From Florence he passed to Spain ; and his ar-
rival was happily timed — probably by his ever
anxious kinsman ; for a few days later Prince
Charles and Buckingham landed, on the Spanish
Marriage business ; and so agreeable was young
Digby that, in spite of Buckingham's dislike of his
name, he became part of the Prince's household, and
returned with the party in October, 1623. Court
favours seemed now to open out a career for him.
King James knighted him, in what might have
proved a fatal ceremony ; for so tremblingly nervous
of the naked steel was the royal hand, that Bucking-
ham had to turn the sword aside from doing damage
instead of honour. He was also made Gentleman
of the Bedchamber to Prince Charles. But no other
signal favours followed these. For all his agree-
ableness he was not of the stuff courtiers are made
of — though James had a kindness for him, and was
entertained by his eagerness and ingenuity. Bacon,
too, just before his death, had come across this zeal-
ous young student of the experimental methods,
and had meant, Digby said, to include an account
3
xviii INTRODUCTION^
of the Powder of Sympathy in an appendix to his
Natural History.
In Spain, Kenelm had flirted with some Spanish
ladies, notably with the beautiful Donna Anna
Maria Manrique, urged thereto by gibes at his cold-
ness ; but Venetia was still the lady of his heart.
Her amorous adventures, in the meanwhile, had
been more serious and much more notorious. His
letters had miscarried, and had been kept back by
his mother. Venetia pleadedher belief in his death.
Aubrey's account of her is a mass of picturesque
scandal. " She was a most beautiful desirable crea-
ture. . . . The young eagles had espied her, and she
was sanguine and tractable, and of much suavity
(which to abuse was great pittie)." Making all
allowance for gossip, the truth seems to be that in
Kenelm's absence she had been at least the mistress
of Sir Edward Sackville, afterwards the fourth Earl
of Dorset ; that Dorset tired of her ; and on Digby's
return she was more than willing to return to her
old love. But, alas ! Sackville had her picture, which
seemed to her compromising. Digby, therefore,
having accepted her apologies and extenuations,
challenged Sackville to a duel ; whereupon the
faithless one proved at least magnanimous; refused
to fight, gave up the picture, and swore that Venetia
was blameless as she was fair. A private marriage
followed ; and it was only on the birth of his second
son John that Sir Kenelm acknowledged it to the
world. To read nearly all his Memoirs is to receive
the impression that he looked on his wife as a
wronged innocent. To read the whole is to feel he
INTRODUCTIOD^ xix
knew the truth and took the risk, which was not
very great after all ; for the lady of the many suitors
and several adventures settled down to the mildest
domesticity. They say he was jealous ; but no one
has said she gave him cause. The tale runs that
Dorset visited them once a year, and "only kissed
her hand, Sir Kenelm being by."
Page 4
Presented as published in 1910. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
From Florence he passed to Spain ; and his arrival was happily timed — probably by his ever anxious kinsman ; for a few days later Prince Charles and Buckingham landed, on the Spanish Marriage business ; and so agreeable was young Digby that, in spite of Buckingham's dislike of his name, he became part of the Prince's household, and returned with the party in October, 1623. Court favours seemed now to open out a career for him. King James knighted him, in what might have proved a fatal ceremony ; for so tremblingly nervous of the naked steel was the royal hand, that Buckingham had to turn the sword aside from doing damage instead of honour. He was also made Gentleman of the Bedchamber to Prince Charles. But no other signal favours followed these. For all his agreeableness he was not of the stuff courtiers are made of — though James had a kindness for him, and was entertained by his eagerness and ingenuity. Bacon, too, just before his death, had come across this zealous young student of the experimental methods, and had meant, Digby said, to include an account
xviii INTRODUCTION
of the Powder of Sympathy in an appendix to his Natural History.
In Spain, Kenelm had flirted with some Spanish ladies, notably with the beautiful Donna Anna Maria Manrique, urged thereto by gibes at his coldness ; but Venetia was still the lady of his heart. Her amorous adventures, in the meanwhile, had been more serious and much more notorious. His letters had miscarried, and had been kept back by his mother. Venetia pleadedher belief in his death. Aubrey's account of her is a mass of picturesque scandal. " She was a most beautiful desirable creature. . . . The young eagles had espied her, and she was sanguine and tractable, and of much suavity (which to abuse was great pittie)." Making all allowance for gossip, the truth seems to be that in Kenelm's absence she had been at least the mistress of Sir Edward Sackville, afterwards the fourth Earl of Dorset ; that Dorset tired of her ; and on Digby's return she was more than willing to return to her old love. But, alas ! Sackville had her picture, which seemed to her compromising. Digby, therefore, having accepted her apologies and extenuations, challenged Sackville to a duel ; whereupon the faithless one proved at least magnanimous; refused to fight, gave up the picture, and swore that Venetia was blameless as she was fair. A private marriage followed ; and it was only on the birth of his second son John that Sir Kenelm acknowledged it to the world. To read nearly all his Memoirs is to receive the impression that he looked on his wife as a wronged innocent. To read the whole is to feel he
INTRODUCTION xix
knew the truth and took the risk, which was not very great after all ; for the lady of the many suitors and several adventures settled down to the mildest domesticity. They say he was jealous ; but no one has said she gave him cause. The tale runs that Dorset visited them once a year, and "only kissed her hand, Sir Kenelm being by."