Biography of John Digby 1st Earl Bristol 1580-1653

In or before 1574 [his father] George Digby (age 23) and [his mother] Abigail Heveningham (age 23) were married. They were fifth cousin once removed.

In February 1580 John Digby 1st Earl Bristol was born to George Digby (age 29) and Abigail Heveningham (age 30) at Coleshill, Warwickshire.

In April 1587 [his father] George Digby (age 36) died at Coleshill, Warwickshire. He had made his will the previous April. It was proved 11 May 1587. He divided his lands between his widow [his mother] Abigail Heveningham (age 37) and his eldest surviving son [his brother] Robert Digby (age 13), and was buried at Coleshill.

After April 1587 [his step-father] Edward Cordell (age 51) and [his mother] Abigail Heveningham (age 37) were married.

In 1609 John Digby 1st Earl Bristol (age 28) and Beatrice Walcott were married.

In 1611 [his mother] Abigail Heveningham (age 61) died

In 1612 [his daughter] Mary Digby Countess Donegal was born to John Digby 1st Earl Bristol (age 31) and [his wife] Beatrice Walcott.

Before 5th November 1612 [his son] George Digby 2nd Earl Bristol was born to John Digby 1st Earl Bristol (age 32) and [his wife] Beatrice Walcott. On 5th November 1612 George Digby 2nd Earl Bristol was baptised.

Letters of the Court of James I 1618. [5th October 1618]. The treaty with Spain, about the match that is pretended, they say, is likely to proceed. Sir John Digby (age 38) is to be employed anew in an embassy to that purpose, and is to stay there till he see a final issue; that either the infanta (age 12) be to be brought over, or the business utterly quashed. Presently after Christmas he undertakes the voyage, but the king hath not declared him as yet. It is kept as a great secret in the interim, and so imparted unto me, who am offered the condition of the chaplain, if I should think fit to accept it. I shall take time to consider, and humbly entreat you to favour me with your advice. But whatsoever I have communicated touching this embassy, I beseech you bury it in your own bosom till his majesty's declaration open a vent.

In 1622 John Digby 1st Earl Bristol (age 41) was created 1st Earl Bristol.

Letters of John Chamberlain Volume 2 315. [19th January 1622] Sir Thomas Wentworth (age 28) of Yorkeshire is saide to be lately made Vicount Rabie, but on what conditions I know not. Here is speach of divers other Lords to be made out of hand, and the Lord Treasurer with the Lord Digbie (age 41) to be created earles. The archbishop of Yorke is reported once more to be dead. Sir Henry Savile (age 72) is here in towne so far gon of the scorbut that some doubt he will hardly recover. Master Nicolas Hare that was at Padoua died here the last weeke and made Captain John Harvie his executor, which is saide to be three or fowre thousand pound in his way: he requested me two dayes since to intreat your Lordship for a copie of the picture you have of Master Hare, and that yt may be drawne by Michaell Jansen or some other goode hand, for that he meanes to make some monument wherin he shall have use of yt; the sooner you please to favour him in yt the better welcome yt wilbe. I understand him alwayes en payant. Your cousen Lytton (age 35) hath at last remembred himself and sent me the monie. So with the remembrance of my best service to my goode Lady I commend you to the protection of the Almighty. From London this 19th of January 1622.

Your Lordships most assuredly at commaund

John Chamberlain (age 69).

To the right honorable Sir Dudley Carleton knight Lord Ambassador for his Majestie with the States of the United Provinces at the Hagh.

Autobiography Simon D'Ewes. The 7th of March they arrived at Madrid, the royal residence, and were conveyed with much secrecy into the Earl of Bristol's (age 43) house-Rushworth, i. p. 76. A fuller account of this extraordinary adventure will be found elsewhere.

After 1630 [his son-in-law] Arthur Chichester 1st Earl Donegal (age 23) and [his daughter] Mary Digby Countess Donegal (age 18) were married. She the daughter of John Digby 1st Earl Bristol (age 49) and [his wife] Beatrice Walcott. They were half sixth cousins.

Before 1634 [his son] George Digby 2nd Earl Bristol (age 21) and [his daughter-in-law] Anne Russell Countess Bristol (age 13) were married. She the daughter of Francis Russell 4th Earl Bedford (age 40) and Catherine Brydges Countess Bedford (age 53). He the son of John Digby 1st Earl Bristol (age 53) and [his wife] Beatrice Walcott.

In 1640 [his daughter] Abigail Digby died.

On 5th November 1648 [his daughter] Mary Digby Countess Donegal (age 36) died in childbirth. She was buried at All Saints Church, Eggesford.

John Evelyn's Diary. 6th September 1651. I went with my wife (age 16) to St. Germains, to condole with Mr. Waller's (age 45) loss. I carried with me and treated at dinner that excellent and pious person the Dean of St. Paul's, Dr. Stewart, and [his step-son] Sir Lewis Dives (age 52) (half-brother to the [his son] Earl of Bristol (age 38)) [Note. [his wife] Beatrice Walcott was mother to Lewis Dyve and George Digby 2nd Earl Bristol by her first and second husbands respectively. At the time of writing, 1651, the Earl of Bristol was John Digby 1st Earl Bristol (age 71); a case of Evelyn writing hi sdiary retrospectively], who entertained us with his wonderful escape out of prison in Whitehall [Map], the very evening before he was to have been put to death, leaping down out of a jakes two stories high into the Thames at high water, in the coldest of winter, and at night; so as by swimming he got to a boat that attended for him, though he was guarded by six musketeers. After this, he went about in women's habit, and then in a small-coal-man's, traveling 200 miles on foot, embarked for Scotland with some men he had raised, who coming on shore were all surprised and imprisoned on the Marquis of Montrose's score; he not knowing anything of their barbarous murder of that hero. This he told us was his fifth escape, and none less miraculous; with this note, that the charging through 1,000 men armed, or whatever danger could befall a man, he believed could not more confound and distract a man's thoughts than the execution of a premeditated escape, the passions of hope and fear being so strong. This knight was indeed a valiant gentleman; but not a little given to romance, when he spoke of himself. I returned to Paris the same evening.

On 21st January 1653 John Digby 1st Earl Bristol (age 72) died in Paris [Map]. His son [his son] George (age 40) succeeded 2nd Earl Bristol. [his daughter-in-law] Anne Russell Countess Bristol (age 33) by marriage Countess Bristol.

In 1658 [his former wife] Beatrice Walcott died.

[his daughter] Abigail Digby was born to John Digby 1st Earl Bristol and Beatrice Walcott.