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Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham, 1747, by Jacobus Houbraken

Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham, 7th Earl of Winchilsea (July 2, 1647 – January 1, 1730), son of Heneage Finch, 1st Earl of Nottingham.

Daniel Finch entered parliament for Lichfield in 1679. He was one of the privy councillors who in 1685 signed the order for the proclamation of the duke of York, but during the whole of the reign of James II he kept away from the court. At the last moment he hesitated to join in the invitation to William of Orange, and after the abdication of James II he was the leader of the party who were in favour of a regency.

He declined the office of Lord Chancellor under William and Mary, but accepted that of secretary of state, retaining it till December 1693. Under Anne he in 1702 again accepted the same office in the ministry of Godolphin, but finally retired in 1704. On the accession of George I he was made Lord President of the Council, but in 1716 he finally withdrew from office. He succeeded to the Earldom of Winchilsea (with which the Nottingham title now became united) on 9 September 1729, and died on the 1 January 1730.

Daniel first married Lady Essex Rich on 16 June, 1674.^[1] Essex was daughter of Robert Rich, 3rd Earl of Warwick and Anne Cheeke. Anne was daughter of Sir Thomas Cheeke of Pirgo and a senior Essex Rich.

The elder Essex was daughter of Robert Rich, 1st Earl of Warwick and Penelope Devereux, Lady Rich. Essex was probably named after her maternal grandfather Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex. Her maternal grandmother was Lettice Knollys.

Daniel and Essex had a single daughter: Mary Finch, later married to Robert Ker, 2nd Duke of Roxburghe. Mary was also a lover of William Savile, 2nd Marquess of Halifax, mother of Lady Dorothy Saville and mother-in-law of Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington.

Daniel was secondly married to Anne Hatton, daughter of Christopher Hatton, Viscount Hatton. They had ten children:

• Daniel Finch, 8th Earl of Winchilsea (24 May 1689 - 2 August 1769). He was first married to Lady Frances Feilding, daughter of Basil Feilding, 4th Earl of Denbigh and Hester Firebrace. He was secondly married to Mary Palmer, daughter of Sir Thomas Palmer, 1st Baronet Palmer. No known descendants.
• Edward Finch (d. 16 May 1771). He was married to Elizabeth Palmer, another daughter of Thomas Palmer, 1st Baronet Palmer. They had three children.
• Henry Finch.
• Essex Finch (d. 23 May 1721). She was married to Sir Roger Mostyn, 3rd Baronet Mostyn. They were parents to Sir Thomas Mostyn, 4th Baronet Mostyn and two other children.
• Lady Henrietta Finch (d. 14 April 1742). She married William Fitzroy, 3rd Duke of Cleveland, a son of Charles Fitzroy, 2nd Duke of Cleveland and Anne Poultney. No known descendants.
• Mary Finch (1701 - 30 May 1761). Not to be confused with her elder half-sister. She was married to Thomas Watson-Wentworth, 1st Marquess of Rockingham.
• Lady Charlotte Finch (1711 - 21 January 1773). She was married to Charles Seymour, 6th Duke of Somerset. They were parents to Lady Charlotte Seymour and Lady Frances Seymour.
• Elizabeth Finch (1723 - 10 April 1784). She married William Murray, 1st Earl of Mansfield. No known descendants.
• William Finch (1731 - 25 December 1766). He married Charlotte Fermor, daughter of Thomas Fermor, 1st Earl of Pomfret. They were parents of Sophia Finch and her younger brother George Finch, 9th Earl of Winchilsea.
• John Finch (before 1743 - 1763).