THEOPHILUS

theophilus, the 7th earl (1650-1701), was the only surviving son of the 6th earl. in early life he showed some animus against the roman catholics and a certain sympathy for the duke of monmouth; afterwards, however, he was a firm supporter of james ii., who appointed him to several official positions. he remained in england after the king's flight and was imprisoned, but after his release he continued to show his hostility to william iii. one of his daughters, lady elizabeth hastings (1682-1739), gained celebrity for her charities and her piety. her beauty drew encomiums from congreve and from steele in the pages of the _tatler_, and her other qualities were praised by william law. she was a benefactor to queen's college, oxford. the 7th earl's sons, george and theophilus, succeeded in turn to the earldom. george (1677-1705) was a soldier who served under marlborough, and theophilus (1696-1746) was the husband of the famous selina, countess of huntingdon (q.v.). theophilus was succeeded by his son francis (1729-1789), on whose death unmarried the baronies passed to his sister elizabeth (1731-1808), wife of john rawdon, earl of moira, and the earldom became dormant. the title of earl of huntingdon was assumed by theophilus henry hastings (1728-1804), a descendant of the 2nd earl, who, however, had taken no steps to prove his title when he died. but, aided by his friend henry nugent bell (1792-1822), his nephew and heir, hans francis hastings (1779-1828), was more energetic, and in 1818 his right to the earldom was declared proved, and he took his seat in the house of lords. he did not, however, recover the estates. before thus becoming the 11th (or 12th) earl, hastings had served for many years in the navy, and after the event he was appointed governor of dominica. he died on the 9th of december 1828 and was succeeded by his son francis theophilus henry (1808-1875), whose grandson, warner francis, became 14th or 15th earl of huntingdon in 1885. another of the 11th earl's sons was vice-admiral george fowler hastings (1814-1876). see h. n. bell, _the huntingdon peerage_ (1820). footnote: [1] the title of earl of huntingdon had previously been held in other families (see huntingdonshire). the famous robin hood (?1160-?1247) is said to have had a claim to the earldom.