l counsellor by the House
of Commons, Cromwell on the 28th moving an address to the king to dismiss
him from his councils, on the plea that he had advocated the bringing up of
the northern army to overawe parliament in the preceding spring. There is
no evidence to support the charge, but Digby was regarded by the
parliamentary party with special hatred and distrust, of which the chief
causes were probably his Spanish proclivities and his indifference on the
great matter of religion, to which was added the unpopularity reflected
from his misguided son. On the 28th of March 1642 he was sent to the Tower
for having failed to disclose to parliament the Kentish petition. Liberated
in April, he spoke in the Lords on the 20th of May in favour of an
accommodation, and again in June in vindication of the king; but finding
his efforts ineffectual, and believing all armed rebellion against the king
a wicked violation of the most solemn oaths, he joined Charles at York, was
present at Edgehill and accompanied him to Oxford. On the 1st of February
1643 he was named with Lord Herbert of Raglan for removal from the court
and public office for ever, and in the propositions of November 1644 was
one of those excepted from pardon. In January he had endeavoured to
instigate a breach of the Independents with the Scots. Bristol, however,
was not in favour of continuing the war, and withdrew to Sherborne,
removing in the spring of 1644 to Exeter, and after the surrender of the
city retiring abroad on the 11th of July by order of the Houses, which
rejected his petition to compound for his estate. He took up his residence
at Caen, passing the rest of his life in exile and poverty, and
occasionally attending the young king. In 1647 he printed at Caen _An
Apology_, defending his support of the royal cause. This was reprinted in
1656 (Thomason Tracts, E. 897, 6). He died at Paris on the 16th of January
1653.

He is described by Clarendon as "a man of grave aspect, of a presence that
drew respect, and of great parts and ability, but passionate and
supercilious and too voluminous a discourser in council." His aim was to
effect a political union between England and Spain apart from the religious
or marriage questions--a policy which would probably have benefited both
English and European interests; but it was one understood neither in Spain
nor in England, and proved impracticable. He was a man of high character,
who refused to compound with falsehood