family of Napier of Merchistoun. His father, Alexander
Napier, was often known as "Sandy"; and the son held the alternative names
also. Great Lindford is two and a half miles from Gothurst; and it is
possible that Protestant friends, perhaps Laud himself, urged on the good
parson the duty of looking after the young Catholic gentleman. Sandy
(Napier) was also probably his mother's medical adviser: he certainly acted
as such to some members of her family. A man of fervent piety--his "knees
were horny with frequent praying," says Aubrey--he was, besides, a zealous
student of alchemy and astrology, a friend of Dee, of Lilly, and of
Booker. Very likely Kenelm had been entrusted to Allen's care at Oxford on
the recommendation of Sandy; for Allen, one of his intimates, was a serious
occultist, who, according to his servant's account, "used to meet the
spirits on the stairs like swarms of bees." With these occupations Napier
combined a large medical practice in the Midlands, the proceeds of which he
gave to the poor, living ascetically himself. His favourite nephew, Richard
Napier the younger, his pupil in all these arts and sciences, was about the
same age as Kenelm, and spent his holidays at Great Lindford. The
correspondence went on. Digby continued his medical observations abroad;
and after his return we find him writing to Sandy, communicating "some
receipts," and asking for pills that had been ordered. Thus we have arrived
at the early influences which drew the young Catholic squire towards the
art of healing and the occult sciences. The latter he dabbled in all his
life. In the former his interest was serious and steadfast.

He remained out of England three years. From Paris the plague drove him to
Angers, where the appearance of the handsome English youth caused such
commotion in the heart of the Queen Mother, Marie de Medicis, that she
evidently lost her head. His narrative of her behaviour had to be
expurgated when his _Memoirs_ were published in 1827. He fled these royal
attentions; spread a report of his death, and made his way to Italy. His
two years in Florence were not all spent about the Grand-ducal Court. His
mind, keen and of infinite curiosity, was hungering after the universal
knowledge he aspired to; and Galileo, then writing his Dialogues in his
retirement at Bellosguardo, could not have been left unvisited by the eager
young student. In after years, Digby used to say that it was in Florence he
met the Carme