Kenelm Digby (died 21 April 1590) of

Stoke Dry Stoke Dry is a village and civil parish in the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England, about three miles (5 km) southwest of Uppingham. The village's name means 'outlying farm/settlement'. The village is positioned on a hill a ...

, Rutland was an English politician. He was first elected MP for Stamford in 1539 and

Sheriff of Rutland This is a list of sheriffs and high sheriffs of the English county of Rutland. The sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown: there has been a Sheriff of Rutland since 1129. Formerly the sheriff was the principal law enforcement offic ...

in 1541. He was born in Stoke Dry in

Rutland Rutland is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. It borders Leicestershire to the north and west, Lincolnshire to the north-east, and Northamptonshire to the south-west. Oakham is the largest town and county town. Rutland has a ...

, the eldest son of Sir

Everard Digby Sir Everard Digby (c. 1578 – 30 January 1606) was a member of the group of provincial members of the English nobility who planned the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605. Although he was raised in an Anglican household and married a Protestant, Di ...

and Margery Heydon, daughter of Sir John Heydon of

Baconsthorpe Baconsthorpe is a village and civil parish in the North Norfolk district of the English county of Norfolk. It is south-east of Holt, south of Sheringham and north of Norwich. Population and governance The civil parish has an area of 5.53&nb ...

, Norfolk, and educated at

Brasenose College, Oxford Brasenose College (BNC) is one of the Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It began as Brasenose Hall in the 13th century, before being founded as a college in 1509. The l ...

, and the

Middle Temple The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known simply as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court entitled to Call to the bar, call their members to the English Bar as barristers, the others being the Inner Temple (with whi ...

. He should not be confused with his grandson,

Sir Kenelm Digby Sir Kenelm Digby (11 July 1603 – 11 June 1665) was an English courtier and diplomat. He was also a highly reputed natural philosopher, astrologer and known as a leading Roman Catholic intellectual and Blackloist. For his versatility, he is ...

(1603–1665), also son of a Sir Everard Digby (executed for taking part in the Gunpowder Plot), of

Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire (, abbreviated ''Bucks'') is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-east, Hertfordshir ...

Career

He was first elected to parliament as MP for Stamford in 1539. He was then appointed

in 1541. He was returned as MP for

(as senior knight of the shire) in successive parliamentary elections in 1545, 1547, 1553 (March) and 1553 (October), 1555, 1558, 1559, 1571, 1572 and 1584. He was also appointed Sheriff of Rutland a further six times in 1549, 1553, 1561, 1567, 1575 and 1585. He was custos rotulorum for Rutland from c. 1559 until his death.

Marriage and issue

He married Anne Cope, the daughter of Sir Anthony Cope of Hanwell, Oxfordshire; they had three sons and six daughters, including: *Everard Digby *Anthony Digby *John Digby *Anne Digby married Sir Edward Watson (–1617) of

Rockingham, Northamptonshire Rockingham is a village and civil parish in North Northamptonshire, England. Close to the border of Leicestershire and Rutland, the village is largely connected to the town of Corby where various local organisations utilise the ''Rockingham'' na ...

. He died 21 April 1590 and was buried in the church at Stoke Dry. His alabaster tomb chest in the chancel has recumbent effigies of Digby and his wife, with mourners on the chest sides.

References

Sources

* * *

External links

Tomb of Sir Kenelm Digby, St Andrews, Stoke Dry
Flickr {{DEFAULTSORT:Digby, Kenelm 1590 deaths People from Rutland High sheriffs of Rutland Year of birth uncertain Alumni of Brasenose College, Oxford Members of the Middle Temple People from Stamford, Lincolnshire English MPs 1545–1547 English MPs 1547–1552 English MPs 1553 (Edward VI) English MPs 1553 (Mary I) English MPs 1555 English MPs 1558 English MPs 1559 English MPs 1571 English MPs 1572–1583 English MPs 1584–1585