Everard
Digby was born in about 1576. Although his parents were Roman
Catholics they
managed to avoid detection and did not suffer from persecution.
In
1596 Digby married Mary Mulsho, the daughter of William Mulsho, a
wealthy Protestant
family
from Gayhurst. This enabled him to enter the royal court. He took
little interest in politics and devoted his time to hunting, horses
and hawking.
Digby
met the Jesuit priest John Gerard in
1599. The two men became close friends and soon afterwards Digby became
converted to the Catholic
religion.
In
1605 Robert Catesby devised the Gunpowder
Plot,
a scheme to kill James
and
as many Members of Parliament as possible. Catesby planned to make
the king's young daughter, Elizabeth, queen. In time, Catesby hoped
to arrange Elizabeth's marriage to a Catholic nobleman. Catesby recruited
Everard Digby to
join the conspiracy and he agreed to provide £1,500 to help
pay for the plot.
Catesby's
plan involved blowing up the Houses of Parliament on 5 November. This
date was chosen because the king was due to open Parliament on that
day. At first the group tried to tunnel under Parliament. This plan
changed when a member of the group was able to hire a cellar under
the House of Lords. The plotters then filled
the cellar with barrels of gunpowder. Guy
Fawkes was
given the task of creating the explosion.
Robert
Catesby planned to make the king's young daughter, Elizabeth,
queen. In time, Catesby hoped to arrange Elizabeth's marriage to a
Catholic nobleman. It was Everard Digby's task to kidnap Princess
Elizabeth from Coombe Abbey.
One of the people involved
in the plot was Francis
Tresham. He
was worried that the explosion would kill his friend and brother-in-law,
Lord Monteagle. Tresham therefore sent
Lord Monteagle a letter warning him not to attend Parliament on 5
November.
Lord Monteagle became
suspicious and passed the letter to Robert
Cecil, the king's chief minister. Cecil quickly organised a thorough
search of the Houses of Parliament. While searching the cellars below
the House of Lords they found the gunpowder and Guy
Fawkes. He was tortured and he eventually gave the names of his
fellow conspirators.
Everard attempted to flee
the country but was captured at Dudley. He was the only one of the
conspirators to plead guilty. He gave several reasons for his involvement
in the Gunpowder Plot. This included
his Roman Catholic beliefs, his friendship
with Robert
Catesby and the
king's broken promises in regard to religious toleration.
Everard Digby, along with
Robert
Wintour and Thomas
Bates, were executed
on 30th January, 1606. Digby was hanged for only a short period and
was still alive when he was disembowelled.
Crispen van de Passe, The
Gunpowder Plot Conspirators (c.1606)
(1)
Everard
Digby,
confession (November 1605)
For some
good space I could do nothing, but with tears ask pardon at God's
hands for all my errors, both in actions and intentions in this business,
and in my whole life, which the censure of this contrary to my expectations
caused me to doubt: I did humbly beseech that my death might satisfy
for my offense, which I should and shall offer most gladly to the
Giver of Life. If
I had thought there was the least sin in the Plot, I would not have
been in it for all the world: and no other cause drew me to hazard
my Fortune, and Life, but Zeal to God's religion.
(2)
Everard
Digby, letter sent to Robert
Cecil
while in captivity.
If
harsh measures are taken (against Roman Catholics) within a brief
time there will be massacres, rebellions and desperate attempts against
the King and State. It is hoped that the King that now is would have
been at least free from persecuting, as his promise was before coming
into his Realm, and as divers his promises have been since his coming,
saying that he would take no soul money nor blood.
(3)
Everard
Digby, statement in court
on 27 January 1606.
I request that all my property
might be preserved for my wife and children... I also request that
I be beheaded instead of hanged.
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