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Bristol, Earl of (E, 1622 - 1698)

 

Creation: let.pat. 15 Sep 1622

 

Extinct: 18 Sep 1698

 

Family name: Digby

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Arms:

Azure a Fleur-de-lis Argent, with a Mullet for difference

Crest:

An Ostrich holding in the beak a Horseshoe all proper, charged on the breast with a Mullet for difference

Supporters:

On either side a Monkey proper environed about the middle and lined Or, each charged on the shoulder with a Mullet for difference

Motto:

 Deo Non Fortuna

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John [Digby], 1st Baron Digby later 1st Earl of Bristol, PC

4th son of Sir George Digby, of Colshill, co. Warwick, by his wife Abigail Heveningham, dau. of Sir Arthur Heveningham, of Ketteringham, co. Norfolk

born

Feb 1586

mar.

31 May 1609 Beatrice Dyves (b. c. 1574; widow of Sir John Dyves, of Bromham, co. Bedford; d. 12 Sep 1658), dau. of Charles Walcott, of Walcott, co. Shropshire

children

1. Hon George Digby, later 2nd Baron Digby later 2nd Earl of Bristol

2. Hon John Digby, a General of Horse (d. unm.)

1. Lady Abigail Digby (dsp.), mar. George Freke, of Shroton, co. Dorset

2. Lady Mary Digby (dsps. 5 Nov 1648), mar. bef. 10 Apr 1638 as his second wife Arthur [Chichester], 1st Earl of Donegall, and had issue

died

21 Jan 1652/3

created

25 Nov 1618 Baron Digby, of Sherborne in the County of Dorset

15 Sep 1622 Earl of Bristol

suc. by

son

note

a Gentleman of the Privy Chamber 1605; Carver to the King 1605; knighted 1606' Member of Parliament for Hedon 1610-11; Ambassador to Spain 1610-14, 1614-1616/7 and 1622-24; a Gentleman of the Bedchamber to Charles, Prince of Wales' Vice-Chamberlain of the Household 1616-25; Privy Councillor 1616-25 and 1640/1; a Gentleman of the Bedchamber 1642; in the Civil War he first supported Parliament and then the King; condemned to death by the House of Commons 14 Mar 1648/9 but escaped to France

 

George [Digby], 2nd Baron Digby later 2nd Earl of Bristol, KG PC

born

Oct 1612

mar.

Lady Anne Russell (d. 26 Jan 1696/7), 2nd dau. of Francis [Russell], 4th Earl of Bedford, by his wife Hon Catharine Brydges, 2nd dau. and cohrss. of Giles [Brydges], 3rd Baron Chandos

children

1. Hon John Digby, later 3rd Earl of Bristol

2. Hon Francis Digby (d. 28 May 1672)

1. Lady Diana Digby, mar. Baron Moll

2. Lady Anne Digby (d. 16 Apr 1715), mar. 10 Jun 1665 Robert [Spencer], 2nd Earl of Sunderland, and had issue

died

20 Mar 1676/7

suc. by

son

note

Member of Parliament for Dorset 1640-41; sum. v.p. to Parliament 9 Jun 1641 in his father's Barony of Digby ; Col of a Regiment of Horse and Governor of Nottingham 1642; Privy Councillor 1643; Secretary of State 1643-45; High Steward of the University of Oxford 1643-46 and 1660-63; Lieutenant General, North of Trent 1645; retired to France 1651; Knight of the Garter 1652/3; Secretary of State and Lieutenant General for England 1657

 

John [Digby], 3rd Earl of Bristol

born

c. 1635

mar. (1)

26 Mar 1656 Alice Bourne (dsp. 28 May 1658), dau. and hrss. of Robert Bourne, of Blake Hall, Bobbingworth, co. Essex

mar. (2)

Aug 1663 Rachael Wyndham (d. 16 Feb 1708/9), 2nd dau. and cohrss. of Sir Hugh Wyndham, of Stilton, co. Dorset, a Justice of the Common Pleas, by his first wife Jane Wodehouse, dau. of Sir Thomas Wodehouse, 2nd Bt.

died

s.p. 18 Sep 1698

note

Member of Parliament (Tory) for Dorset 1675-77; Lord Lieutenant of Dorset 1679-98; Vice-Admiral of Poole

 

On the death of the 3rd Earl of Bristol both his titles became extinct

 

 First written 23 Jan 2003

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ã Copyright: Heraldic Media Limited. All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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