Heneage Finch, 1st Earl of Aylesford

Heneage Finch, 1st Earl of Aylesford, PC, KC (22 July 1719) was an English lawyer and statesman.

Early life Finch was second son of Heneage Finch, 1st Earl of Nottingham and the former Elizabeth Hervey (eldest daughter of Daniel Hervey).

His paternal grandparents were Hon. Sir Heneage Finch, Speaker of the House of Commons (third son of Sir Moyle Finch, 1st Baronet and Elizabeth Finch, 1st Countess of Winchilsea) and Frances Bell (daughter of Sir Edmond Bell of Beaupré Hall).

In 1682, he represented the crown in the attack upon the Corporation of London, and next year in the prosecution of Lord Russell, when, according to Gilbert Burnet, and in several other trials afterwards, he showed more of a vicious eloquence in turning matters with some subtlety against the prisoners than of strict or sincere reasoning. He does not, however, appear to have exceeded the duties of prosecutor for the crown as they were then understood. In 1684, in the trial of Algernon Sidney, he argued that the unpublished treatise of the accused was an overt act, and supported the opinion of Jeffreys that scribere est agere (to write is to act). The same year he was counsel for James II in his successful action against Titus Oates for libel, and in 1685 prosecuted Oates for the crown for perjury. Together, Elizabeth and Heneage were the parents of three sons and six daughters, including:

Lady Elizabeth Finch (1679–1757), who married Robert Benson, 1st Baron Bingley. Heneage Finch, 2nd Earl of Aylesford (1683–1757), who married Mary Fisher, daughter of Sir Clement Fisher, 3rd Baronet. Hon. John Finch (d. 1739/40), who married his cousin Elizabeth Savile in 1726. Lady Frances Finch (d. 1759), who married Sir John Bland, 5th Baronet.

He died on 22 July 1719. Upon his death, his eldest son Heneage succeeded him as 2nd Earl of Aylesford. The 2nd Earl died in 1757, and since this date the earldom has been held by his direct descendants, six of whom in succession have borne the Christian name of Heneage.