The two remained close friends until his death; in 1935, a collection of their letters was published by his distant relative, George Hastings Wheler.

[3] Two years after Elizabeth Lewis died in 1688, the Earl married Mary Fowler (1664–1723), widow of Thomas Needham, 6th Viscount Kilmorey (1659-1687).

[5] Hastings succeeded as Earl when his father died in May 1701 but never married and the title passed to his half-brother Theophilus after his death in February 1705.

He carried the Sceptre at the coronation of Queen Anne in April 1702; his half-brother Theophilus performed the same office when George I was crowned in 1714.

His father Alexander was a senior diplomat from a junior and less wealthy branch of the Earls of Chesterfield; in 1702, Hastings is thought to have provided James an annuity of £400 per year.

[16] Hastings engaged Sike to accompany him to Constantinople, intending to study Arabic; they reached Vienna in May 1703, but decided against going further, as the plague was raging there.

'[20] He and Sike returned to London, where he died suddenly on 22 February 1705; Elizabeth paid for an elaborate memorial at St James' Church, Piccadilly, which can still be found in the east gallery, south side.