MINTERNE. 95 



Edward Digby never succeeded to the title, dying in 1746. His 

 son Edward became sixth Lord Digby in 1752 on the death of his 

 grandfather "William, called " Good Lord Digby." 



Edward Lord Digby was of a very amiable disposition and much 

 beloved in the family. In Burke's " Anecdotes of the Aristocracy " 

 he is said to have devoted his time to visiting prisoners in gaols. 

 He caught the fever, from which he died, in so doing. His death 

 took place at Balbyaville, the house of one of the tenants, near 

 Geashill, where he was staying for shooting. 



There is a portrait of him at Minterne over the door into the 

 tapestry room, a copy of the picture at Melbury. 



He was succeeded in the title by his brother Henry, who was 

 created Earl of Digby, and was father of the second and last earl, 

 and great uncle of the late Mr. W. G. D. Wingfield Digby, of 

 Sherborne Castle. 



Robert, the third son of Edward Digby and Charlotte Fox, was 

 born in 1732, and entered the navy in 1744. 



In 1757 he was in command of the "Dunkirk" in the action off 

 Brest. In 1766 he appears to have been unemployed. His mother 

 was very anxious he should marry, as she says in a letter to him, 

 dated 28th October, 1766, "Have you seen nothing in all your 

 travels this year pretty enough to tempt you to take a wife V His 

 travels and visits continued through 1767 and 1768. In the 

 month of November that year he bought the Minterne Estate, but 

 does not seem to have regularly resided here till after his marriage 

 in 1784. 



In 1778 Robert Digby commanded the " Ramillies," one of the 

 leading ships in the inconclusive action between Orvilliers and 

 Admiral Keppel in 1778. 



In 1780 he was second in command in the battle off Cape St. 

 Vincent. He was made Admiral of the Red and appointed to the 

 care of Prince William Henry, Duke of Clarence (afterwards 

 William IV.) on his entering the navy on board the Prince George 

 in 1770. A miniature of William IV. as a midshipman is in the 

 drawing-room at Minterne, 



