HERA 
Baron of Geafliill, in Ireland, LL.D. born January 6, 
j773 ; fucceeded his'father, the late earl, Sept 25, 1793* 
The family of Digby was in great estimation in the 
reign of Henry II. Their original!:name'.was Tilton, 
which they changed in 1256, for that of Digby. Eve- 
rard Digby, in the reign of Edward IV. with his three 
brothers, was killed fighting for the lvoufe of Lancafter 
at the battle of Towton, March 29, 1461. His feven 
fons alfo fought for Henry VII. at the battle of Bof- 
worth, Auguft 22, 1485. Sir Everard, fourth in defcent 
from Everard eldeft fon of Everard, had ilfue, 1. Sir 
Itenelm Digby, who was bred to the navy, and appoint¬ 
ed to command a fquadron againft the Venetians and Al¬ 
gerines, in 1628, in which he behaved with great gal¬ 
lantry. He adhered to Charles I. in the civil wars, and 
was chancellor to Henrietta-Maria, queen dowager of 
England. He was diftinguifiied for his ability and learn¬ 
ing, being a great benefactor to the -Bodleian library, 
and an eminent proficient in the cabaliftical and aftrolo- 
gical fciences. He was the- author of feveral treatifes, 
and died June 11, 1665. Kenelm, his fon, was killed at 
Saint Neot’s, fighting for Charles I. in the year 1648. 
2. Sir John, who had alfo a command in the army of 
Charles I.- and was killed in the civil wars. 
George, third in defcent from Simon, fecond of the 
feven Tons of Everard, had ilfue, 1. Robert, 2. John, 
Who was fent to James I. with an intimation of the 
gunpowder-plot, and was by that monarch created, No¬ 
vember 25, 1618, baron Digby of Sherborne,.and, De¬ 
cember 15, 1622, earl of Briftol. He was alfo employed 
in feveral foreign embaffies, particularly in negociating 
the marriage of the prince of Wales, afterwards Charles 
I. with the Spanilh infanta. In this bufinefs he was 
obftrudled by Villiers duke of Buckingham; and be¬ 
came the objedl of perfecution. He was fent to the 
Tower by James I. in 1624, and was by Charles I. Fe¬ 
bruary 6, 1626, impeached of high treafon. The earl 
of Briftol alfo impeached the dukeof Buckingham. He 
was foon after difcharged, and immediately employed- 
to negociate with the Scottifli army. He fought for 
Charles I. at the battle of Edgehill, OCtober 23, 1642; 
and he withdrew with the royal family to the continent, 
and died January 2r, 1652, leaving iflue George, fecond 
earl of Briftol; and John, who had a command in the 
army of Charles I. 
George, fecond earl of Briftol, was a nobleman of 
great abilities, and made a confiderable figure in the 
reign of Charles I. under the title of lord Digby. He 
was one of the committee of the hoitfe of commons ap¬ 
pointed to prepare articles of impeachment againft the 
earl of Strafford; but afterwards oppofed the bill .of 
attainder, April 21, 1641. He was alio one of the prin¬ 
cipal advifers in the impeachment of lord Kimbolton, 
-and the five commpners, by Charles I. He fucceeded, 
upon the death of the celebrated Lucius Carey, lord vif- 
countFalkland, in 1643, to theofficeofprincipal fecretary 
of ftate. He was conftituted, in 1645, commander in chief 
of the northern army; but loft the action of Sherborne 
in the following year. He afterwards went to Ireland, 
and palled over into the imperial fervice during the 
ufurpation of Cromwell. In 1663, he entered a charge 
of high treafon againft the earl of Clarendon, lord high 
chancellor, which was rejected by the houfe of lords. 
He died March 20, 1676, leaving iftue, 1. John, third 
earl of Briftol, upon whofe death September 18, 1698, 
the titles became extinCt. 2. Francis, a colonel in the 
army, who was killed in the lea-fight againft the Dutch, 
March 28, 1672. 
Robert, elder brother of John, firft earl of Briftol, 
married Let tice, baronefs Offaley, of the kingdom of 
Ireland, grand-daughter of Gerald, eleventh earl of 
Kildare; by which lady, who is diftinguilhed for her 
heroical defence of the caftle of Gealhill againft the Irilh . 
Catholics in 1642, he had iftue,. 1. Robert, who was 
created by James I. July 29, 1620, baron Digby of 
Vox.. IX. No. 606. 
L D R Y. 535 
Geaftiill in the kingdom of Ireland. 2. Eftex,whowas 
elected in 1670, lord biftiop pf Dromore,-and died May 
12, 1683. Simon, his fon, was eledted March 19, 1678, 
lord biftiop of Limeric, Ardfert, and Aghadoe, and 
tranflated, January 12, 1690, to the fee of Elphin. He 
died April 7, 1720. 
William, fifth lord Digby, grandfon of Robert, firft 
lord Digby, married Jane, daughter of the earl of 
Gainlborough, by which lady he had four fons and eight 
daughters, viz. 1. John, died unmarried. 2. Robert, 
died unmarried. 3. Edward. 4. Wriothefley, married 
Mils Mary Cotes, of Woodcote, in the county of Salop, 
by whom he had ifiue three fons and four daughters : 
one of whom, Elizabeth, married William Mills, efq. 
Mary, who died' unmarried; Elizabeth, married to fir 
John Dolben, bart. and died in 1730; Rachael and Jane, 
both died young; Juliana, married fir Herbert Mack- 
worth, bart. Catharine ; Frances, married James Cotes, 
of Woodcote, efq. Jane. Edward, the third fon, mar¬ 
ried Charlotte, daughter of fir Stephen Fox, and filler 
to Stephen firft ea'rl of Ilchefter, and Henry firft lord 
Holland, by whom he had fix fons and a daughter. He 
was born in 1733, and died, before his father, October 2, 
1746. Thefe fons were, Edward, fixth lord,'who, No¬ 
vember 29, 1752, fucceeded his grandfather, and died 
unmarried November 27, 1757 ; Henry, the feventli 
lord, and firft earl; Robert, an admiral in the royal 
navy, married Eleanor, daughter of Andrew Elliott, 
efq. William, dean of Durham, died September 18, 
1788; married Charlotte, daughter of Jofeph Cox, efq. 
who died June 27, 1791, and had iftue, Henry, a captain 
in the royal navy ; William-Sheffield, who died in De¬ 
cember 1793; Charles-George ; Charlotte-Sophia, mar¬ 
ried, April 3, 1784, fir John Sheffield, bart. Juliana; 
Maria, married, Auguft 23, 1794, Flenry-Thomas; fe¬ 
cond earl of Ilchefter; Caroline, married, June 13, 1791, 
Thomas Neave, efq. Harriot and Catharine, who died 
young; Stephen,, born May 10, 1742, married Lucy, 
daughter of the firft earl of Ilchefter, by-which lady, 
who died Auguft 16,-1787, he had iflue two fons, 
Charles, and Stephen-Thomas. He married, fecondly, 
January 6, 1790, Charlotte-Margaret, daughter of fir 
Robert Gunning, bart. Charles, born on April 22, 1743, 
in holy orders, married Prifcilla, daughter of William 
Mellier, of Caftle Cary, efq. and has iflue. His lord- 
Ihip died November 29, 1752, in the 92d year of his age, 
and was fucceeded by his grandfon. Edward, the fixth 
lord, died November 27, 1757, unmarried, and was 
fucceeded by his brother, Plenty, the late earl;, mar¬ 
ried, September 5, 1763, Elizabeth, daughter of Charles 
Fielding, brother to the earl of Denbigh, and by her, 
who died January 19, 1765, he had ilfue a fon, Edward, 
born June-30, 1764, who died an infant. He married, 
fecondly, November id, 1770, Mary, daughter and heir 
of John Knowler, efq. by which lady, he had ilfue, 
Charlotte, married, July 22, 1796, William Wingfield, 
efq. and dying in November 1806, left ilfue, George 
Digby, born June |, 1797; John Digby, born March 
26, 1799; Mary, born May 6, 1800; a daughter, born 
November 2, 1802 ; Edward, the prefent earl ; Robert, 
in holy orders, born April 10, 1775; Stephen, born 
June 24, 1776, died in February 1795; Elizabeth, born 
June 3, 1781, died November 13, 1806. His lordlhip, 
dying September 25, 1793, was fucceeded by his eldeft 
fon, Edward, the fecond and prefent earl. The heir 
prefumptive is. the honourable and reverend Robert 
Digby, brother to the eafl. 
Creations. —Baron Digby, in Ireland, July 29, 
1623 ; Baron, Auguft 13, 1765, and Earl Digby, in Eng¬ 
land, October 30, 1790. 
Residences. —Sherborne-caftle, in the county of 
Dorfet.—Town-houfe, in Brook-ftreet. 
Armorial Bearings. —See the annexed Engraving. 
Motto,— -Deo, non forlund % —~ <( f'rom God, not from 
fortune.” 
6 £ 
PERCYj 
