John Digby, 3rd Earl of Bristol (1634 – 18 September 1698) was an English landowner and politician who sat in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...

from 1675 to 1677 when he inherited the

peerage A peerage is a legal system historically comprising various hereditary titles (and sometimes Life peer, non-hereditary titles) in a number of countries, and composed of assorted Imperial, royal and noble ranks, noble ranks. Peerages include: A ...

as Earl of Bristol. He was styled Lord Digby from 1653 to 1677.

Life

Digby was the eldest son of

George Digby, 2nd Earl of Bristol George Digby, 2nd Earl of Bristol (5 November 161220 March 1677) was an English politician and peer who sat in the House of Commons from 1640 until 1641, when he was raised to the House of Lords by a writ of acceleration. He supported the Ro ...

and his wife Lady Anne Russell, daughter of

Francis Russell, 4th Earl of Bedford Francis Russell, 4th Earl of Bedford PC (1587 – 9 May 1641) was an English nobleman and politician. He built the square of Covent Garden, with the piazza and St Paul's Church, employing Inigo Jones as his architect. He is also known for ...

. He was baptised on 26 April 1634. He was educated privately. In July 1660 he became J.P. for Dorset and Somerset and commissioner for oyer and terminer on the Western circuit. He was commissioner for sewers for Somerset from December 1660 and commissioner for assessment for Dorset from 1661 to 1674. He was commissioner for assessment for Somerset from 1664 to 1674. From 1672 to 1674 he was Deputy Lieutenant for Dorset. In 1676 he was elected Member of Parliament for

Dorset Dorset ( ; Archaism, archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Somerset to the north-west, Wiltshire to the north and the north-east, Hampshire to the east, t ...

in a by-election to the

Cavalier Parliament The Cavalier Parliament of England lasted from 8 May 1661 until 24 January 1679. With the exception of the Long Parliament, it was the longest-lasting English Parliament, and longer than any Great British or UK Parliament to date, enduring ...

. In 1677, he inherited the Earldom of Bristol on the death of his father on 24 March and became a member of the House of Lords. He was

Lord Lieutenant of Dorset The Lord Lieutenant is the monarch's representative in the English county of Dorset. The office of the Lord Lieutenant was created during the reign of Henry VIII (1509–1547), taking over the military duties of the Sheriff of Dorset and contro ...

from 1679 and Custos Rotulorum of Dorset from 1680. In 1683 he became freeman of Lyme Regis. In June 1688 he was deprived of his positions as JP, Lord Lieutenant and Custos, but was re-instated a few months later. History of Parliament Online - Digby, John
/ref> Digby died at the age of about 64, and was buried at Sherborne Abbey.

Family

Digby married firstly on 26 March 1656, Alice Bourne daughter of Robert Bourne of Blake Hall, Essex. She died in 1658 and he married secondly by licence dated 13 July 1663, Rachel Wyndham, daughter of Sir

Hugh Wyndham Hugh Wyndham may refer to: * Sir Hugh Wyndham (judge) (1602–1684), English judge of the Common Pleas and Baron of the Exchequer * Hugh Wyndham (Minehead MP) (c. 1624–71), MP for Minehead 1661–71 * Sir Hugh Wyndham (diplomat) (1836–1916), ...

of Silton, Dorset, a Judge of the Common Pleas and

Baron of the Exchequer The Barons of the Exchequer, or ''barones scaccarii'', were the judges of the English court known as the Exchequer of Pleas. The Barons consisted of a Chief Baron of the Exchequer and several puisne (''inferior'') barons. When Robert Shute was ...

. He had no issue by either wife and the title became extinct on his death.

References

1634 births 1698 deaths Deputy lieutenants of Dorset 03 Lord-lieutenants of Dorset English MPs 1661–1679 Commissioners for sewers

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...

Members of the Parliament of England for Dorset {{1661-England-MP-stub