mature age and charms; he
visited Florence, and in March 1623 joined Sir John Digby again at
Madrid, at the time when Prince Charles and Buckingham arrived on their
adventurous expedition. He joined the prince's household and returned
with him to England on the 5th of October 1623, being knighted by James
I. on the 23rd of October and receiving the appointment of gentleman of
the privy chamber to Prince Charles. In 1625 he married secretly
Venetia, daughter of Sir Edward Hanley of Tonge Castle, Shropshire, a
lady of extraordinary beauty and intellectual attainments, but of
doubtful virtue. Digby was a man of great stature and bodily strength.
Edward Hyde, afterwards earl of Clarendon, who with Ben Jonson was
included among his most intimate friends, describes him as "a man of
very extraordinary person and presence which drew the eyes of all men
upon him, a wonderful graceful behaviour, a flowing courtesy and
civility, and such a volubility of language as surprised and
delighted."[2] Digby for some time was excluded from public employment
by Buckingham's jealousy of his cousin, Lord Bristol. At length in 1627,
on the latter's advice, Digby determined to attempt "some generous
action," and on the 22nd of December, with the approval of the king,
embarked as a privateer with two ships, with the object of attacking the
French ships in the Venetian harbour of Scanderoon. On the 18th of
January he arrived off Gibraltar and captured several Spanish and
Flemish vessels. From the 15th of February to the 27th of March he
remained at anchor off Algiers on account of the sickness of his men,
and extracted a promise from the authorities of better treatment of the
English ships. He seized a rich Dutch vessel near Majorca, and after
other adventures gained a complete victory over the French and Venetian
ships in the harbour of Scanderoon on the 11th of June. His successes,
however, brought upon the English merchants the risk of reprisals, and
he was urged to depart. He returned home in triumph in February 1629,
and was well received by the king, and was made a commissioner of the
navy in October 1630, but his proceedings were disavowed on account of
the complaints of the Venetian ambassador. In 1633 Lady Digby died, and
her memory was celebrated by Ben Jonson in a series of poems entitled
_Eupheme_, and by other poets of the day. Digby retired to Gresham
College, and exhibited extravagant grief, maintaining a seclusion for
two years. A