Heneage Finch, earl of Nottingham, a British statesman and jurist, born in Kent, Dec. 23, 1621, died in London, Dec. 18, 1G82. He was educated at Westminster school and at Christchurch college, Oxford, subsequently studied law in the Inner Temple, and rose to great eminence as a lawyer. During the revolution he enjoyed general respect and confidence. At the restoration he was made solicitor general, took part in the prosecution of the regicides, of which he wrote a full account, and in 1GG1 entered parliament as member for the university of Oxford. In 1GG7 he defended Lord Clarendon, when impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors. After being successively attorney general and lord keeper, he was appointed in 1675 lord high chancellor of England. In 1681 he was created earl of Nottingham, having for some years previous borne the title of Baron Finch of Daventry. He pursued a steady and consistent course in difficult times, and was distinguished not only for his legal erudition and soundness of judgment, but also for his eloquence and great powers of reasoning.

He published various parliamentary speeches and legal arguments, and left in manuscript some volumes of chancery reports, and notes on Coke's Institutes.