DIGGES, Sir Dudley, English politician, born in 1583; died in 1639. He was the son of Sir Thomas Digges, the celebrated geometer, was ambassador to Russia in 1618, and in 1621 was elected to parliament, where he was active in the impeachment of the Duke of Buckingham. He was at one time imprisoned in the Fleet by Charles I, whom he had offended, but was released on apologizing to the king, and in 1630 was appointed master of the rolls. He was a friend of Henry Hudson, and in 1610 was one of those who fitted out that explorer for his last voyage.

In 1631 he was one of the commission appointed by the privy council "to consider how the plantation of Virginia now standeth, and to consider what commodity may be raised in those parts." He published several political works.tlis son, Edward, governor of Virginia, born in England in 1620; died in Virginia, 15 March 1675. introduced the culture of the silkworm into Virginia, giving attention to it at Denbigh, on James River, and at Bellfield, eight miles from Williamsburgh, and employing two native Armenians skilled in the business, He was given a seat in the council in November 1644, "having given a signal testimony of his fidelity to this colony and commonwealth of England." He was elected governor by the assembly in March 1655, and received a salary of 25,000 pounds of tobacco, with the duties levied on vessels, and marriage license fees. In the latter part of the year he gave up his office, and was sent as one of the colony's agents to England to treat with prominent merchants about the price of tobacco, and also to secure the rights of the colony, he bore a letter to Cromwell from the assembly, and, by his social position, did much to settle the long pending controversy between the colony and Lord Baltimore.

Another son, Dudley, born about 1612: died in 1643, published a treatise on "lilegality of Subjects taking up Arms against their Sovereigns" (1643).