Life

He was the fourth son of Stephen Newcome, rector of Caldicote, Huntingdonshire. He was born at Caldicote, and baptised on
27 Nov. 1627. His mother was Rose, daughter of Henry Williamson, B. D. (a native of Salford; rector of Conington, Cambridgeshire),
and granddaughter of Thomas Sparke

Thomas Sparke

Thomas Sparke was the only incumbent of the office of Bishop of Berwick. Previously Prior of Lindisfarne and Prebendary at Durham Cathedral , he was consecrated by Archbishop Lee of York in 1536 and continued in post until his death in 1571.-Notes:...

, D. D., one of the puritan divines at the
Hampton Court conference

Hampton Court Conference

The Hampton Court Conference was a meeting in January 1604, convened at Hampton Court Palace, for discussion between King James I of England and representatives of the Church of England, including leading English Puritans.-Attendance:...

 in 1604. Henry was early left an orphan; his parents were
buried in the same coffin on 4 Feb. 1642. He was educated by his eldest brother,
Robert, who succeeded as rector of Caldicote. In May 1644 he was admitted at
St. John's College, Cambridge, but owing to the civil war

English Civil War

The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...

 his studies were intermitted
till 10 May 1645. He graduated B.A. 2 Feb. 1648, M.A. 1 July 1651. On 24 Sept. 1647
he became schoolmaster at Congleton

Congleton

Congleton is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England, on the banks of the River Dane, to the west of the Macclesfield Canal and 21 miles south of Manchester. It has a population of 25,750.-History:The first settlements in...

, Cheshire,
and soon began to preach. He was already married when, on 22 Aug. 1648, he
received presbyterian ordination at Sandbach

Sandbach

Sandbach is a market town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The civil parish contains four settlements; Sandbach itself, Elworth, Ettiley Heath and Wheelock....

, Cheshire. He had a prospect of settlement
at Alvanley Chapel, in the parish of Frodsham, Cheshire; but in October 1648 he
received a unanimous call to the perpetual curacy of St Luke's Church, Goostrey

St Luke's Church, Goostrey

St Luke's Church, Goostrey is in the village of Goostrey, Cheshire, England. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building...

, Cheshire, through the
interest of his wife's cousin, Henry Manwaring of Kermincham, in whose house he
subsequently lived. He entered on his duties at Goostrey on 23 Nov. 1648, but
Manwaring's interest soon obtained for him the rectory of Gawsworth, Cheshire, to
which he removed on 8 April 1650. He visited Manchester

Manchester

Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...

 for the first time on
19 Sept. 1651, and found some of his mother's relatives. On 25 Dec. he subscribed
the 'engagement' of fidelity to the existing government, much against the grain, for he
was always a royalist. He had already taken the Solemn League and Covenant

Solemn League and Covenant

The Solemn League and Covenant was an agreement between the Scottish Covenanters and the leaders of the English Parliamentarians. It was agreed to in 1643, during the First English Civil War....

. He was closely
associated with the religious work of John Machin

John Machin

John Machin, , a professor of astronomy at Gresham College, London, is best known for developing a quickly converging series for Pi in 1706 and using it to compute Pi to 100 decimal places.Machin's formula is:...

. In October 1653
he joined with Adam Martindale

Adam Martindale

Adam Martindale was a British presbyterian minister, closely involved in the evolution of presbyterianism in Lancashire in the seventeenth century.-Biography:...

 in the establishment of a clerical union for
Cheshire on the model of Baxter's Worcestershire agreement.

On the death of Richard Hollinworth, Newcome was elected (5 December 1656)
one of the preachers at the collegiate church of Manchester. After much hesitation he
settled in Manchester on 23 April 1657. His ministry was exceedingly popular. He became
a member of the first presbyterian classis of Lancashire

Lancashire

Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...

, attending for the first
time on 12 May 1657. He sat as delegate in the Lancashire provincial assembly in
1658 and 1659. His presbyterianism was not of a severe type; and he entered warmly
into the abortive proposals for an accommodation with independents formulated at
Manchester on 13 July 1659.

Newcome was deeply involved in the preparations for a royalist rising (5 Aug. 1659)
under George Booth, 1st Baron Delamer

George Booth, 1st Baron Delamer

George Booth, 1st Baron Delamer , known as Sir George Booth, 2nd Baronet, from 1652 to 1661, was an English peer.-Civil War:...

. After the rout at Nantwich

Nantwich

Nantwich is a market town and civil parish in the Borough of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The town gives its name to the parliamentary constituency of Crewe and Nantwich...

 (29 Aug.), Robert Lilburne

Robert Lilburne

thumb|right|Robert LilburneColonel Robert Lilburne was the older brother of John Lilburne, the well known Leveller, but unlike his brother who severed his relationship with Oliver Cromwell, Robert Lilburne remained in the army...

put Henry Root the independent into Newcome's pulpit (25 Aug.),
and he expected to be deposed, but his ministrations were only interrupted for one Sunday.
As early as 6 May 1660 he publicly prayed for the king "by periphrasis." He
conducted a religious service as preliminary to the proclamation of the king at Manchester
on Saturday, 12 May. His thanksgiving sermon (24 May) produced a great impression.
It was published with the title Usurpation Defeated and David Restored.

The Restoration was fatal to his preferment. The constitution (1635) of Manchester
collegiate church, which had been subverted in 1645, was restored, and three new fellows
were installed (17 Sept. 1660). Great efforts were made to retain Newcome. A petition
from 444 parishioners was backed by a testimonial signed among others by Sir George
Booth and Henry Bridgeman. On 21 Sept. Charles II

Charles II of England

Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...

 added his name to the
list from which fellows were to be chosen, but it was too late. The new fellows all
had other preferments, so Newcome continued to preach as their deputy; his last
sermon in the collegiate church was on 31 Aug. 1662, the Sunday after the coming
into force of the Uniformity Act

Act of Uniformity 1662

The Act of Uniformity was an Act of the Parliament of England, 13&14 Ch.2 c. 4 ,The '16 Charles II c. 2' nomenclature is reference to the statute book of the numbered year of the reign of the named King in the stated chapter...

. Suggestions were made that he should receive episcopal ordination privately, but this was a point on which he would not give way.

He remained in Manchester till the Five Mile Act

Five Mile Act 1665

The Five Mile Act, or Oxford Act, or Nonconformists Act 1665, is an Act of the Parliament of England , passed in 1665 with the long title "An Act for restraining Non-Conformists from inhabiting in Corporations". It was one of the English penal laws that sought to enforce conformity to the...

 came into force (25 March 1666),
and then removed to Ellenbrook, in Worsley parish, Lancashire. At this time he
travelled about a good deal, making three visits to London. In June 1670 he visited
Dublin, and received a call (25 July) to succeed Edward Baynes at Wine Tavern Street
meeting house, which he declined. On 15 Oct. 1670 he returned to Manchester,
preached in private houses, and was fined for so doing. He took out a licence (21 April)
under the indulgence of 1672, and preached publicly, first in his own house, and then in
a licensed barn (at Cold House, near Shudehill) after evening church hours. These services
were interrupted in 1674 and discontinued in 1676, but he remained in Manchester,
performing such private ministrations as he could. In February 1677 he was offered
a chaplaincy to the widowed Countess of Donegall; he stayed five weeks at her house
in London, but declined the situation. On the appearance (4 April 1687) of James's
declaration for liberty of conscience, he preached publicly, first in a vacant house,
then (from 12 June) in Thomas Stockton's barn, which was speedily enlarged, and opened
(31 July) for worship "in the public time." He took his turn monthly at Hilton's lecture
at Bolton, Lancashire. On 7 Aug. John Chorlton

John Chorlton

John Chorlton was an English presbyterian minister and tutor.-Life:John Chorlton was born at Salford in 1666. On 4 April 1682 he was admitted to be educated for the ministry at Rathmell Academy under Richard Frankland. On completing his studies he was chosen as assistant to Henry Newcome, the...

 was engaged as his assistant.
A number of nonconformist ministers waited for James II

James II of England

James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...

 at Rowton Heath on 27 Aug.;
Newcome as senior was expected to address the king; he put it off on Thomas Jollie

Thomas Jollie

Thomas Jollie was an English Dissenter, a minister ejected for his beliefs from the Church of England.-Biography:Thomas Jollie was born at Droylsden, near Manchester, on 14 September 1629, and baptised on 29 September at Gorton Chapel, then in the parish of Manchester...

, but James
gave no opportunity for any address. The windows of the barn meeting-house were
broken (30 Nov.) by Sir John Bland. In April 1693 a new meeting-house was projected;
Newcome was doubtful of the success of the scheme. Ground was bought on 20 June
at Plungen's Meadow (now Cross Street); the building was begun on 18 July, a gallery
was added as a private speculation by agreement dated 12 Feb. 1694, and the meeting-house
was opened by Newcome on 24 June 1694. It was wrecked by a Jacobite

Jacobitism

Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...

 mob
in June 1715. It was rebuilt and enlarged, eventually becoming the Cross Street Chapel

Cross Street Chapel

Cross Street Chapel is a Unitarian church in Manchester, England, famous in civic and national life for its contributions to piety and civil society. Jane Barraclough currently serves as minister at Cross Street, having been inducted in September 2008...

. Much of the original structure remained until it was destroyed in a World War II air raid.

By this time Newcome had abandoned his presbyterianism, and entered into a ministerial
alliance on the basis of the London union of 1690,
dropping the terms presbyterian and congregational.
A union of this kind was projected in Lancashire in 1692. Newcome was
moderator of "a general meeting of ministers of the United Bretheren" at Bolton, Lancashire,
on 3 April 1693. He was appointed with Thomas Jollie on 4 Sept, 1694 "to
manage the correspondence" for the county. This was his last public work; he preached
only occasionally at his new chapel, delivering his last sermon there on 13 June 1695.

He died at Manchester on 17 Sept. 1695, and was buried (20 Sept.) near the pulpit in
his chapel, Chorlton preaching the funeral sermon. His inscribed tombstone is in the floor
of the east aisle. His portrait, finished 15 Sept, 1658 by "Mr. Cunney," was engraved by R.
White, and again by John Bull (1825); Baker has a poor woodcut from it, The original is at
the Lancashire Independent College, Whalley Range, near Manchester.

Family

He married, on 6 July 1648, Elizabeth (1626–1700), daughter of Peter Manwaring (d. 24 Nov. 1654) of Smallwood, Cheshire, by whom he had five children:

• Rose, born on 24 April 1649 and buried 4 May 1719, unmarried
• Henry (see below)
• Daniel, born on 29 Oct. 1652 and died 9 Feb. 1684; he was twice married and left issue
• Elizabeth, born on 11 April 1655, died unmarried
• Peter (see below)

Henry Newcome (son)

Newcome's eldest son, Henry (1650–1713), was born at Gawsworth rectory on 28 May 1650. He was admitted at St.
Edmund Hall, Oxford, on 23 March 1667, became curate at Shelsley, Worcestershire,
in January 1672: rector of Tattenhall, Cheshire, 29 July 1675; and rector of Middleton,
Lancashire, towards the end of 1701. He died in June 1713. He married in April
1677, and had a son Henry and three daughters. He published single sermons, 1689-1712.

Peter Newcome

Newcomes third son, Peter (1656–1738), was born at Gawsworth rectory on 5 Nov. 1656. He was admitted at
Magdalene College, Cambridge, in 1673, removed to St. Edmund Hall, Oxford, in April
1675, and removed same year to Brasenose College, Oxford, and graduated M.A. in June
1680. He became curate at Crookham, Hampshire, in March 1680; vicar of Aldenham,
Hertfordshire, in September 1683; and vicar of Hackney, Middlesex, in September
1703. He died on 5 Oct. 1738. He married (1681) Ann, daughter of Eustace Hook,
and had twelve children, of whom six survived him. He published A Catechetical Course of Sermons in 1702, 8vo, 2 vols., and
single sermons (1705–37). His portrait was engraved by Vertue.

Works

Newcome's most important work is his Diary (begun 10 July 1646), of which a portion (30 Sept. 1661-29 Sept. 1663) was edited (1849) by Thomas Heywood

Thomas Heywood

Thomas Heywood was a prominent English playwright, actor, and author whose peak period of activity falls between late Elizabethan and early Jacobean theatre.-Early years:...

 for the Chetham Society. His Autobiography, an abstract of the Diary, to 3 Sept. 1695, was
edited (1852, 2 vols.) for the same society by Richard Parkinson

Richard Parkinson

Richard Parkinson full name Richard Heinrich Robert Parkinson Richard Parkinson full name Richard Heinrich Robert Parkinson Richard Parkinson full name Richard Heinrich Robert Parkinson (1844, in Augustenburg (Alsen Island- 1909) was a Danish explorer and Anthropologist.In 1875 he became a ...

, D.D., with a family memoir (written 1846) by Thomas Newcome.
It has none of the graphic power of the contemporary Life of Adam Martindale

Adam Martindale

Adam Martindale was a British presbyterian minister, closely involved in the evolution of presbyterianism in Lancashire in the seventeenth century.-Biography:...

, and is very introspective, but gives a clear
picture of the writer in his much-tried sensitiveness and his unascetic puritanism. Newcome was no stranger to the shuttle-board or
the billiard table; though he never drank healths he drank wine, and had a weakness
for tobacco. As a contributor to the local history of his time he is in one respect more useful
than Martindale; he very rarely conceals names.

• In The Censures of the Church Revived, &c., 1659, 4to, the section headed A True and Perfect Narrative, &c., is by Newcome; it gives extracts from the original records of the first presbyterian classis of Lancashire, which supply a few points omitted in the existing minutes.
• His Faithful Narration of the life of John Machin was finished in February 1665, and published anonymously in 1671, 12mo, with prefatory epistle by Sir Charles Wolseley.
• He revised the Narrative (1685) of the life of John Angier
  John Angier
  -Early life:Angier was from Dedham, in Essex, where he was baptised 8 October 1605. At his own desire was brought up to be a preacher. At the age of twelve he was a grave child; but during his stay at Cambridge University as an undergraduate of Emmanuel College 'he fell off to vain company and...
  
   by Oliver Heywood
  Oliver Heywood (minister)
  Oliver Heywood was a British nonconformist minister, ejected for his beliefs.-Early life and education:Oliver Heywood, third son of Richard Heywood, yeoman, by his first wife, Alice Critchlaw, was born at Little Lever, near Bolton, Lancashire, in March 1630, and baptised at Bolton parish church...
  
  
• The Sinner's Hope, &c., 1660, 8vo.
• Usurpation Defeated, &c., 1660, Svo.
• An Help to the Duty in ... Sickness, &c., 1685, 12mo.
• A Plain Discourse about ... Anger, &c., 1693, 8vo.
• Edmund Calamy
  Edmund Calamy (historian)
  Edmund Calamy was an English Nonconformist churchman, divine and historian.-Life:A grandson of Edmund Calamy the Elder, he was born in the City of London, in the parish of St Mary Aldermanbury. He was sent to various schools, including Merchant Taylors', and in 1688 proceeded to the university of...
  
  mentions without date a sermon on The Covenant of Grace
• In Slate's Select Nonconformists' Remains, &c., 1814, 12mo, are sermons by Newcome from his manuscripts.

External links