The young man,--he did not live to be twenty-five,--whose portrait we have been looking at, is described in the _Biographia Britannica_[19] as having been "remarkably handsome," "extremely modest and affable," and "justly reputed one of the finest gentlemen in England." His great personal friend, the already-quoted Father Gerard,[20] says that he was "as complete a man in all things that deserved estimation, or might win him affection, as one should see in a kingdom. He was of stature about two yards high," "of countenance" "comely and manlike." "He was skilful in all things that belonged to a gentleman, very cunning at his weapon, much practised and expert in riding of great horses, of which he kept divers in his stable with a skilful rider for them. For other sports of hunting or hawking, which gentlemen in England so much use and delight in, he had the best of both kinds in the country round about." "For all manner of games which are also usual for gentlemen in foul weather, when they are forced to keep house, he was not only able therein to keep company with the best, but was so cunning in them all, that those who knew him well, had rather take his part than be against him." "He was a good musician, and kept divers good musicians in his house; and himself also could play well of divers instruments. But those who were well acquainted with him"--and no one knew him better than Father Gerard himself--"do affirm that in gifts of mind he excelled much more than in his natural parts; although in those also it were hard to find so many in one man in such a measure. But of wisdom he had an extraordinary talent, such a judicial wit and so well able to discern and discourse of any matter, as truly I have heard many say they have not seen the like of a young man, and that his carriage and manner of discourse were more like to a grave Councillor of State than to a gallant of the Court as he was, and a man of about twenty-six years old (which I think was his age, or thereabouts)." In this Father Gerard was mistaken. Sir Everard Digby did not live to be twenty-six, or even twenty-five. Gerard continues:--"And though his behaviour were courteous to all, and offensive to none, yet was he a man of great courage and of noted valour." [19] Vol. iii. p. 180. [20] _Narrative of the G. P._, p. 88. [Illustration: GOTHURST The home of Sir Everard Digby; now called Gayhurst _Dawsons Ph. Sc._] We began by examining a portrait: let us now take a look at an old country-house. Turning our backs on Wales, a country which has little to do with my subject, we will imagine ourselves in Buckinghamshire, about half way between the towns of Buckingham and Bedford, and about three miles from Newport Pagnell, a little way from the high road leading in a north-westerly direction. There stands the now old, but at the time of which I am writing, the comparatively new house, known then as Gothurst.