, ed. \Var ner (London. 1S77).