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 ...

, Rutland was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

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 off ...

in 1541. He was born in Stoke Dry in

Rutland Rutland () is a ceremonial county and unitary authority in the East Midlands, England. The county is bounded to the west and north by Leicestershire, to the northeast by Lincolnshire and the southeast by Northamptonshire. Its greatest len ...

, the eldest son of Sir

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

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 4 miles (6 km) south-east of Holt, 5 miles (8 km) south of Sheringham and 20 miles (32 km) north of Norwich. Popul ...

, Norfolk, and educated at

Brasenose College, Oxford Brasenose College (BNC) is one of the 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 library and chapel were added in the mi ...

, 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 exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers, the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn an ...

. 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 d ...

(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 county in South East England that borders Greater London to the south-east, Berkshire to the south, Oxfordshire to the west, Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-ea ...

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 ''Custos rotulorum'' (; plural: ''custodes rotulorum''; Latin for "keeper of the rolls", ) is a civic post that is recognised in the United Kingdom (except Scotland) and in Jamaica. England, Wales and Northern Ireland The ''custos rotulorum'' is t ...

for Rutland from c. 1559 until his death.

Marriage and issue

He married Anne Cope, the daughter of Sir Anthony Cope of

Hanwell, Oxfordshire Hanwell is a village and civil parish in Oxfordshire, about northwest of Banbury. Its area is and its highest point is about above sea level. The 2011 Census recorded the parish's population as 263. Early history Remains of a substantial Ro ...

; 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