This weak and bigoted young man, who was only twenty-four at death, had
really little part in the Gunpowder Plot. He was the son of Everard
Digby, of Drystoke, county Rutland, and Mary, daughter and co-heir of
Francis Nele, of Heythorpe, county Leicester. He was born in 1581, and
lost his father, a Romanist, in 1592. His mother married again (to
Sampson Erdeswick, of Landon, county Stafford, who was a Protestant),
and young Digby was brought up in a Protestant atmosphere. Until his
majority, he was much at Court, where he was noted for "graceful manners
and rare parts," says Greenway and Gerard adds that "he was very little
lower [in height] than Mr Catesby, but of stronger making... skilful in
all things that belonged unto a gentleman, a good musician, and excelled
in all gifts of mind." He is also described as "of goodly personage,
and of a manly aspect." He was always strongly inclined to his father's
religion, but did not openly profess it until he reached manhood. Sir
Everard married, in 1596, Mary, daughter and heir of William Mulsho of
Goathurst, county Buckingham, who survived him, and by whom he left a
son, the famous Sir Kenelm Digby, who was little more than two years old
at his father's death. If her piteous letter to Lord Salisbury may be
believed, Lady Digby was treated with unnecessary harshness. She
complains that the Sheriff has not left her "the worth of one peni
belonging to the grounds, house, or within the walls; nor so much as
great tables and standing chests that could not be removed without
cutting and sawing apeses. He permitted the base people to ransack all,
so much as my closet, and left me not any trifle in _it_... He will not
let me have so much as a suit of apparel for Mr Digby [the little
Kenelm], nor linens for my present wearing about my bodi." She implores
to be allowed to retain Goathurst, her own inheritance, during the
imprisonment of her husband, for whose life she would give hers or would
beg during life. (_Burghley Papers_, Additional Manuscript 6178, folio
94.)