(Vol. vii., p. 528.)
Sir Richard Newton was Chief Justice of the Common Pleas from 1438 to 1444,
and died Dec. 13th, 1444, and was buried in a chapel of Bristol Cathedral.
(Collins's _Baronage_, vol. iii. p. 145.) He assumed the name of Newton,
instead of Caradoc, from Newton in Powysland. (Collinson's _Somersetshire_,
East Harptrie); and, as Camden, p. 60., says, the Newtons "freely own
themselves to be of Welsh extraction, and not long ago to have been called
Caradocks." These Caradocs were descended from the ancient kings of Wales.
Sir Richard Newton was twice married: 1. to a daughter of Newton, of
Crossland; and 2. to Emmett, daughter of John Harvey, of London, according
to a MS. in the British Museum; but, according to Somersetshire and
Gloucestershire Visitations, to Emma, daughter of Sir Thomas Perrott, of
Islington. He had issue by both marriages, and from the second descended
Sir John Newton, who was created a baronet 12 Car. II., and died in 1661.
The baronetcy was limited in remainder, at its creation, to John Newton, of
Hather, in Lincolnshire, and he became the second baronet. There are
several pedigrees tracing the descent from Sir Richard to the first
baronet; but I have not yet seen the descent to the second baronet, though
there can be no doubt that he was also descended from Sir Richard,
otherwise the baronetcy could not have been limited to him; and probably he
was the next male heir of the first baronet, as that is the usual mode of
limiting titles. In the Heralds' College there is a pedigree of Sir Isaac
Newton, signed by himself, in which he traces his descent to the brother of
the ancestor of the second baronet. It should seem, therefore, that Sir
Isaac was himself descended from the Chief Justice. It would confer a great
obligation on the writer if any of your readers could afford any assistance
to clear up the pedigree of the second baronet.
As to the representatives of Sir Richard, I doubt whether his heir is
discoverable, although there are many descendants now living who trace
their descent through females.