Sr. Kenelme Digbyes honour maintained by a most couragious combat which he fought with the Lord Mount le Ros, who by bale and slanderous words reviled our king : also the true relation how he went to the King of France who

Sr. Kenelme Digbyes honour maintained by a most couragious combat which he fought with the Lord Mount le Ros, who by bale and slanderous words reviled our king : also the true relation how he went to the King of France who

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Title page

SIR Kenelme Digbies Honour maintained.

SIR Kenelme Digbies Honour maintained.

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FOrtitude is one of the eleven morall vertues, of which there bee three sorts, there is Fortitude or Valour, which consists of rashnesse, which is to run wilfully upon danger, having no possibility to be a conqueror.

Then there is an inforced Valour, which is, when a man must either kill or be killed.

Lastly, there is a temperate Valour, those men which are indued with this sort of Valour, will neither give occasion to make abuse, neither will they take abuse, but are ready at all points to defend their King, Country and their owne persons, which is the onely true Valour; the other two sorts, though tearmed so, yet are not, but rather seeme to proceed from the loynes of cowardise; for to be truly valiant, is to be truly venturous, for as I said [Page] before, that Fortitude is a vertue, and by vertue comes goodnesse, wherefore consequently to be vailiant, is to be good.

Then let all admire the goodnesse of that most honourable Knight Sir Kenelme Digby, which proceeded from his Valour, as I shall now declare.

It is scarce unknowne to any how that he was exiled from his native soile England, which made him oftentimes thus to cry out,

‘Hei mihi quod Domino non licet ire meo’, woe is me, because it is unlawfull for me to see my Master (his King:) he kept his residence nigh to the Court of France, where hee was not lesse respected for the report of his former valour, then for the present affability and curtesie which he shewed to all men; ‘Omni solū sapienti patria est’, to a wise man every country is to him as his owne native Country; but as the quietest of men sometimes have occasion for strife, so did it fall out with this worthy Knight.

It was his chance to bee envited by a Lord of France to dine with him, whither he went accompained with those servants he had; very merry they all were for a certaine space, at l [...]ngth they fell to drinking of healths to certaine Kings, as to the King of France, the King of Spaine, the King of Portugall, and divers others, but in the conclusion, the Lord [Page] which [...]nvited Sir Kenelme Digby to dinner, presumptuously beganne a health to the arrants coward in the world, directing the cup unto Sir Kenelme, who asked the Lord so soone as he had drunke whom that was hee did so tearme, hee bid him pledge the health and he should know, which he did; then answered the French Lord, I meant your King of England, at which the good Knight seemed very much discontent, knowing in what nature his Soveraigne was wronged, yet very wisely did hee seeme to passe it by untill dinner being ended, then did hee desire the same Lord the next day to come and dine with him, who promised him upon his honour that he would.

The next day Titan being in his greatest pompe, unto Sir Kenelmes lodging this Lord came, who had entertainement befitting his place, neither did Sir Kenelme seeme to remember the former daies discontent, but was very frolicke and merry, and in the midst of dinner time desired them all to be bare for he would beginne a health to the bravest King in the world; the French Lord asked whom that was, Sir Kenelme made answer that when it had gone about he should know; well, about it went, and then Sir Kenelme said that it was the health of the bravest King in the world, which is the King of England my royall [Page] Master, for although my body bee banished from him, yet is my heart loyally linckt: the French Lord at those words seemed to laugh, repeating the same words before mentioned, then was Sir Kenelme throughly moved in the behalfe of our Soveraigne King Charles, whereupon he whispered the Lord in the eare, telling of him how that twice he had reviled the best King in the world in the hearing of mee which am his faithfull subject, wherefore for satisfaction, I require a single combate of you, where either you shall pay your life for your sawcinesse, or I will sacrifice mine in the behalfe of my King: The French Lord being of a resolute spirit, condescended to fight, the place was appointed, dinner being ended, they both arise from table and privately went together, being in field, off they pluckt their doublets, and out they drew their weapons.

Mars would have bashfull beene to have seene himselfe by Noble Digby there excelled, long worke with the contemptible French Lord, he would not make, for feare lest any should lye in ambush and so he might hazard his owne life, wherefore in foure bouts hee ranne his rapier into the French Lords brest till it came out of his throate againe, which so soone as he had done, away hee fled to the Court of France, and made all [Page] knowne to the King thereof, who said the proudest Lord in France should not dare to revile his brother King.

A guard was pesently chosen to conduct Sir Kenelme unto Flanders, which they did, where he tooke shipping for England, where he now is, where in peace and quietnesse may he still remaine.

As for the French Lord hee was paid according to his desert, and may all bee so rewarded which shall dare to revile the Lords anointed, who suffers by other Nations, for the clemency hee hath shewne to his owne Nation, ‘Sed beati sunt pacifici’, but blessed is the peace maker; good King for thy patience in this world there are Crownes of immortall glory laid in store for thee in the world to come, there shall not traitors dare to shew their faces, nor shall perplexity proceed from the great care of ruling of a Kingdome, in the meane while may more such Noble Digbies encrease, to rebuke all cursing Achitophels, and reviling Rabshakey's.

Let God arise and then shall the enemies of our gracious King bee sure to bee scattered.

Now I conclude, commanding fame to show

Brave Digbi's worthy deed, that all may know

He lov'd his King, may all so loyall prove,

And like this Digby to their King shew love.

FINIS.

§

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Sr. KENELME DIGBYES Honour Maintained. [...]y a most couragious Combat which he fought with the Lord Mount le Ros, who by base and slanderous words reviled our King. Also the true relation how he went to the King of France, who kindly intreated him, and sent two hundred men to guard him so far as Flanders. And now he is returned from Banishment, and to his eternall honour lives in England.

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Printed at London for T. B. 1641.

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Title statement

Sr. Kenelme Digbyes honour maintained by a most couragious combat which he fought with the Lord Mount le Ros, who by bale and slanderous words reviled our king : also the true relation how he went to the King of France who

Digby, Kenelm, Sir, 1603-1665.

Edition statement

1641

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2003-01 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A60303

ID [STC]

Wing S3884

ID [STC]

ESTC R14836

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

12854069

ID [OCLC]

ocm 12854069

ID [VID]

94566

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This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

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Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A60303)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 94566)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 256:E175, no 9)

Source

— Sr. Kenelme Digbyes honour maintained by a most couragious combat which he fought with the Lord Mount le Ros, who by bale and slanderous words reviled our king : also the true relation how he went to the King of France who, Digby, Kenelm, Sir, 1603-1665..

Extent

7 p.

for T. B.,. Printed at London :: 1641.. (Attributed to Kenelm Digby. Cf. BLC.) (Illustrated t.p.) (Reproduction of original in Thomason Collection, British Library.)

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