Page:Men of Kent and Kentishmen.djvu/54

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MEN OF KENT

Thomas Digges,

SOLDIER AND MATHEMATICIAN,

Was the son of the preceding, and an equally illustrious mathematician. He was born, probably at Wotton Courts 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 Athenæ Oxon.," by Bliss, "Ames's Typographia Antiqua," "Biographia Britannica," "Hasted's Kent."]


Sir Dudley Digges

STATESMAN,

Was the eldest son of the preceding. He was born in 1583, Wood thinks "in the parish of Derham, in Which Digges Court is situated." He was educated at University College, and subsequently entered at one of the Inns of Court. After much experience gained by travel, he entered the service of his county in Parliament, where his conduct was distinguished by sound judgment and inflexible independence. In 1618, being knighted, he was sent on an Embassy to Russia, and two years afterwards to Holland. In 1631 he obtained a reversionary