Shute. He held this post until his death in 1631. Between 1621 and 1624 Parliaments, Finch's legal career prospered. After serving as summer reader at the Inner Temple in 1622, he was knighted and made a serjeant. He was knighted on 22 June 1623 and became sergeant-at-law. As Recorder of London, he enjoyed an almost automatic right to represent the City and was not dependent upon the duchy of Cornwall for a seat in Parliament. Therefore, he was elected for City of London in 1624, serving until the formal dissolution of Parliament. After Charles I became King, he was re-elected MP for the City of London in 1625 and in 1626 and was chosen to serve as Speaker of the House for his last term in 1626. Personal life Finch was twice married. Finch was first married to Frances Bell (d. 1627) sometime after 1607. Frances was a daughter of Sir Edmond Bell of Beaupre Hall, Norfolk. Together, they were the parents of three sons and one daughter, including: Heneage Finch, 1st Earl of Nottingham (1620–1682), who married Elizabeth Harvey, a niece of Dr. William Harvey. Francis Finch (1623–1679), who married the widowed Elizabeth Parkhurst, daughter of Sir Robert Parkhurst. Elizabeth Finch (b. 1625), who married Edward Maddison (1594–1672), a son of Sir Ralph Maddison. John Finch (b. 1627) On 16 April 1629, Sir Heneage was married to Elizabeth (née Cradock) Bennett (d. 1661). Elizabeth, a daughter of William Cradock, was the widow of Richard Bennett (d. 1628), a wealthy London merchant. Together, Lady Finch and Sir Heneage were the parents of several children, including: Frances Finch (b. 1630), who married Sir Clifford Clifton MP. Anne Finch (1631–1679), a philosopher in the tradition of the Cambridge Platonists and an influence on Leibniz who married Edward Conway, Viscount Conway (later 1st Earl of Conway). After a lengthy illness, Sir Heneage died on 5 December 1631, at the age of 51, and was buried at Ravenstone, Buckinghamshire. His widow died in 1661. References External links Heneage Finch, Speaker in First Parliament of Charles I, by John Hoskins, -1630. Sir Heneage Finch (1580-1631), Speaker of the House of Commons at the National Portrait Gallery, London. 1580 births 1631 deaths Members of the Parliament of England for West Looe Speakers of the House of Commons of England Younger sons of baronets Younger sons of earls Heneage 17th-century English lawyers Members of the Parliament of