Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 7.djvu/403

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10 s. VIL APRIL 27, 1907.] NOTES AND QUERIES.


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to Presbyterian notions ; was purged ou by Pride ; came back ; dwindled ultimately into Royalism." Mudie, the historian of Hampshire, probably had the truest con- ception of his character ; in his opinion.

"Col. Norton was a loyalist he took the field

and took it bravely, for the privilege of the Par liament, which Charles had unquestionably in yaded ; but he had no hostility to the King accord ing to law. Upon the side of Charles the loya men stood only for the constitutional authority p; the King, while the courtiers stood for him ir disregard of the constitution. The loyalists 01 the side of Parliament stood only for its consti tutional privileges, the rest of that party being enemies to all government. Between the firsi sections of the two parties it was merely a mis understanding, but between the second it was implacable and deadly opposition. The former were anxious to save both constitution and country the latter recked not for the ruin of both. This distinction is an important one, and necessary before we do justice to brave and good men upon either side to such men as the Marquis of Win Chester and Col. Norton."

Col. Norton had four brothers Daniel, Edward, Thomas, and John and six sisters. Daniel was born 1613, and died c. 1633, during the lifetime of his father. Edward, born 1619, was a Royalist, and probably the " Captain Lieutenant Norton " who was taken prisoner at Romsey ; his name appears in the list of Royalists who com- pounded for their estates, his fine being 100Z. Foster in his ' Alumni Oxonienses ' suggests he was the Dr. Edward Norton, vicar of Saffron Walden 1674-1714; but it seems more than likely he was the Edward Norton elected a burgess of Portsmouth in 1658, who died in, or before, 1674. Thomas Norton, born c. 1622, died during the life- time of his mother ; he was probably dead in 1641, for in that year his younger brother John (b. 1625), on entering Brasenose College, Oxford, was described as the " third " son of Sir Daniel Norton. What became of this John is not known. He is not mentioned in his mother's will. He may have settled at Portsmouth, for in 1649 " Ensign John Norton " was serving in the garrison there under Major Murford ; in 1660 the daughter of " Lieutenant John Norton " was baptized at Portsmouth parish church ; and in 1676 " Elizabeth, wife of Mr. John Norton," was buried there. The six sisters of Col. Norton were Catherine, Honor, Frances, Bridget, Eliza- beth, and Mary. Catherine married, as his first wife, James May, of Coldrey, Hants, son and heir of Sir Humphrey May ; he was a Royalist, and compounded for his estates by a payment of 800Z. In July, 1646, it was ordered that Col. Norton retain


in his hands upon account and pay to the garrison of Portsmouth, the 900Z. which is to be paid into Goldsmiths' Hall for the compositions of the delinquencies of James May and Edward Norton, esquires (S.P. Dom. Proc. of Comm. for Compdg.). Honor married in November, 1632, John Eliot, son and heir of Sir John Eliot, the " Patriot." The curious circumstances attending this marriage were referred to at 10 S..vi. 83. Frances, Bridget, and Elizabeth apparently died young and unmarried. Mary (or Marie) outlived her mother, and was pro- bably the wife of the Royalist Col. Robert Legge, who fought in most of the battles during the civil wars, and was taken prisoner at the storming of Evesham by Col. Massey. Collins (' Peerage,' 1778 ed., iv. 303) states (from information given by Lord Dart- mouth) that this Col. Robert Legge " married a daughter of Sir Daniel Norton, of South- wick in Hampshire, by whom he had no issue " : also that " in order to the restora- tion of Charles II. he had Portsmouth delivered to him by Col. Norton, his wife's brother, the government of which he pos- sessed to his death." He was Lieutenant- Governor of Portsmouth under Col. Norton and the Duke of York, and died in March, 1662. His nephew George Legge succeeded the Duke of York as Governor of Ports- mouth, and was afterwards created Baron Dartmouth.

Col. Richard Norton was twice married. His first wife was Anne, daughter of the Parliamentary colonel Sir Walter Erie, of Charborough, co. Dorset, by whom he had issue a daughter Sarah, who married Henry Whitehead, son of Col. Richard Whitehead, of Tytherley, Hants (Mary, daughter of their eldest son Richard, married Alexander Thistlethwaite, ancestor of the present owner of Southwick Park), and a son Daniel Norton, who died in 1666, during the lifetime of his father, leaving by his wife Isabel, daughter and coheiress of Admiral Sir John Lawson (she afterwards married Admiral Sir John Chicheley, and died 29 Nov., 1709), an only son, Richard Norton, of whom hereafter.

The second wife of Col. Norton was Eliza- Deth, second daughter of William Fiennes, Viscount Say and Sele, and by her he had ssue three sons and two daughters :

1. Richard Norton, of Alresford, Hants, who married Elizabeth, daughter of James

Butler, of Amberley Castle, Sussex, and died in 1709.

2. Col. William Norton, J.P., of Wellow, Hants. He married Elizabeth, daughter