Hall, and on 23 March 1673, jointly with his cousin William Ellis, registrar of Trinity College. In 1671 he was elected mayor for the town of Cambridge. Charles II paid a first visit to the university during his mayoralty. In 1677 he was sworn a justice of the peace for the university and town. Ten years later, 16 Sept. 1687, James II addressed letters to the mayor and aldermen of Cambridge, requesting them to elect a certain Alderman Blackley mayor, and to dispense with all customary oaths except that as to the due execution of his office. On the corporation proving refractory, an order of the privy council, dated 8 April 1688, was sent down, removing the mayor, four other aldermen (among them being Newton), and twelve common councillors. Their places were filled by the king's nominees. Six months later (17 Oct.) the corporation was restored to its original rights, and Newton and his colleagues resumed their offices. He died in his ninetieth year, and was buried at St. Edward's Church on 25 Sept. 1718. Newton married Sarah, daughter of William Wildbore, son of Philip Wildbore, gentleman, of Cambridge. He had a son John, of Cambridge, surviving, and a daughter Mary, whose tomb stands very prominently in the churchyard attached to St. Benet's Church. This tomb is adorned with the arms—two shin-bones in saltire—which are familiar as those of Sir Isaac Newton; nevertheless, there appears to have been no connection between the families.
Newton's manuscript diary, ranging over the period from 1662 to 1717, and of great local and topographical interest, is preserved in the library of Downing College. It was extensively used by Charles Henry Cooper in his ‘Annals of Cambridge,’ and has recently (1890) been printed by the Cambridge Antiquarian Society, under the editorship of Mr. J. E. Foster, of Trinity College.
[Newton's Diary; Cooper's Annals of Cambridge gives the various papers sent by James II, &c., from the corporation common day-book.]
NEWTON, THOMAS (1542?–1607), poet, physician, and divine, was the eldest son of Edward Newton of Park House, in Butley, in the parish of Prestbury, Cheshire, yeoman. He was born about 1542, and was educated at the Macclesfield grammar school with John Brownswerd, a celebrated master there. Thence he went to Trinity College, Oxford, but, leaving there in November 1562, studied for a time at Queens' College, Cambridge, whence, however, he returned to his old college at Oxford. In 1569–70 he published ‘The Worthye Booke of Old Age,’ the preface of which is dated ‘frome Butleye the seuenth of March 1569.’ Many others of his books prior to 1583 are dated from the same place. These include historical, medical, and theological subjects; and, in addition, he contributed a large number of commendatory verses in English and Latin to various works, as was then customary. To most of these verses, as also in many of his books, he signs himself ‘Thomas Newtonus Cestreshyrius,’ showing his affection for his native county. He not improbably practised as a physician at Butley, and may have taught at Macclesfield school; but the statement of Anthony à Wood that he succeeded his old master there is incorrect.
About 1583 Queen Elizabeth presented him to the rectory of Little Ilford, Essex, whence most of his later works are dated. No work of his appeared after 1596, and in 1607 he died, and was probably buried at Little Ilford. His will, dated 27 April 1607, was proved at Canterbury on 13 June in that year. He was married, and had issue two sons, Emanuel (who appears to have died before his father) and Abel.
Newton was a skilled writer of Latin verse, in which, Ritson states, he excited the admiration of his contemporaries; while Warton describes him as the elegant Latin encomiast and the first Englishman who wrote Latin elegiacs with classical clearness and terseness. He also wrote English verses with ease and fluency, and translated several works from the Latin. All his books are now very scarce; most of them have very long titles.
The following is a list of his writings:
- ‘An Epitaphe vpon the … Lady Knowles,’ 1568, a broadside, attributed to Thomas Newton, but doubtful if by him.
- ‘The Worthye Booke of Old Age,’ translated from Cicero, 1569.
- ‘A Direction for the Health of Magistrates and Studentes,’ translated from the Latin, 1574, dedicated to Sir Francis Walsingham.
- ‘A Notable Historie of the Saracens,’ 1575.
- ‘The Touchstone of Complexions,’ translated from the Latin, 1576; 2nd edit. 1581; 3rd edit. 1633.
- ‘Foure Seuerall Treatises of M. Tullius Cicero,’ 1577.
- ‘Approoved Medicines and Cordiall Receiptes,’ 1580.
- ‘A View of Valyaunce’ [1580?].
- ‘Seneca his tenne Tragedies translated into Englysh,’ 1581. The translations by Studley, Nevile, Nuce, and Jasper Heywood had already appeared separately. They are here collected for the first time in one volume under the editorship of Newton, who translated one of the plays, the ‘Thebais,’ and are dedicated to ‘Sir Thomas Henneage, Treasurer of the
