NEWTE, Henry (1609-70), of Tiverton, Devon and Lyon's Inn.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1660-1690, ed. B.D. Henning, 1983
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

19 Nov. 1660

Family and Education

bap. June 1609, 1st s. of Henry Newte, attorney, of Tiverton. educ. Lyon’s Inn. m. Alice, 1da.1

Offices Held

Town clerk, Tiverton 1625-55, mayor (twice); commr. for assessment, Devon Aug. 1660-9; j.p. Tiverton 1665.2

Biography

Newte’s father, who settled in Tiverton towards the end of the reign of Elizabeth I, was named town clerk in the charter of 1615, 16 and ten years later was allowed to associate Newte in the office. He was in arms for the King in the Civil War, and in 1651 compounded for an estate worth £51 12s. p.a., mostly in Tiverton. Newte’s brother, for whom the advowson of a Tiverton living had been purchased shortly before the Civil War, was deprived as an Anglican, in spite of his devoted work for his people in the epidemic which struck the town in 1646. Many thought him harshly treated, including Robert Shapcote, who may have been responsible for maintaining Newte himself in municipal office until the receipt of a direct order from Major-General John Disbrowe.3

Newte was returned at a by-election caused by the death of Roger Colman, but made no speeches and sat on no committees. If he voted in the House it was presumably as an Anglican and a court supporter. He did not stand again, though he kept up an interest in politics as a subscriber to Muddiman’s newsletter. He died on 20 Oct. 1670, aged 61, leaving his lands to his granddaughter, who married a younger son of Sir John Northcote. His brother’s family continued in some local prominence, chiefly in the Church, but none of them achieved entry into Parliament.4

Ref Volumes: 1660-1690

Authors: M. W. Helms / John. P. Ferris

Notes

  • 1. Information from Miss Anne Welsford; Add. 34014, f. 114, F. J. Snell, Chronicles of Twyford, 142-3; PCC 25 Duke.
  • 2. E. S. Chalk, St. Peter’s Church Tiverton, 79; M. Dunsford, Hist. Mems. Tiverton, 456.
  • 3. Lysons, Devon, pp. ccvii, 515; SP23/222/907; CSP Dom. 1654, p. 280.
  • 4. CSP Dom. 1670, p. 540; Trans. Devon Assoc. lxvii. 325; Vivian, Vis. Devon, 582; C. E. Pitman, Pitman of Dunchideock, 26-27.