| Sir Everard Digby: 24 years old. Wealthy,
he was a Catholic convert, a swordsman, and a horseman.
His role was to lead the Midlands Rebellion. Digby possessed wide estates in Rutland. If his parents were Catholic they avoided detection and did not attract the persecution of the state. Digby married Mary Mulsho and had two sons Kenelm and John. Mary brought the wealth of the estate of William Mulsho as she was his only daughter and heiress. Once at court Digby became a gentleman pensioner. He was very popular at court. Mary upon her introduction to the very fashionable and worldly Jesuit John Gerard became a convert to Catholicism following the death of her parents. The Digbys remarked as to the secular ways of the Jesuits and were much impressed by them. Sir Everard converted also by Gerard after an illness in London. Working with Gerard Digby set up a model Catholic household which combined card playing with Ave Marias. He was knighted after welcoming King James at Belvoir castle on April 23 1603. Digby entered the plot via an introduction by Robert Catesby on a pilgrimage to St. Winifreds Well at the end of August 1605. He brought money and management skills to the plot. It is interesting to note that Digby only entered the plot once he was convinced that the Jesuits had given it their approval. This is of interest as Digby was very close to the leading Jesuits of the day and would have been in touch with them. Digby contributed the huge sum of 1500 pounds to the plot and would move to Coughton Court to be able to assist with the direction of the rising in the Midlands and assistance with the kidnapping of Princess Elizabeth. The headquarters for this operation would be the Red Lion Inn at Dunchurch where a group of 100 supporters had gathered on Monday November 4. After re-uniting with Catesby after the failure of the explosion in London Digby assisted Catesby in writing the letter to Father Garnet which explaining the plot, broke the seal of the confessional. Digby fled the plot after the explosion of Holbeache but was arrested shortly thereafter near Dudly. Sir Everard was executed on Jan. 30 1606. The execution was dramatic as he was in high spirits and maintained courtly civility. He is said to have contradicted the executioner who holding his heart up for the crowd to see said: "this is the heart of a traitor". Digby is said to have replied: "thou liest". To Return to the Cast of Characters Page for more fun...Click it right here!
|
