Heneage Finch, 1st Earl of Nottingham
John Nutt | |
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Succeeded by | Francis Lovelace Sir Edward Master |
Personal details | |
Born | Heneage Finch 23 December 1620 Eastwell, Kent |
Died | 18 December 1682 Great Queen Street, London | (aged 61)
Spouse |
Elizabeth Harvey
(after 1646) |
Parent(s) | Sir Heneage Finch Frances Bell Finch |
Education | Westminster School |
Alma mater | Christ Church, Oxford |
Heneage Finch, 1st Earl of Nottingham,
Early career
In the register of Oxford University, he is entered as born in Kent, and probably his native place was Eastwell in that county. He was educated at Westminster and at Christ Church, Oxford, where he remained until he became a member of the Inner Temple in 1638. He was called to the bar in 1645, and soon obtained a lucrative practice.[1]
Career
In April 1660, he was elected
Popish Plot
During the Popish Plot, he played an active part in the interrogation of witnesses and preparation of the Crown's evidence. He is said to have been sceptical about the credibility of much of the evidence, and drew up a private report referring to the difficulties with Titus Oates' testimony.[4] In general he behaved with moderation and restraint during the Plot, as shown most notably in his impartial conduct, as Lord High Steward, of the trial of William Howard, 1st Viscount Stafford, (apart from a curious remark that it was now clear that the Great Fire of London was a Catholic conspiracy).[5] Kenyon notes that during the examination of the informer Miles Prance, Finch threatened him with the rack,[6] but such a lapse was most uncharacteristic of Finch, who was a humane and civilised man; in any case, the threat could hardly have been serious since the use of the rack had been declared illegal in 1628.
Finch and Nottingham House, now Kensington Palace
The original early 17th-century building was constructed in the village of
Personal life
On 30 July 1646, he was married to Elizabeth Harvey, daughter of William Harvey's younger brother Daniel, and his wife Elizabeth Kinnersley.[8] Together, Elizabeth and Heneage were the parents of six children, including:[9]
- Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham (1647–1730), who married Lady Essex Rich.[10]
- Margaret Finch (1648–1700), who married Denis MacCarthy of the MacCarthy Reagh.[8]
- Heneage Finch, 1st Earl of Aylesford (c. 1649–1719), who had a distinguished career as a lawyer and politician and was Solicitor General 1679–86.[11]
- Elizabeth Finch (1650–1675), who married Sir Samuel Grimston, 3rd Baronet.[8]
- William Finch[8]
- Charles Finch[12]
Lord Nottingham died in Great Queen Street,
Character
According to the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, his contemporaries on both sides of politics agree in their high estimate of his integrity, moderation and eloquence, while his abilities as a lawyer are sufficiently attested by the fact that he is still spoken of as the father of equity. His most important contribution to the statute book is The Statute of Frauds. While attorney-general he superintended the edition of Sir Henry Hobart's Reports (1671). He also published Several Speeches and Discourses in the Tryal of the Judges of King Charles 1. (1660); Speeches to both Houses of Parliament (1679); Speech at the Sentence of Viscount Stafford (1680). He left Chancery Reports in MS., and notes on Coke's Institutes.[13]
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Arms of Finch: Argent, a chevron between three griffins passant sable
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His daughter Elizabeth (Peter Lely)
References
- ^ a b Chisholm 1911, p. 824.
- ^ a b History of Parliament Online - Finch, Heneage
- ^ Chisholm 1911, pp. 824–825.
- ^ Kenyon, J.P. The Popish Plot Phoenix Press Reissue 2000 p. 86
- ^ Kenyon p. 232
- ^ Kenyon p. 153
- ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 15 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 733.
- ^ a b c d Power, D’Arcy: "William Harvey", Longmans Green & Co., New York, 1898, Page 7.
- ^ "Nottingham, Earl of (E, 1681)". cracroftspeerage.co.uk. Heraldic Media Limited. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
- ^ a b "Winchilsea, Earl of (E, 1628)". cracroftspeerage.co.uk. Heraldic Media Limited. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
- ^ "Aylesford, Earl of (GB, 1714)". cracroftspeerage.co.uk. Heraldic Media Limited. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
- ^ 'Faber-Flood', in Alumni Oxonienses 1500-1714, ed. Joseph Foster (Oxford, 1891), pp. 480-509. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/alumni-oxon/1500-1714/pp480-509 [accessed 25 October 2022].
- ^ Chisholm 1911, p. 825.
- public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Nottingham, Earls of s.v. Heneage Finch". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 19 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 824–825. This article incorporates text from a publication now in the
External links
- Media related to Heneage Finch, 1st Earl of Nottingham at Wikimedia Commons
- Archives and papers
- geni.com entry
- Hutchinson, John (1892). . Men of Kent and Kentishmen (Subscription ed.). Canterbury: Cross & Jackman. pp. 45–46.