Thomas DIGGES

- 1595

• Name	Thomas DIGGES
  Born	Wootton, Kent, England
  Gender	Male
  Died	1595	Digges Court, Wootton, Kent, England
  Buried	Wootton, Kent, England
  Person ID	I1609	Young Kent Ancestors
  Last Modified	26 Feb 2013

  
  

  Father	Leonard, Esq. DIGGES,   b. 1571, Wootton, Kent, England ,   d. Wootton Court, Kent, England
  Mother	Bridget WILSFORD,   b. Cranbrook, Kent, England
  Family ID	F582	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Anne ST. LEGER,   b. 1555, Ulcombe, Kent, England ,   d. 1636  (Age 81 years)
  Children	1. Sir Dudley DIGGES,   b. 1583, Chilham Castle, Chilham, Kent, England ,   d. 18 Mar 1638/1639, Chilham Castle, Chilham, Kent, England  (Age 56 years)   2. Leonard DIGGES,   b. 1588, London, England ,   d. 1635  (Age 47 years)   3. William DIGGES   4. Mary DIGGES   5. Margaret DIGGES   6. Ursula (?) DIGGES,   b. 1587,   d. 1619  (Age 32 years)
  Last Modified	20 Mar 2022
  Family ID	F557	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  Thomas Digges, soldier and mathematician, was the son of Leonard Digges, and an equally illustrious mathematician. He was born, probably at Wotton Court, near Canterbury, which had been purchased by his father. He was at the same time a soldier, and held the commission of Muster-master-general to the forces in the Netherlands, sent by Elizabeth. Besides revising his father's works he wrote several of his own, and drew up a plan for the improvement of the harbour and mole of Dover, 1582. He died 1595, and was buried in the church of Aldermanbury, in London. [See "Wood's Athenae Oxon,." by Bliss, "Ames's Typographia Antiqua," "Biographia Britannica," "Hasted's Kent."] Source: Men of Kent and Kentish Men, p. 40 http://ia351404.us.archive.org/2/items/menkentandkenti00hutcgoog/menkentandkenti00hutcgoog.pdf ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ KENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY -- RESEARCH http://kentarchaeology.org.uk Some Monumental Inscriptions of Chilham Church, Noted by Rev Bryan Faussett noted 1757 In The Chancell. 1. Within a Large Nitch or Arch, without ye Communion Rails, in ye North Wall, is an exceeding Handsome Monument of Black Marble, very curiously Carv’d and wrought; it stands on a very fine Altar Tomb, of ye same Materials; and is supported by 4 Pillars. This Monument has 2 different Faces, or Fronts, in ye Middle of which, on two Black Tables, are ye Following Inscriptions in Gold Letters. Round about, and on ye Top of it are Many Coats of Arms of PALMER, DIGGES, etc., some of which are almost effaced. This Fine Monument stood formerly, on ye Same Side of the Chancell, within the Rails, about 4 Yards nearer ye Altar; but was removed to the Place where it now stands, by ye COLEBROOKEs, when they built their Mausoleum or Repository for ye Dead of their Family, about ye Year 1752. The Bones of this good old Lady, were, at ye same Time taken up, and reinterrd, in a New Coffin, under her Monument where it is now placed. The Arms of this Family of PALMER, are ye Following. (See GUILLIM, p. 194). [Arg. 2 bars sa. the upper with 2, the lower with 1 trefoil slipped or, in chief a greyhound courant sa.]. On ye Tablet on ye South Side. Sir Anthony Palmer, Knight of ye Bath erected this Monument in Memorial of D. Margaret, Sister of Sr. Dudley DIGGES of Chilham Castle Knight, his late Loving, Loved Wife, whose Goodness where she lived, and died, since it cannot be buried, in Putney, needs no Epitaph. She was Fairer than Most Women; Wiser than most Men; Neither, in her own Opinion, longer than she pleas’d her Husband, Whose only Daughter, by a Former Wife, She more love’d and cherish’d, than most Wives do their own. Few were so respectfull of their Husband, as She was of her Brother. Few Sisters so affectionately kind unto their Brothers, as She was to her Friends. Few Friends (if any), so chearfully ready to give Councel, Comfort, or Releif, as She was to ye Poor; upon whose Sickness, Lameness, Blindness, her charitable Hands wrought daily cures like Miracles; for Which (no Doubt) God blessed Her with a Threefold Issue, John, Dudley, Anthony. Like her Thoughts, Words, Works, all perfect, Masculine. Of which, although ye blessed First (like to her pious Meditations) stay’d little in this World; The other Two yet live, like those Fruits of her vertuous Knowlege, her Speeches, and her Actions; still calling to Remembrance ye Modest, Awefull, and yet ever witty, pleasing Conversation of her whole Life, that never knew Man’s ill Affection or Womans Envy. On ye Tablet on ye N. Side. Reader, know; This Margaret Lady PALMER, in ye 33d. Year of her Age, died, most Christianly, at Putney, in Surrey, The 22d. of September, 1619. In Whose Memory This Monument was set up, by her Husband; Whose Grief says, her Virtues and Abilities, far above ye Power of her Sex, did shew more lively in her Actions, than weak Words can express; and took away wth. her, at her Departure, so much Joy from him and her Friends, as only Heaven can repaire. 3. Without ye Rails on a Fl. Black Stone, with this Coat. [On a sh. superimposed on a lozenge arg: Gu. on a + arg. 5 spreadeagles sa. (DIGGES) imp. (ST. LEGER) Az. freety arg. a chief or]. Anne St. Leger, Mother of Sr. Dudley DIGGS, knight, Master of ye Rowles; A Modest, Humble, Prudent and Religious Matron, lyeth here Buried. A. Dni. 1636. Aetatis suae 81. 11. In One of ye Two Chapels belonging to ye DIGGES’s, on ye South Side of ye Chancel, (under wch. is a large Vault for ye Burial of ye Family of Sir Dudley Digges, ye Builder thereof), is a large Pedestal of Marble, on which stands a round Pillar, about 12 Feet high; on ye Top of wch. is an Urn; and, near ye Top, 4 Coats & Quarterings of ye Arms of Digges & KEMPE*; On ye 4 Corners of ye Pedestal are ye Statues, (with their Attributes), of ye 4 Cardinal Virtues; and, on ye 4 Sides, ye 4 following Inscriptions. *The Arms of KEMP are these. [Gu. a fesse betw. 3 garbs & a border engrld. or]. On the West Side. Sr. Dudley DIGGS Knight. Whose Death ye wisest of Men do reckon amongst ye Publick Calamities of these Times; on ye 10th Day of March, ye Year from ye Virgin Mother 1638/9, he resign’d his Spirit into ye Hand of his Maker; his Body to ye Peacefull Shades below; in humble Confidence he shall awake, rise up, and be cloathed with Immortality, in ye Dawn of that glorious Day wch. shall know no Night. Thou mays’t behold ye Grave of his Person, not of his Memory. What was earthly is sunk down into ye Land where all Things are forgotten: but ye Remembrance of his great Example will live through Age, ye Disease of Stones as well as Men; The Witness of his Death, This Tomb itself, shall die. The Story of his Life May be ye Rule of Ours. His Understanding few can equal; his Virtues fewer will. He was, a Pious Son; a Carefull Father; a Loving Husband; a Fatherly Brother; a Courteous Neighbour; a Mercyfull Landlord; a Liberal Master; a Noble Friend. When, after much Experience gain’d by Travel, and an exact Survey of ye Laws and People of foreigne Kingdoms, he had enabled himself for ye serving of his Country, observing too Many justle for Place, and cross ye Publick Interest if not joyn’d with their private Gain, hindring ye Motion of ye Great Body of ye Common Wealth, unless ye inferior Orbe of their Estates were advanced thereby; He was satisfied with ye Conscience of Merit; knowing, Good Men only can deserve Honours, ‘tho ye worst may attain them; his Noble Soul could not stoop to Ambition, nor be a beholding that, (‘tho ye most generous Vice) for an Occasion to exercise his Virtues. Out of such Apprehensions his moderate Desires confined his Thoughts to ye Innocency of a retired Life: When the most knowing of Princes, KING JAMES, who ever made Choice of the most knowing Ministers, judging none more equal to Employments, than those who wd. not unworthily court them, sent him Embassador to the EMPEROR of RUSSIA after his Return, and some Years conscionably spent in ye Service to the State, being unbiass’d by Popular Applause, or Court Hopes, he was made Master of ye Rolls. This did crown his former Actions; and, ‘tho it cd. not increase his Integrity, it made it more conspicuous: and, whom his Acquaintance, before, now, ye Kingdom honourd. If ye Example of his Justice had Powerfull Influence on all Magistrates, ye People who are governd wd. be happy upon Earth; and, ye Rulers, in Heaven, with him, who counted it an unworthy Thing to be tempted to Vice, by ye Reward of Virtue. On ye East Side. Mary Kempe, Lady DIGGES, Daughter and Coheir of Sr. Thomas KEMPE of Olantigh, Knight, by Sr. Thomas MOYLE’s Daughter & Coheir, Son of Sr. Thomas Kempe Knight, by an Heir of BROWN & ARUNDEL, Son of Sr. William Kempe Knight, who by Emlen, Daughter and Coheire of Sr. Valentine CHICH, and Philippa Daughter and Heir of Sr. Robert CHICHLEY, Mayor of London, & Brother to HENRY, ye Arch Bishop, was Son to Sr. Thomas Kempe, Knight, Nephew to Thomas Kempe, Bishop of London, ye Nephew of John Kempe, Arch Bishop of York, then of Canterbury, Cardinal, L. Chancelor, etc. lies here buried together with Francis her 4th and Richard her 8th Son. On ye North Side. Read in Genesis, how Rachell falling in Travail of her youngest Son, after a hard Labour departed, and Jacob set a Pillar over her Grave. In humble Imitation, for sacred Memory of a most virtuous Lady, that so died, alas, late, like Rachell Lovely, Loving, and beloved. Like Leah, fruitfull Mother of 8 Sons and 3 Daughters. Without Blemish, without Blame, through her (like Rebecca’s) tender and religious Care. Whose daily pious Practice, after her own Private Prayer, was to hear and teach her Children; then, give Order in her House; and, then, become for Charity, the Poor’s Physitian, Surgeon, Servant. Like Sara, to her Husband, most obsequious. Such a House wife, Such a constant Housekeeper, as for Example for ye best of Wives, In this Chappel, consecrated to her Virtues, was this Monument set up. On ye South Side. Regnante Henrico Tertio, Johannes Filius Rogeri de Mildenhal, dictus DIGGE, emit Insulam vocatam Byn with in Cantuariâ, locomq Portae super Stoure Streete ad Opus Fratrum Minorum. Et, Tempore opportune, transtulit Fratres in illam, et ibi Sepultus fuit, sicut etiam Filius Thomas, quem praeter Johannem, et Danielem, Clericos, ex Agnete de Sandvico Uxore, genuit. Thomas antem, inter alios Filios, reliquit Rogerum in Ecclesiâ de Berham Sepultum, cum Albinâ Uxore, Filiâ et Haerede Rogeri NORWOOD Militis; Quorum Filius Joannes in eâdem Ecclesiâ sepultus, ex Julianâ Sorore et Haerede Jacobi HORNE Armigeri praeter Odomarum Juris peritum, Patrem Familiae Digges de Nuingeton juxtà Sittingbourn genuit Joannem Seniorem, cujus Filius Joannes ex Joannâ Filiâ Mauritij Bruine Militis genuit Joannem alterum, qui ex alterâ Joannâ Filia Gervasij CLIFTON Militis sepulta in Ecclesiâ de Braborne, genuit Jacobum DIGGE, de Berham; qui ex Philippâ Filia Johannis ENGEHAM de Chart, Uxore Secundâ genuit Insignem Mathematicum Leonardum; qui, ex Sarâ Sorore fortissimorum Jacobi et Thomae WILFORD Militum, genuit Thomam Mathematicum insignissimum in Ecclesiâ Mariae Aldermanbury Londini, sepultum, qui ex Annâ SENTLEGER Filiâ Warhami de Saneto Leodigario, Militis, genuit Dudleyum. 12. In ye Wall, on ye Out side of this Chappel toward the South, are set 2 large Square Stones, one on each Side of ye Window. On the One of wch. is this Inscription. MARIAE KEMPE/ P. PV. PVL./ VXO. OPT./ SEPVLCRETVM/ ET SIBI/ EXT./ DVDLY DIGGES./ On ye Other. Ruth. – Where thou diest I will die, and there will I be buried. The Lord do so to Me, and more also, if ought but Death, part Me & Thee. C.I. V.17. 13. In ye Other Chappel belonging to ye Family of ye DIGGES’s, Over the Mouth of ye Vault, is a large Black Flat Stone, with 2 large Iron Rings fixt to it, and the Word RESVRGET in a Wreath. In ye Body of the Church.