Sir Richard Newport (by 1511–12 September 1570) was an English landowner and politician of
Shropshire
Shropshire (; alternatively Salop; abbreviated in print only as Shrops; demonym Salopian ) is a landlocked historic county in the West Midlands region of England. It is bordered by Wales to the west and the English counties of Cheshire to th ...
origin, prominent regionally during the
mid-Tudor and early
Elizabethan period
The Elizabethan era is the epoch in the Tudor period of the history of England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603). Historians often depict it as the golden age in English history. The symbol of Britannia (a female personific ...
s .
Background
Richard Newport was the eldest son of Thomas Newport of
High Ercall
High Ercall, also known in the past as Ercall Magna, is a village in the borough of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England. The civil parish is still called Ercall Magna, and had a total population of 1,679 at the 2001 ce ...
,
Shropshire
Shropshire (; alternatively Salop; abbreviated in print only as Shrops; demonym Salopian ) is a landlocked historic county in the West Midlands region of England. It is bordered by Wales to the west and the English counties of Cheshire to th ...
,
[Grazebrook and Rylands, Part I, p.373]
/ref> and Anne Corbet, the daughter of Sir Robert Corbet of Moreton Corbet
Moreton Corbet is a village in the Civil parishes in England, civil parish of Moreton Corbet and Lee Brockhurst in Shropshire, England. The village's Toponymy, toponym refers to the Corbet baronets, the local landowners.
It is just north of th ...
and his wife, Elizabeth Vernon.
The Newports were one of the leading families in Shropshire,[Bindoff]
Newport, Richard (by 1511–70), of High Ercall, Shropshire
– Author: Alan Harding a county dominated throughout the 16th century by its landed gentry
The landed gentry, or the ''gentry'', is a largely historical British social class of landowners who could live entirely from rental income, or at least had a country estate. While distinct from, and socially below, the British peerage, th ...
, although they had land in several other counties. Thomas Newport himself greatly expanded the Newports' wealth. John Leland observed that "This man, and Mitton of Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus ''Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor perce ...
by Shrobsbyri had Syr John Boroues landes in Shropshir and Warwik." This partnership is confirmed by land records showing, for example, that Newport and Mitton, together with John Lingen, their cousin and Sir John Burgh's grandson, sold their interest in Burgh's wood at Stirchley in 1501 to another cousin, Sir Edward Leighton of Wattlesborough
Wattlesborough Tower is a ruined fortified 13th-century manor house or Tower House in Shropshire.
It is situated close to the boundary with Powys in Wales. Wattlesborough is a former township within the present parish of Alberbury. The castle i ...
. Newport also inherited land in Kent
Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...
from Henry Grey, 4th (7th) Baron Grey of Codnor
Henry Grey, 4th Baron Grey of Codnor (1435 – April 1496) was an English nobleman of the fifteenth century. Having initially supported the House of Lancaster during the Wars of the Roses, he later gave his allegiance to the victorious King Edward ...
.[
The Corbets were another of the group of powerful gentry families that dominated the county.][ Anne Corbet's brothers, ]Roger
Roger is a given name, usually masculine, and a surname. The given name is derived from the Old French personal names ' and '. These names are of Germanic origin, derived from the elements ', ''χrōþi'' ("fame", "renown", "honour") and ', ' ( ...
, Richard
Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Frankish language, Old Frankish and is a Compound (linguistics), compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic language, Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' an ...
[Bindoff]
CORBET, Richard (by 1512-66), of Wortley, Yorks. and Poynton, Salop.
– Author: Alan Harding and Reginald
Reginald is a masculine given name in the English language.
Etymology and history
The meaning of Reginald is “King". The name is derived from the Latin ''Reginaldus'', which has been influenced by the Latin word ''regina'', meaning "queen". Th ...
, were all major landowners with numerous connections at court and, at various times, MPs. Both Richard and Reginald were prominent members of the powerful Council in the Marches of Wales
The Court of the Council in the Dominion and Principality of Wales, and the Marches of the same, commonly called the Council of Wales and the Marches () or the Council of the Marches, was a regional administrative body based in Ludlow Castle wi ...
, and Reginald a Justice of the King's Bench
Justice of the King's Bench, or Justice of the Queen's Bench during the reign of a female monarch, was a puisne judicial position within the Court of King's Bench, under the Chief Justice. The King's Bench was a court of common law which modern a ...
: both were considerably younger than their sister Anne, and probably not older than their nephew Richard Newport.
Education
Newport was admitted to the Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as the Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court and is a professional associations for barristers and judges. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wal ...
by its ruling parliament on 7 May 1525.[Inderwick, p.83]
/ref> The date of Newport's admission to the Inner Temple is the main guide to his date of birth.[ The parliament noted that he had paid a fine of 26s 8d or two ]mark
Mark may refer to:
Currency
* Bosnia and Herzegovina convertible mark, the currency of Bosnia and Herzegovina
* East German mark, the currency of the German Democratic Republic
* Estonian mark, the currency of Estonia between 1918 and 1927
* Fi ...
s to be excused holding any office at his Inn
Inns are generally establishments or buildings where travelers can seek lodging, and usually, food and drink. Inns are typically located in the country or along a highway; before the advent of motorized transportation they also provided accommo ...
or having to attend during the vacations,[ these being the vacation periods at the law courts, when important academic lectures and discussions were scheduled for the students. This suggests that his legal education was never intended to be at a professional level, but simply the rudiments useful to a future landowner and local politician. Nevertheless, it was an important source of contacts: Newport was to have close social and political links with other Inner Templars throughout his career.
]
Career
A fortunate marriage
Richard Newport began to make his mark politically even before he succeeded to the family estates. Some time in the 1540s he married Margaret Bromley, the daughter of Sir Thomas Bromley
Sir Thomas Bromley (153011 April 1587) was a 16th-century lawyer, judge and politician who established himself in the mid-Tudor period and rose to prominence during the reign of Elizabeth I. He was successively Solicitor General and Lord Chan ...
, a prominent member of the Inner Temple and a Justice of the King's Bench
The King's Bench (), or, during the reign of a female monarch, the Queen's Bench ('), refers to several contemporary and historical courts in some Commonwealth jurisdictions.
* Court of King's Bench (England), a historic court court of commo ...
, later Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales
Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the peerage in the United Kingdom, or are ...
.[Bindoff]
BROMLEY, Thomas I (by 1505-55), of Eyton-upon-Severn; Wroxeter and Shrewsbury, Salop and London.
– Author: N.M. Fuidge Bromley had profited greatly both from his legal practice and from property speculation in partnership with the immensely rich merchant Sir Rowland Hill
Sir Rowland Hill, KCB, FRS (3 December 1795 – 27 August 1879) was an English teacher, inventor and social reformer. He campaigned for a comprehensive reform of the postal system, based on the concept of Uniform Penny Post and his soluti ...
, the first known Protestant
Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...
to become Lord Mayor of London
The Lord Mayor of London is the mayor of the City of London and the leader of the City of London Corporation. Within the City, the Lord Mayor is accorded precedence over all individuals except the sovereign and retains various traditional powe ...
. The pair had invested heavily in lands made available by the dissolution of the monasteries, especially the large estates of Shrewsbury Abbey
The Abbey Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Shrewsbury (commonly known as Shrewsbury Abbey) is an ancient foundation in Shrewsbury, the county town of Shropshire, England.
The Abbey was founded in 1083 as a Benedictine monastery by the Norm ...
. As Margaret was the only child and heir to Bromley's fortune, Newport had expectation of gaining lands across five counties to add to his patrimony.[
]Henry VIII
Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...
trusted Bromley, making him an executor
An executor is someone who is responsible for executing, or following through on, an assigned task or duty. The feminine form, executrix, may sometimes be used.
Overview
An executor is a legal term referring to a person named by the maker of a ...
of his will.[ On the king's death in 1547, Thomas Bromley became a member of the regency council of the boy successor, ]Edward VI
Edward VI (12 October 1537 – 6 July 1553) was King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death in 1553. He was crowned on 20 February 1547 at the age of nine. Edward was the son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour and the first E ...
, although he kept his distance from the political in-fighting within the council. This added access to the highest circles of government to Newport's power base among the local gentry – a factor confirmed by his own father being pricked as High Sheriff of Shropshire
This is a list of sheriffs and high sheriffs of Shropshire
The sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the high sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibili ...
for 1549-50.
MP for Shropshire
Richard Newport was elected to represent Shropshire
Shropshire (; alternatively Salop; abbreviated in print only as Shrops; demonym Salopian ) is a landlocked historic county in the West Midlands region of England. It is bordered by Wales to the west and the English counties of Cheshire to th ...
in the House of Commons of England
The House of Commons of England was the lower house of the Parliament of England (which incorporated Wales) from its development in the 14th century to the union of England and Scotland in 1707, when it was replaced by the House of Commons of ...
in 1547, taking the second seat, after Sir George Blount.[Bindoff]
Shropshire
– Author: N.M. Fuidge This was the first parliament of the reign of Edward VI
Edward VI (12 October 1537 – 6 July 1553) was King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death in 1553. He was crowned on 20 February 1547 at the age of nine. Edward was the son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour and the first E ...
and lasted until April 1552, sitting through the momentous changes of the most radical phase of the English Reformation
The English Reformation took place in 16th-century England when the Church of England broke away from the authority of the pope and the Catholic Church. These events were part of the wider European Protestant Reformation, a religious and poli ...
. Blount was a friend and supporter of the avowedly-Protestant John Dudley
John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland (1504Loades 2008 – 22 August 1553) was an English general, admiral, and politician, who led the government of the young King Edward VI from 1550 until 1553, and unsuccessfully tried to install Lady Ja ...
, despite his own Catholic commitment. It is known that Blount supported and profited from further secularisation of church lands, including the chantries
A chantry is an ecclesiastical term that may have either of two related meanings:
# a chantry service, a Christian liturgy of prayers for the dead, which historically was an obiit, or
# a chantry chapel, a building on private land, or an area in ...
. However, nothing is known of Newport's parliamentary contribution.[ He was paid 13d. in 1549 by Shrewsbury's bailiffs on returning from Norfolk, which suggests that he, like Blount, was involved in the campaign to suppress ]Kett's Rebellion
Kett's Rebellion was a revolt in Norfolk, England during the reign of Edward VI, largely in response to the enclosure of land. It began at Wymondham on 8 July 1549 with a group of rebels destroying fences that had been put up by wealthy landowners ...
.
In 1551, Thomas Newport died and Richard succeeded to his estates. Although a large landowner, Thomas had been forced to set aside two thirds of his valuable estate at Bickmarsh, then in Warwickshire, in trust to yield funds for the marriage of Richard's sisters, Ursula and Katherine – a process expected to take about ten years. The remaining third, in addition to estates around Newport, Shropshire
Newport is a constituent market town in Telford and Wrekin in Shropshire, England. It lies north of Telford, west of Stafford, and is near the Shropshire-Staffordshire border. The 2001 census recorded 10,814 people living in the town's parish ...
, he used to set up his younger sons with homes and estates for life. This still left £100 to find for Elizabeth, Richard's youngest sister. Although a considerable part of his wealth was potential rather than actual, Richard Newport was made sheriff of his native county immediately after inheriting.[
In 1553 he was made commissioner for the goods of churches and fraternities in Shropshire, so he was certainly prepared to profit from the dissolution of church institutions. Newport was in good standing with the regime, throughout changes in leadership, but this gives little indication of his true political and religious inclinations. As the example of his colleague Blount shows, personal loyalties and interests might affect actions more than ideology. One clue to Newport's probably evolving beliefs is that he owned a copy of ]Edward Hall
Edward Hall ( – ) was an English lawyer and historian, best known for his ''The Union of the Two Noble and Illustre Families of Lancastre and Yorke''—commonly known as ''Hall's Chronicle''—first published in 1548. He was also sever ...
's chronicle[ of the ]Wars of the Roses
The Wars of the Roses (1455–1487), known at the time and for more than a century after as the Civil Wars, were a series of civil wars fought over control of the English throne in the mid-to-late fifteenth century. These wars were fought bet ...
and early Tudor period
The Tudor period occurred between 1485 and 1603 in History of England, England and Wales and includes the Elizabethan period during the reign of Elizabeth I until 1603. The Tudor period coincides with the dynasty of the House of Tudor in Englan ...
, entitled ''The Union of the Two Noble and Illustre Families of Lancastre and Yorke''. This appeared in 1548, after the author's death, and is notable for its anti-clerical tone, especially in the sections on what Hall regarded as the abuses of Cardinal Wolsey's ascendancy. Hall supported the breach with the Papacy
The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...
and placed great emphasis on submission to royal power, which seems to accord with Newport's own inclinations. Only occasionally, however, did he express his Protestant loyalties explicitly, as in a passage dealing with the death of William Tyndale
William Tyndale (; sometimes spelled ''Tynsdale'', ''Tindall'', ''Tindill'', ''Tyndall''; – ) was an English biblical scholar and linguist who became a leading figure in the Protestant Reformation in the years leading up to his executi ...
in which he wrote with approval of the role of Martin Luther
Martin Luther (; ; 10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German priest, theologian, author, hymnwriter, and professor, and Order of Saint Augustine, Augustinian friar. He is the seminal figure of the Reformation, Protestant Refo ...
. Hall seems to have had some links with Shropshire, as he was MP for Much Wenlock
Much Wenlock is a market town and parish in Shropshire, England, situated on the A458 road between Shrewsbury and Bridgnorth. Nearby, to the northeast, is the Ironbridge Gorge, and the new town of Telford. The civil parish includes the villag ...
and Bridgnorth
Bridgnorth is a town in Shropshire, England. The River Severn splits it into High Town and Low Town, the upper town on the right bank and the lower on the left bank of the River Severn. The population at the 2011 Census was 12,079.
History
B ...
. Newport's copy of his chronicle, containing annotations sometimes attributed to William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
,[ is now in the Library at ]Eton College
Eton College () is a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI under the name ''Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore'',Nevill, p. 3 ff. intended as a sister institution to King's College, C ...
, Windsor.
Under Queen Mary
Newport seems to have accepted the political and religious twists and turns of the mid-Tudor period,[ and it is impossible to know with what reluctance. He did not sit in any of Mary's parliaments. However, he was made a ]Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...
in 1554 and chosen as High Sheriff of Shropshire again in 1557. His father-in-law, Chief Justice Bromley, had died in 1555, giving Newport some access to his great wealth, so he was now one of the richest and most influential men in the county. However, there were plenty of Catholics to choose from, so he must have seemed trustworthy to the Catholic regime to be honoured and empowered with the shrievalty.
As sheriff, Newport was a contracting party or returning officer
In various parliamentary systems, a returning officer is responsible for overseeing elections in one or more constituencies.
Australia
In Australia a returning officer is an employee of the Australian Electoral Commission or a state electoral c ...
in not only the elections for the county constituency, but also the Shropshire borough
A borough is an administrative division in various English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely.
History
In the Middle Ag ...
seats. For the last parliament of the reign, which assembled in January 1558, he oversaw, and probably influenced, the return of his wife's second cousins, George Bromley at Much Wenlock, and Thomas Bromley
Sir Thomas Bromley (153011 April 1587) was a 16th-century lawyer, judge and politician who established himself in the mid-Tudor period and rose to prominence during the reign of Elizabeth I of England, Elizabeth I. He was successively Solicito ...
, the future Lord Chancellor
The lord chancellor, formally the lord high chancellor of Great Britain, is the highest-ranking traditional minister among the Great Officers of State in Scotland and England in the United Kingdom, nominally outranking the prime minister. The ...
, at Bridgnorth. Both were members of the Inner Temple and favourites of the late chief justice. One of the county seats was taken by Newport's uncle, Richard Corbet.[ All three seem to have been Protestants by inclination, but not openly so at the time.
]
Elizabethan period
Newport was close to the end of his shrievalty when Mary died on 17 November 1558. Evidently he was in London at the time and travelled back to Shropshire to ensure Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen".
El ...
was properly acclaimed as queen. This he did at Much Wenlock
Much Wenlock is a market town and parish in Shropshire, England, situated on the A458 road between Shrewsbury and Bridgnorth. Nearby, to the northeast, is the Ironbridge Gorge, and the new town of Telford. The civil parish includes the villag ...
on 25 November, although a public proclamation had actually already occurred on the day of Mary's death. Sir Thomas Botelar or Butler, the vicar
A vicar (; Latin: ''vicarius'') is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior (compare "vicarious" in the sense of "at second hand"). Linguistically, ''vicar'' is cognate with the English pref ...
of Much Wenlock, recorded in his parish register
A parish register in an ecclesiastical parish is a handwritten volume, normally kept in the parish church in which certain details of religious ceremonies marking major events such as baptisms (together with the dates and names of the parents), ma ...
:
:''And upon St Catherines day, as Sir Thomas Botelar Vicar of this Church of the Holy Trinity of Moch Wenlock was going toward the Altar to celebration of the Mass, Mr. Richard Newport of High Ercal Esqr then being Sheriff of Salop, coming late from London, came unto me and bad me that I after the Offertorie should come down into the Body of the Church, and unto the people there being, should say these words in open audience and loud voice. Friends ye shall pray for the prosperous estate of our most noble Queen Elizabeth, by the Grace of God Queen of England France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
and Ireland, defender of the faith, and for this I desire you every man and woman to say that Pater Noster
The Lord's Prayer, also called the Our Father or Pater Noster, is a central Christian prayer which Jesus taught as the way to pray. Two versions of this prayer are recorded in the gospels: a longer form within the Sermon on the Mount in the Gosp ...
with ave Maria
The Hail Mary ( la, Ave Maria) is a traditional Christian prayer addressing Mary, the mother of Jesus. The prayer is based on two biblical passages featured in the Gospel of Luke: the Angel Gabriel's visit to Mary (the Annunciation) and Mary's s ...
.''
Having compelled the congregation to offer distinctively Catholic prayers for the Protestant queen, Newport then went out into the market square and ordered Elizabeth's accession to be proclaimed again. This very public show of support heralded a final decade of apparently whole-hearted support for the Elizabethan Religious Settlement
The Elizabethan Religious Settlement is the name given to the religious and political arrangements made for England during the reign of Elizabeth I (1558–1603). Implemented between 1559 and 1563, the settlement is considered the end of the E ...
. In 1560, Newport, now in his 50s, served in Scotland under William Grey, 13th Baron Grey de Wilton
William Grey, 13th Baron Grey de Wilton (1508/1509 – 14 December 1562), was an English baron and military commander serving in France in the 1540s and 1550s, and in the Scottish Wars of the 1540s.
Early life
Grey was the thirteenth Baron ...
, taking part in the Siege of Leith
The siege of Leith ended a twelve-year encampment of French troops at Leith, the port near Edinburgh, Scotland. The French troops arrived by invitation in 1548 and left in 1560 after an English force arrived to attempt to assist in removing the ...
. He was knighted by Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk
Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk, (Kenninghall, Norfolk, 10 March 1536Tower Hill, London, 2 June 1572) was an English nobleman and politician. Although from a family with strong Roman Catholic leanings, he was raised a Protestant. He was a ...
on 21 July at Berwick-upon-Tweed
Berwick-upon-Tweed (), sometimes known as Berwick-on-Tweed or simply Berwick, is a town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, south of the Anglo-Scottish border, and the northernmost town in England. The 2011 United Kingdom census recor ...
, as the army returned, after the Treaty of Edinburgh
The Treaty of Edinburgh (also known as the Treaty of Leith) was a treaty drawn up on 5 July 1560 between the Commissioners of Queen Elizabeth I of England with the assent of the Scottish Lords of the Congregation, and the French representatives o ...
secured an end to French intervention in Scotland.
In 1564, when the bishops were ordered by the Privy Council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a state, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the mon ...
to vet the local justices, Thomas Bentham
Thomas Bentham (1513/14–1579) was a scholar and a Protestant minister. One of the Marian exiles, he returned to England to minister to an underground congregation in London. He was made the first Elizabethan bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, se ...
, the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield
The Bishop of Lichfield is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lichfield in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese covers 4,516 km2 (1,744 sq. mi.) of the counties of Powys, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Warwickshire and West M ...
, consulted on the Shropshire bench with Newport, his cousin Andrew Corbet
Sir Andrew Corbet (1580–1637) of Moreton Corbet, Shropshire, was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1624 and 1629. A Puritan sympathiser, he at first supported the government but became an increa ...
and George Leigh
George Leigh or Lye (by 1530 – 1578) was an English politician.
Life
He was a Member (MP) of the Parliament of England for Shrewsbury in March 1553, November 1554, 1558, 1559, 1571 and 1572, and for Ripon
Ripon () is a cathedral city ...
, the Bailiff
A bailiff (from Middle English baillif, Old French ''baillis'', ''bail'' "custody") is a manager, overseer or custodian – a legal officer to whom some degree of authority or jurisdiction is given. Bailiffs are of various kinds and their offi ...
of Shrewsbury. They were able to supply a list of those "meet to continue in office," including themselves and a number of relatives. Asked to for those who were learned in the law as well as reliable Protestants, they named Reginald Corbet and George Bromley.
As an entirely reliable regional supporter of the regime, it was inevitable that Newport would be appointed to the Council in the Marches of Wales, although the date of this is uncertain. He was also selected as sheriff of the county again for 1568-9,[ thus occupying the post under each of Henry VIII's children.
]
Death
Newport made his will on 11 September 1570 and died the following day.[ Shrewsbury's ]chronicle
A chronicle ( la, chronica, from Greek ''chroniká'', from , ''chrónos'' – "time") is a historical account of events arranged in chronological order, as in a timeline. Typically, equal weight is given for historically important events and lo ...
, giving a different date, reported:
:''This yeare and the xviijth of September 1570 one Syr Rychard Newport a valiant knyght of Shropshire and of a pryncely personage dysceassyd for whose deathe there was mutche mone made in Shrosberye.''
Newport's will begins with an exemplary Protestant declaration of faith:
:''First and principally, I yield up my soul into the merciful hands of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, believing assuredly to be saved only through God’s mercy purchased for me by the death and bloodshedding of Jesus Christ, God and man, my only Saviour and Redeemer, & by no other means.''[Green, ''Testamentum Ricardi Newporte militis'', p.1]
/ref>
Newport named his widow and eldest son, Francis
Francis may refer to:
People
*Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State and Bishop of Rome
*Francis (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters
*Francis (surname)
Places
* Rural M ...
as executors, while George and Thomas Bromley, described as cousins, were made supervisors. Margaret Bromley was given considerable responsibility in meeting Newport's obligations to his children as, despite his great wealth, he did not have the spare money to meet the full costs of the daughter's marriages or the sons' educations. He was forced to assign a large part of his High Ercall estate to this purpose for eight years, charging Margaret Bromley with managing the lands appropriately.[Green, ''Testamentum Ricardi Newporte militis'', p.2]
/ref> He was anxious that his daughters, Isabel and Elizabeth, already married, should have their marriage money available as soon as their fathers-in-law had arranged their jointure
Jointure is, in law, a provision for a wife after the death of her husband. As defined by Sir Edward Coke, it is "a competent livelihood of freehold for the wife, of lands or tenements, to take effect presently in possession or profit after the dea ...
s. He was very generous to all his servants, ordering that all should receive a whole year's pay in addition to any outstanding from the current year. Some were given considerably more, including Jockey, a servant who had returned with him from the Scottish campaign, who was to receive £13 6s. 8d., and Margaret Gibbons, his maid, who was allotted £6 13s. 4d. Cash sums were given to his brothers, brothers-in-law and sons. George Bromley was given first choice of his gelding
A gelding is a castrated male horse or other equine, such as a pony, donkey or a mule. Castration, as well as the elimination of hormonally driven behavior associated with a stallion, allows a male equine to be calmer and better-behaved, makin ...
s and William Gratwood, who had married his daughter Mary, was to take the best of the remainder.
Newport asked to be buried in the parish church at Wroxeter
Wroxeter is a village in Shropshire, England, which forms part of the civil parish of Wroxeter and Uppington, beside the River Severn, south-east of Shrewsbury.
''Viroconium Cornoviorum'', the fourth largest city in Roman Britain, was sited ...
, near the tomb of his wife's parents. This request was met. He was given a large altar tomb, on the south side of the chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar, including the choir and the sanctuary (sometimes called the presbytery), at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building. It may terminate in an apse.
Ove ...
, with brilliantly coloured effigies of himself, in full Elizabethan armour, and his wife, Margaret.
Marriage and family
Newport's marriage to Margaret, the daughter and heiress of Sir Thomas Bromley
Sir Thomas Bromley (153011 April 1587) was a 16th-century lawyer, judge and politician who established himself in the mid-Tudor period and rose to prominence during the reign of Elizabeth I. He was successively Solicitor General and Lord Chan ...
of Eyton on Severn, Wroxeter
Wroxeter is a village in Shropshire, England, which forms part of the civil parish of Wroxeter and Uppington, beside the River Severn, south-east of Shrewsbury.
''Viroconium Cornoviorum'', the fourth largest city in Roman Britain, was sited ...
, and Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury ( , also ) is a market town, civil parish, and the county town of Shropshire, England, on the River Severn, north-west of London; at the 2021 census, it had a population of 76,782. The town's name can be pronounced as either 'Sh ...
, produced at least the eight children who are depicted on their tomb. They had four sons, including the heir, Francis Newport (died 1623)
Sir Francis Newport (ca. 1555 – 6 March 1623) was an English politician.
Francis was born the eldest son of Sir Richard Newport and the brother of Andrew. He was educated at Shrewsbury School (1569–1571) and Magdalen College, Oxford (15 ...
, and four daughters.
:*Sir Francis Newport, the eldest son and heir, married Beatrix Lacon. Their son and heir was
::Richard Newport, 1st Baron Newport
Richard Newport, 1st Baron Newport (7 May 1587 – 8 February 1651). was an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1614 and 1629. He supported the Royalist cause in the English Civil War and was ...
, whose title was a reward from Charles I Charles I may refer to:
Kings and emperors
* Charlemagne (742–814), numbered Charles I in the lists of Holy Roman Emperors and French kings
* Charles I of Anjou (1226–1285), also king of Albania, Jerusalem, Naples and Sicily
* Charles I of ...
for his financial support at the beginning of the English Civil War
The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Parliamentarians (" Roundheads") and Royalists led by Charles I ("Cavaliers"), mainly over the manner of England's governance and issues of re ...
. His heir was:
:::Francis Newport, 1st Earl of Bradford
Francis Newport, 1st Earl of Bradford PC (23 February 1620 – 19 September 1708), styled The Honourable between 1642 and 1651, was an English soldier, courtier and Whig politician.
Background
Born at Wroxeter, he was the eldest son of Richard ...
, an important regional supporter of Charles II but later a Whig who sought to exclude James II James II may refer to:
* James II of Avesnes (died c. 1205), knight of the Fourth Crusade
* James II of Majorca (died 1311), Lord of Montpellier
* James II of Aragon (1267–1327), King of Sicily
* James II, Count of La Marche (1370–1438), King C ...
and was temporarily barred from public life himself.
:*Andrew Newport
Andrew Newport JP (baptised 30 November 1622 – 11 September 1699), styled The Honourable from 1642, was an English Tory politician, courtier and royalist.
Background
He was the second son of Richard Newport, 1st Baron Newport, and his wife R ...
, the fourth son, was MP for Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury ( , also ) is a market town, civil parish, and the county town of Shropshire, England, on the River Severn, north-west of London; at the 2021 census, it had a population of 76,782. The town's name can be pronounced as either 'Sh ...
:*Mary Newport, married William Gratwood or Gratewood, nephew of Rowland Hill, the first Protestant Lord Mayor of London
The Lord Mayor of London is the mayor of the City of London and the leader of the City of London Corporation. Within the City, the Lord Mayor is accorded precedence over all individuals except the sovereign and retains various traditional powe ...
. The entry for the Newports in the Visitation of Shropshire features Mary twice, initially as a sister of Sir Richard,[ and only afterwards as a daughter. Placing her as a sister of Sir Richard seems more plausible chronologically, but there is no mention of a daughter called Mary in the will of Thomas Newport. Richard Newport's will definitely names William Gratwood as a son-in-law, which seems conclusive, but oddly never mentions Mary as Gratwood's wife, although all the other daughters are named. This is probably because Mary was considerably older and her marriage was settled well before. Green names Ralph Sneyd, uncle of ]Elizabeth Trentham, Countess of Oxford
Elizabeth de Vere, Countess of Oxford, formerly Elizabeth Trentham (d. c. December 1612), was the second wife of the Elizabethan courtier and poet Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford.
Family and early years
Elizabeth Trentham was born at Rocest ...
, as her second husband.[ He was a ]Staffordshire
Staffordshire (; postal abbreviation Staffs.) is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. It borders Cheshire to the northwest, Derbyshire and Leicestershire to the east, Warwickshire to the southeast, the West Midlands Cou ...
landowner who was High Sheriff of the county twice.
:*Isabel Newport married Sir Charles Foxe, whose father of the same name was a member of the Inner Temple, MP for Ludlow
Ludlow () is a market town in Shropshire, England. The town is significant in the history of the Welsh Marches and in relation to Wales. It is located south of Shrewsbury and north of Hereford, on the A49 road which bypasses the town. The t ...
and Much Wenlock and secretary to the Council in the Marches. The son bitterly and unsuccessfully contested his father's will, which provided for an illegitimate son and children of his second marriage.
:*Elizabeth Newport married in turn two cousins: Francis Lawley and Thomas Lawley. The first marriage produced the line of Lawley baronets
Baron Wenlock is a title that has been created three times, once in the Peerage of England and twice in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The first creation came in 1461 when the soldier Sir John Wenlock was summoned to Parliament as Lord Wen ...
.
:* Magdelen Newport, married in turn Richard Herbert (d.1596) and Sir John Danvers (c.1585-1655), and was mother of the poet George Herbert
George Herbert (3 April 1593 – 1 March 1633) was an English poet, orator, and priest of the Church of England. His poetry is associated with the writings of the metaphysical poets, and he is recognised as "one of the foremost British devoti ...
. She was a friend of poets, including John Donne
John Donne ( ; 22 January 1572 – 31 March 1631) was an English poet, scholar, soldier and secretary born into a recusant family, who later became a clergy, cleric in the Church of England. Under royal patronage, he was made Dean of St Paul's ...
.
Margaret Bromley long survived her husband. Thomas Newport had arranged, as part of her jointure, for her to receive estates in Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire ( ; cy, Sir Benfro ) is a Local government in Wales#Principal areas, county in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. It is bordered by Carmarthenshire to the east, Ceredigion to the northeast, and the rest by sea. The count ...
and Worcestershire
Worcestershire ( , ; written abbreviation: Worcs) is a county in the West Midlands of England. The area that is now Worcestershire was absorbed into the unified Kingdom of England in 927, at which time it was constituted as a county (see His ...
, as well as at Shifnal
Shifnal is a market town and civil parish in Shropshire, England, about east of Telford, 17 miles (27 km) east of the county town of Shrewsbury and 13 miles (20 km) west-northwest of the city of Wolverhampton. It is near the M54 mo ...
.[ Richard Newport had also bought for her land at ]Cound
Cound is a village and civil parish on the west bank of the River Severn in the English county of Shropshire, about south east of the county town Shrewsbury. Once a busy and industrious river port Cound has now reverted to a quiet rural comm ...
and Cressage
Cressage is a village and civil parish in Shropshire, England. It lies on the junction of the A458 and B4380 roads and the River Severn flows around its northern boundary. The Royal Mail postcode begins SY5. The parish council is combined wit ...
for her from Sir John Lyttelton[ She died in 1598 and it was only at this point that her large estates were formally handed over to her son, Francis.
]
Family tree: descendants of Richard Newport
The main lines of descent from Richard Newport and Margaret Bromley are shown on the following family tree.
Based on the Newport pedigree in the Visitation of Shropshire,Grazebrook and Rylands Part II, p.374
/ref> with details from History of Parliament Online.
Notes
References
*Mary Bateson
Mary Catherine Bateson (December 8, 1939 – January 2, 2021) was an American writer and cultural anthropologist.
The daughter of Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson, Bateson was a noted author in her field with many published monographs. A ...
(ed) (1893)
''A collection of original letters from the bishops to the Privy Council, 1564''
i
''The Camden Miscellany, Volume the Ninth''
Camden Society
The Camden Society was a text publication society founded in London in 1838 to publish early historical and literary materials, both unpublished manuscripts and new editions of rare printed books. It was named after the 16th-century antiquary an ...
, 1895, accessed 27 June 2014 at Internet Archive
The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...
.
*G C Baugh, C R Elrington (Editors), A P Baggs, D C Cox, Jessie McFall, P A Stamper, A J L Winchester (1985)
A History of the County of Shropshire: Volume 11: Telford
Institute of Historical Research. Accessed 27 June 2014.
*
*Bernard Burke
Sir John Bernard Burke, (5 January 1814 – 12 December 1892) was a British genealogist and Ulster King of Arms, who helped publish ''Burke's Peerage''.
Personal life
Burke, of Irish descent, was born at London and was educated in London and ...
(1879
''A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain & Ireland, 6th ed., Volume II''
Harrison. Accessed 2 July 2014 at Internet Archive.
*W.G.D. Fletcher (1911)
''Shropshire Parish Registers: Diocese of Lichfield, Volume XI''
Shropshire Parish Register Society. Accessed 1 July 2014 at Internet Archive.
*George Grazebrook and John Paul Rylands
John Paul Rylands, FSA (1846 – 22 March 1923, Birkenhead), was an English barrister, genealogist and topographer.
John Paul Rylands was the son of Thomas G. Rylands. He was admitted to the Bar from the Middle Temple. He married Mary Isabel ...
(editors) (1889)
''The Visitation of Shropshire, taken in the year 1623: Part I''
by Robert Tresswell, Somerset Herald
Somerset Herald of Arms in Ordinary is an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. In the year 1448 Somerset Herald is known to have served the Duke of Somerset, but by the time of the coronation of King Henry VII in 1485 his successor a ...
, and Augustine Vincent
Augustine Vincent (c. 1584–1626) was an English herald and antiquary. He became involved in an antiquarian dispute between his friend William Camden and Ralph Brooke.
Life
Vincent was born presumably in Northamptonshire, about 1584, third and y ...
, Rouge Croix Pursuivant
Rouge Croix Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary is a junior officer of arms of the College of Arms. He is said to be the oldest of the four pursuivants in ordinary. The office is named after St George's Cross which has been a symbol of England since th ...
of arms; marshals and deputies to William Camden
William Camden (2 May 1551 – 9 November 1623) was an English antiquarian, historian, topographer, and herald, best known as author of ''Britannia'', the first chorographical survey of the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, and the ''Annal ...
, Clarenceux king of arms
Clarenceux King of Arms, historically often spelled Clarencieux (both pronounced ), is an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. Clarenceux is the senior of the two provincial kings of arms and his jurisdiction is that part of Englan ...
. With additions from the pedigrees of Shropshire gentry taken by the heralds in the years 1569 and 1584, and other sources, Harleian Society
The Harleian Society is a text publication society and registered charity founded in 1869 for the publication of manuscripts of the heraldic visitations of the counties of England and Wales, and other unpublished manuscripts relating to genealo ...
. Accessed 27 June 2014 at Internet Archive.
*George Grazebrook and John Paul Rylands
John Paul Rylands, FSA (1846 – 22 March 1923, Birkenhead), was an English barrister, genealogist and topographer.
John Paul Rylands was the son of Thomas G. Rylands. He was admitted to the Bar from the Middle Temple. He married Mary Isabel ...
(editors) (1889)
''The Visitation of Shropshire, taken in the year 1623: Part II''
Harleian Society. Accessed 14 March 2014 at Internet Archive
The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...
.
*Nina Green (transcriber and translator) (2007)
''Testamentum Ricardi Newporte militis''
(Will of Sir Richard Newport), The National Archives Prob 11/53, f.290. Accessed 1 July 2014 at the Oxford Authorship Site.
*Nina Green (transcriber and translator) (2007)
''Testamentum Thome Newporte''
(Will of Thomas Newport), The National Archives Prob 11/34, f.112. Accessed 1 July 2014 at the Oxford Authorship Site.
*Edward Hall (1809 edition)
''Hall's Chronicle''
Johnson, Rivington, et al. Accessed 2 July 2014 at Internet Archive.
*Frederick Andrew Inderwick
Frederick Andrew Inderwick KC (23 April 1836 – 16 August 1904) was an English lawyer, antiquarian, and Liberal Party politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1880 to 1885. As a barrister he mainly took divorce cases, which at the time w ...
(editor) (1896)
''A Calendar of the Inner Temple Records, Volume 1''
Inner Temple, accessed 27 June 2014 at Internet Archive.
*
*W.A. Leighton (ed.) (1880)
''Early Chronicles of Shrewsbury 1372-1603''
i
''Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Natural History Society (Series 1), Volume 3''
*W.A. Leighton (ed.) (1883), accessed 27 June 2014 at Internet Archive
''The Register of Thomas Botelar, Vicar of Much Wenlock''
i
''Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Natural History Society (Series 1), Volume 6''
accessed 27 June 2014 at Internet Archive.
*William A. Shaw (1906)
''The Knights of England, volume 2''
Sherratt and Hughes. Accessed 27 June 2014 at Internet Archive.
*Lucy Toulmin Smith (ed) (1906)
''The Itinerary in Wales of John Leland''
George Bell and Sons, accessed 27 June 2014 at Internet Archive.
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Newport, Richard
1570 deaths
High Sheriffs of Shropshire
Year of birth uncertain
English MPs 1547–1552