Sir Adam Newton, 1st Baronet (died 1630) was a Scottish scholar, royal tutor,
dean of Durham
The Dean of Durham is the "head" (''primus inter pares'' – first among equals) and chair of the Chapter, the ruling body of Durham Cathedral. The dean and chapter are based at the ''Cathedral Church of Christ, Blessed Mary the Virgin and St Cu ...
and baronet.
Life
![Charlton House east side - geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/37/Charlton_House_east_side_-_geograph.org.uk_-_194036.jpg)
He spent part of his early life in France, passing himself off as a priest and teaching at the college of St. Maixant in
Poitou
Poitou (, , ; ; Poitevin: ''Poetou'') was a province of west-central France whose capital city was Poitiers. Both Poitou and Poitiers are named after the Pictones Gallic tribe.
Geography
The main historical cities are Poitiers (historical c ...
. There, for some time between 1580 and 1590, he instructed the future theologian
André Rivet
André Rivet (Andreas Rivetus) (August 1572 – 7 January 1651) was a French Huguenot theologian.
Life
Rivet was born at Saint-Maixent, 43 km (27 mi) southwest of Poitiers, France. After completing his education at Berne, he studied th ...
in Greek. After his return to Scotland he was, about 1600, appointed tutor to
Prince Henry Prince Henry (or Prince Harry) may refer to:
People
*Henry the Young King (1155–1183), son of Henry II of England, who was crowned king but predeceased his father
*Prince Henry the Navigator of Portugal (1394–1460)
*Henry, Duke of Cornwall (Ja ...
at
Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest and most important castles in Scotland, both historically and architecturally. The castle sits atop Castle Hill, an intrusive crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill geological ...
. In 1602 he bought books for the prince from Andro Hart in Edinburgh.
After the
Union of Crowns
The Union of the Crowns ( gd, Aonadh nan Crùintean; sco, Union o the Crouns) was the accession of James VI of Scotland to the throne of the Kingdom of England as James I and the practical unification of some functions (such as overseas dip ...
he came to England, and was naturalized as an English citizen in James's first English parliament. In 1605 he obtained the deanery of Durham through royal influence, although he was not in orders, and was installed by proxy. The duties of the office must also have been done by proxy, if at all. In 1606 he acquired the manor of
Charlton, Kent
Charlton is an area of southeast London, England, in the Royal Borough of Greenwich. It is east of Greenwich and west of Woolwich, on the south bank of the River Thames, southeast of Charing Cross. An ancient parish in the county of Kent, it b ...
, where he built
Charlton House
Charlton House is a Jacobean building in Charlton, within the Royal Borough of Greenwich in south-east London. Originally it was a residence for a nobleman associated with the Stuart royal family. It later served as a wartime hospital, then ...
.
Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury
Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury, (1 June 156324 May 1612), was an English statesman noted for his direction of the government during the Union of the Crowns, as Tudor England gave way to Stuart period, Stuart rule (1603). Lord Salisbury s ...
wrote humorous letters to Newton. Apologising for a breach of manners, he compared himself to the court jester
Tom Durie
Tom Durie, Duri, Dury or Derry ( fl. 1600–1620) was a Scottish fool or entertainer to Anne of Denmark.
Career
Tom Durie appears on record at the Scottish court in May 1603, when he was bought clothes to accompany Anne of Denmark on her journey ...
. In another letter to Newton he wrote that if a certain man failed to gain a place in Prince Henry's household, he should be sent to "Tom Dyrry or to me". The applicant was poor but could become rich by charging a fee to all the girls in England who wished to meet the Prince.
He continued as tutor to Prince Henry until 1610, when, upon the formation of a separate household for his pupil, now created
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers ...
, he was appointed his secretary. After the death of Prince Henry, in 1612, Newton became receiver-general, or treasurer in the household of
Prince Charles
Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to ...
, relinquishing to
Thomas Murray his claim to the secretaryship. He retained his post until his death. In 1620 he was made a baronet, first selling the deanery of Durham to Dr. Richard Hunt, and presumably paying for his new honour with the proceeds. After Charles's accession Newton became secretary to the council, and in 1628 secretary to the marches of Wales, the reversion of which office had been granted to him as early as 1611; it was worth £2,000 year.
He died 13 January 1630. His executors
David Cunningham of Auchenharvie
David Cunningham of Auchenharvie (died 1659) was the absentee owner of Auchenharvie Castle and a courtier in London. He was an administrator of royal rents to Charles I of England. A large number of his letters are preserved in the National Records ...
and Peter Newton were instructed to use a legacy to rebuild the nearby
St Luke's Church,
Charlton.
Works
Newton translated into Latin King James's ''Discourse against
Vorstius'' and books i-vi. of
Paolo Sarpi
Paolo Sarpi (14 August 1552 – 15 January 1623) was a Venetian historian, prelate, scientist, canon lawyer, and statesman active on behalf of the Venetian Republic during the period of its successful defiance of the papal interdict (1605–16 ...
's ''History of the Council of Trent'', which had been published in 1620 in London in an English version made from the Italian original by
Sir Nathaniel Brent
Sir Nathaniel Brent (c. 1573 – 6 November 1652) was an English college head.
Life
He was the son of Anchor Brent of Little Wolford, Warwickshire, where he was born about 1573. He became 'portionist,' or postmaster, of Merton College, Oxford, i ...
. Newton's translation was published anonymously in London in 1620.
Thomas Smith complimented the work and man in his ''Vita quorumdam Eruditissimorum Virorum''.
Family
![Bust of Elizabeth Peyto - St](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/Bust_of_Elizabeth_Peyto_-_St._Giles_Church%2C_Chesterton.jpg)
In June 1605 Newton married Katherine Puckering, youngest daughter of
Sir John Puckering
Sir John Puckering (1544 – 30 April 1596) was a lawyer and politician who served as Speaker of the House of Commons and Lord Keeper of the Great Seal from 1592 until his death.
Origins
He was born in 1544 in Flamborough, East Riding of Yor ...
, lord-keeper of the great seal in the reign of
Elizabeth
Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to:
People
* Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name)
* Elizabeth (biblical figure), mother of John the Baptist
Ships
* HMS ''Elizabeth'', several ships
* ''Elisabeth'' (sch ...
, whose son
Thomas Puckering
Sir Thomas Puckering, 1st Baronet (1592 – 20 March 1637) was an English landowner, courtier and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1621 and 1629.
Puckering was the son of Sir John Puckering and his wife Jane Cho ...
shared the prince's studies under Newton's guidance. King James gave them a gift of silver gilt plate supplied by the London goldsmith
John Williams
John Towner Williams (born February 8, 1932)Nylund, Rob (15 November 2022)Classic Connection review ''WBOI'' ("For the second time this year, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic honored American composer, conductor, and arranger John Williams, who wa ...
.
[John Nichols, ''Progresses of James the First'', vol. 1 (London, 1828), p. 600.] Elizabeth Newton died in 1618. Their children included:
* Henry Newton, who adopted his mother's surname, and became
Sir Henry Puckering, 3rd Baronet
Sir Henry Puckering, 3rd Baronet (Newton until 1654, 1618–1701) was an English royalist and politician.
Life
Baptised at St. Dunstan's-in-the-West, London, on 13 April 1618, he was a younger son of Sir Adam Newton of Charlton, Kent, by Katha ...
, after inheriting his uncle Thomas Puckering's estates and titles in 1654.
* Elizabeth Newton, who married
Edward Peyto
Edward Peyto (1589-1643) was an English landowner.
He was the son of William Peyto (d. 1619) and Elienora or Eleanor Aston (d. 1636), a daughter of Walter Aston of Tixall, and widow of Thomas Boulding.
His estates were at Chesterton, Warwickshir ...
in 1625
* Jane Newton, who married James Enyon
Notes
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Newton, Adam
Year of birth missing
16th-century Scottish people
17th-century Scottish people
Court of James VI and I
1630 deaths
Scottish translators
Deans of Durham
Baronets in the Baronetage of England
People of Stirling Castle