Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 19.djvu/17

Finch the Convention parliament), by whom he had a numerous family. The eldest son, Daniel [q. v.], became second earl. Heneage, the second son [q. v.], was solicitor-general, and was created earl of Aylesford. The fifth son, Edward [q. v.], was a musical composer. Nottingham's favourite residence, Kensington House, he bought of his younger brother John [q. v.] His son Daniel [q. v.] sold it to William III.

The fact that throughout an unceasing official career of more than twenty years, in a time of passion and intrigue, Finch was never once the subject of parliamentary attack, nor ever lost the royal confidence, is a remarkable testimony both to his probity and discretion. His success in the early part of the reign arose from the fact that he was in the first place a constitutional lawyer of the highest repute, 'well versed in the laws' (, Own Time, i. 365). Dryden bears the same testimony in 'Absalom and Achitophel,' where he is described as Amri. These qualifications made him a man of extreme usefulness at a time when the constitution had to be restored after many years of dislocation. Until he finally left the house scarcely a committee of importance was formed on which he was not placed, usually as chairman. He was appointed to draw up the letter of congratulation from the commons to Charles on his arrival in England; and he had the management of almost all the important controversies which were so frequently held with the lords. His forensic eloquence is testified to on all hands ; though Burnet says he was too eloquent on the bench, in the lords, and in the commons, and calls his speaking laboured and affected. Roger North in his autobiography (p. 198) confirms this view, saying that his love of 'a handsome turn of expression gave him a character of a trifler which he did not so much deserve.' In the high-flown language of the time he was named the English Roscius and the English Cicero.

Burnet states to his credit that, though he used all the vehemence of a special pleader to justify the court before the lords, yet, as a judge, Finch carried on the high tradition of his predecessor, Shaftesbury. In his own court he could resist the strongest applications even from the king himself, though he did it nowhere else. The same historian calls him 'ill-bred, and both vain and haughty ; he had no knowledge of foreign affairs, and yet he loved to talk of them perpetually.' Burnet's last words about him are, however, a recognition of the purity and fitness of his presentations of clergymen to livings in the chancellor's gift. His portrait was painted by Lely. There is a print by Houbraken.

[The chief authorities are the Journals of the House of Commons; Wood's Athenæ Oxon. (Bliss), iv. 66; Parliamentary History; Burnet's Own Time; Collins's Peerage.]  FINCH, HENEAGE, second (d. 1689), was the son of Thomas, the first earl, whose mother Elizabeth had been created Countess of Winchilsea in her widowhood by Charles I (1628). Heneage, educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, succeeded to the title of Viscount Maidstone in 1633, and of Earl of Winchilsea in 1639. He distinguished himself on the royalist side during the great rebellion, providing auxiliary troops (horse and foot) at his own expense, and supplying 'with great hazard' Charles II's 'necessities in foreign parts.' He was a friend of Monck and was made governor of Dover Castle in 1660. Upon the Restoration he was created a baron, by the title of Lord Fitzherbert of Eastwell (from which family the Finches claimed descent), 26 June 1660, and on 10 July was appointed lord-lieutenant of Kent. Early in 1661 he went on an important embassy to Sultan Mahomet Chan IV, and published an account of it the same year. He remained as English ambassador at Constantinople eight years, and on his return journey wrote from Naples to the king a description, which was afterwards printed, of the eruption of Mount Etna. He was reinstated on his arrival in England lord-lieutenant of Kent and governor of Dover Castle, but was, with a long list of other lieutenants, dismissed from the former post in 1687. When James II was stopped at Feversham by the Kentish fishermen, he wrote to Winchilsea, who was at Canterbury, asking him to come to him. The earl arrived before night (12 Dec.), and interposed on behalf of the king besides moving him to a more suitable lodging in a private house (Add. MS. 32095, f. 298 ;, History, i. 1068). When James fled for the second time, Winchilsea was one of those who voted for offering the vacant throne to William and Mary, and in March 1689 was again made lord-lieutenant of Kent. He died in August the same year. He married four times : (1) Diana, daughter of Francis, fifth lord Willoughby of Parham ; (2) Mary, daughter of William Seymour, marquis of Hertford; (3) Catherine, daughter of Sir Thomas Norcliff ; (4) Elizabeth, daughter of John Ayres, esq. Out of twenty-seven children sixteen lived to 'some maturity.' His published works were : 1. 'Narrative of the Success of his Embassy to Turkey. 