his generous mind, he contracted great debts, and I know not how (there being a great falling out between him and his then only son, John*) he settled his estate upon. . . Cornwalleys, a subtile sollicitor, and also a member of the house of commons, who did putt Mr. Jo. Digby to much charge in lawe. Qu. what became of it? Mr. J. D. had a good estate of his owne, and lived handsomely then, at what time I went to him two or 3 times, in order to your Oxon. Antiqu. and he then brought me a great book as big as the biggest Church Bible that ever I sawe, and the richliest bound, bossed with silver, engraven with scutchions and crest. It was a curious volume. It was the history of the family of the Digbyes, which S Kenelme either did or ordered to be donne. There was inserted all that was to be found any where relating to them, out of Records of the Tower, Rolles, &c: all ancient church monuments were most exquisitely limmed by some rare artist. He told me that the compileing of it did cost his father a thousand pounds. S: Jos. Fortescue sayd he did beleeve 'twas more. When Mr. Jo. Digby did me the favour to shew me this rare MS. "This booke," sayd he, "is

* He m..... sister to this present Henry Duke of Norfolke, no child living by her. His 2d wife..... Fortescue, by whom he hath........ Quære the issue? + An ostrich.

:

all that I have left me of all the estate that was my father's!" He was almost as tall and as big as his father he had something of the sweetnesse of his mother's face. He was bred by the Jesuites, and was a good scholar. He dyed at... V. in. ... Lives when S: Kenelme dyed.

St John Hoskyns informes me that S Kenelme Digby did translate Petronius Arbiter into English.*

* VENETIA STANLEY

Was daughter of St Edward Stanley, of Eynstoun, in com. Oxon, son of Sr Tho. Stanley, Kt. younger son to Edw. E. of † She was a most beautifull desireable

The

creature; and being matura viro was left by her father to live with a tenant and servants at Enston-abbey, (his land, or the E. of Darby's) in Oxfordshire; but as private as that place was, it seemes her beautie could not lye hid. young eagles had espied her, and she was sanguine and tractable, and of much suavity (wch to abuse was greate pittie). In those dayes Richard Earle of Dorset (eldest son and heire to the Ld treasurer) lived in the greatest splendor of any nobleman of England.§ Among other pleasures

+ The words thus marked were inserted by Anthony à Wood. At the W. end of the church here were two towers as at Welles ⚫r Westminster Abbey, wch were standing till about 1656. The rooms of the abbey were richly wainscotted, both sides and roofe.

§ He lived in the greatest grandeur of any nobleman of his time in Engl. He had 30 gentlemen, and gave to each 30lib. per annum. besides keeping his horse. G. Villers (after Duke of Bucks) was a petitioner to have had a gentleman's place under him, and miss't it,

EARLE OF DORSET.

Epigram on the Earle of Dorset, who dyed suddenly at the Council boord.

Uncivill death, that would'st not once conferre, Dispute or parle with our treasurer,

that he enjoyed, Venus was not the least. This pretty creature's fame quickly came to his Lop's eares, who made no delay to catch at such an opportunity. I have now forgott who first brought her to towne, but I have heard my uncle Danvers say (who was her contemporary) that she was so commonly courted, and that by grandees, that 'twas written over her lodging one night in literis uncialibus,

PRAY COME NOT NEER,

FOR DAME VENETIA STANLEY LODGETH HERE.

The Earle of Dorset aforesayd, was her greatest gallant, who was extremely enamoured of her, and had one if not more children by her. He setled on her an annuity of 500lib. per annum. Among other young sparkes of that time, S' Kenelme Digby grew acquainted with her, and fell so much in love with her that he married her, much against the good will of his mother; but he would say "that a wise man and lusty could make an honest woman out of a brothell-house." St Edm. Wyld had her picture, (and you may imagine was very familiar with her) which picture is now at Droitwich, in Worcestershire, at an inne, where now

and within a 12 month was a greater man himselfe; but the duke ever after bore a grudge to the E. of Dorset. From the Countesse of Thanet.

Had he been thee, or of thy fatall tribe,

He would have spar'd thy life, and ta'ne a bribe.

the towne keepe their meetings. Also at Mr. Rose's, a jeweller, in Henrietta-street, in Covent garden, is an excellent piece of hers, drawne after she was newly dead. She had a most lovely sweet-turned face, delicate darke browne haire. She had a perfect healthy constitution; strong; good skin; well proportioned; enclining to a Bona Roba. Her face, a short ovall; darke browne eie-browe, about wch much sweetness, as also in the opening of her eie-lidds. The colour of her cheekes was just that of the Damaske rose, which is neither too hot nor too pale. She was of a just stature, not very tall.

Sr Kenelme had severall pictures of her by Vandyke, &c.* He had her hands cast in playster, and her feet, and her face. See Ben Jonson's 2d volume, where he hath made her live in poetry, in his drawing of her both body and mind:

"Sitting, and ready to be drawne,

What makes these tiffany, silks, and lawne,
Embroideries, feathers, fringes, lace,

When every limbe takes like a face !"-&c.

When these verses were made she had three children by Sr Kenelme, who are there mentioned, Kenelme, George, and John. She dyed in her bed suddenly. Some suspected that she was poysoned. When her head was opened there was found but little braine, wch her husband imputed to her drinking of viper-wine; but spitefull woemen would say 'twas a viper-husband who was jealous of her *

* Her picture by Vandyke is now at Abermarleys, in Carmarthenshire, at Mr. Cornwalleys' sonne's widowe's (the Lady Cornwalleys' house), who was the da. and heire of . . . . Jones, of Abermarleys.

He that so often had, with gold and witt,
Injur'd strong lawe, and almost conquer'd it,

I have heard some say,—e. g. my

cos. Eliz. Falkner,-that after her marriage she redeemed her honour by her strickt living. Once a yeare the Earle of Dorset invited her and Sr Kenelme to dinner, where the Earle would behold her with much passion, and only kisse her hand. S Kenelme erected to her memorie a sumptuouse and stately monument at.... Fryars, Christ Church (neer Newgatestreet), in the East end of the South aisle, where her body lyes in a vault of brick-worke, over which are three steps of black marble, with 4 inscriptions in copper gilt affixed to it: upon this altar her bust of copper gilt, all wch (unlesse the vault which was onely opened a little by the fall) is utterly destroyed by the great conflagration. Among the monuments in the booke mentioned in Sr Ken. Digby's life, is to be seen a curious draught of this monument, wth copies of the seve rall inscriptions. About 1676 or 5, as I was walking through Newgate-street, I sawe Dame Venetia's bust standing at a stall at the golden crosse, a brasier's shop. I presently remembred it, but the fire had gott off the guilding: but taking notice of it to one that was with me, I could never see it afterwards exposed to the street. They melted it downe. How these curiosities would be quite forgott, did not such idle fellowes as I am putt them downe !

Mem. At Goathurst, in Bucks, is a rare originall picture of Sr Kenelme Digby, and his Lady Venetia, in one piece by the hand of St Anthony Vandyke. In Ben Jonson's 2d volume is a poeme called " Eupheme, left to posteritie, of ye noble lady, the Ladie Venetia Digby, late wife of S Kenelme Digby, Kt a gentleman absolute in all numbers: consisting of these ten pieces, viz. Dedication of her Cradle; Song of her Descent; Picture of her Bodie;