_Henry Earl of Wotton_ (Vol. viii., pp. 173. 281. 563.).--In reply to the
editors of the _Navorscher_ I have to state--
1. That neither of the Lords Stanhope mentioned died childless, the letters
_s. p._ being a misprint for _v. p._ (_vitâ patris_); Henry having died
during the lifetime of his father: and it was "in regard that he did not
live to enjoy his father's honours" that his widow was afterwards advanced
to the dignity of Countess of Chesterfield.
2. It was Charles Stanhope's nephew (of the half-blood), Charles Henry van
der Kerckhove, who took the name of Wotton. The insertion of the word
"thereupon" between "who" and "took," on p. 281., would have made the
sentence less obscure.
3. Philip, first Earl of Chesterfield, had, besides Henry Lord Stanhope,
two daughters and ten sons. These were--John, who died a student at Oxford;
Ferdinando, M.P. for Tamworth, 1640, killed at Bridgeford, Notts, 1643;
Philip, killed in defence of his father's house, which was a garrison for
the king, 1645; Arthur, youngest son, M.P. for Nottingham in the parliament
of Charles II., from whom descended the fifth earl; Charles, died _s. p._
1645; Edward, William, Thomas, Michael, George, died young.
The earldom descended in a right line for three generations to the issue of
Henry, Lord Stanhope, viz. Philip, his son, second earl; Philip, third
earl, his grandson; and Philip, fourth earl, his great-grandson.
The Alexander Stanhope mentioned by the editors of the _Navorscher_ was the
only son of Philip, first Earl of Chesterfield, by his second marriage. His
mother was Anne, daughter of Sir John Pakington, of Westwood, co.
Worcester, ancestor of the present baronet, late Secretary of State for the
Colonies.