NEWTON, Thomas I

Newton had recently taken up office as bailiff of Bridport when he was elected to represent the borough in the Parliament of 1423. Extant accounts of the bailiffs and cofferers rarely mention payments for parliamentary service, but in 1423-4 Newton received 20s. for being in London ‘pro parliamento’, while his fellow MP Simon atte Ford* was paid twice that amount.4 ‘Domesday Bk.’, f. 99. Perhaps the disparity in their remuneration was a reflection of Newton’s lack of experience of the Commons in comparison with atte Ford, who had sat at least eight times previously. It may also reflect their relative standing in the town, where Newton was a far less prominent figure.

Newton, who had earlier served in the post of constable although never as a cofferer, had been resident in Bridport for at least seven years before his election. In 1419 he and his wife had taken a lease for 110 years on a burgage in East Street; from 1423 they held a plot of land in St. Michael’s Lane, and ten years later he and his son Thomas received from Gregory and Joan Marlborough another plot in South Street. Later Newman was able to establish a claim to a right of way off East Street, which he had ‘ab antiquo’.5 Bridport register, ff. 268, 278-9; CAD, i. C681. Following his parliamentary service, he performed other duties for the town authorities, such as riding to see John Fauntleroy for his legal counsel in 1425. In addition, he served as a juror at the inquisition held in Bridport in October 1430 following the death of (Sir) Edmund Cheyne*.6 Bridport cofferers’ accts. DC/BTB/M6, 1/3; C139/49/42. Another term as constable and two more as bailiff came in the 1430s, and on occasion Newton stood surety for the new cofferers and sub bailiffs elected annually at Michaelmas.7 ‘Domesday Bk.’, ff. 117, 121, 141. He also regularly provided pledges at the election of wardens of the fraternities of the two torches and St. Katherine in St. Mary’s parish church. His wife was also a member of St. Katherine’s fraternity, which he served as a warden for at least five years.8 Bridport fraternities, DC/BTB/CD16, 22. Newton’s occupation is not recorded, although he may have made a living as a merchant. In Hilary term 1435 he appeared in person in the court of common pleas to sue a Dorset husbandman for the theft of goods worth ten marks at Bridport.9 CP40/696, rot. 49d.

Newton remained active in the affairs of his home town until the autumn of 1443.10 ‘Domesday Bk.’, f. 141. He is last recorded in January 1446, by which date he was the sole surviving feoffee of lands on the border of Somerset, with which he had been entrusted by Thomas Huntley esquire. He then conveyed them to another group including Richard Milborne*, who, interestingly, had represented Wiltshire in the same Parliament of 1423. As his seal was unknown to many, the common seal of Bridport was attached to the deed at Newton’s special request.11 CCR, 1441-7, p. 386. This deed, if nothing else, makes it clear that our MP was not the man of this name who was in royal service as serjeant of the King’s cellar from 1414 until his death, for this occurred bef. Apr. 1443, by which date the serjeant’s widow was married to Edward Stone*: CPR, 1413-16, p. 248; 1436-41, pp. 284, 388; 1446-52, p. 119; CCR, 1435-41, p. 167; 1447-54, pp. 474-5.