Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Newport, Francis
NEWPORT, FRANCIS, Earl of Bradford (1619–1708), eldest son of Sir Richard Newport, baron Newport [q. v.], by Rachel, daughter of Sir John Leveson of Halling, Kent, was baptised at Wroxeter, 12 March 1618–19. Andrew Newport [q. v.] was his younger brother. He was admitted a member of Gray's Inn, 12 Aug. 1633, and of the Inner Temple in November 1634, and matriculated from Christ Church, Oxford, 18 Nov. 1635.
Newport represented Shrewsbury in the Short parliament of 1640, and was returned for the same place to the Long parliament, in which he incurred great odium by voting against the attainder of Strafford, 21 April 1641. In January 1643–4 he joined the king at Oxford, and on 3 July 1644 was taken prisoner by Sir Thomas Myddelton on the raising of the siege of Oswestry. He remained in confinement until March 1647–8, when he was released on compounding for his delinquency. He became, in 1651, on his father's death, second Lord Newport. By warrant of 9 June 1655 he was committed to the Tower on suspicion of complicity in the late royalist plot. On his release he re-engaged in intrigues, and was again arrested in 1656–7. He was hatching a plot for the seizure of Shrewsbury Castle when Monck declared for the king (January 1659–60). Immediately on the Restoration he was made lord-lieutenant of Shropshire, and in May 1666 had a grant of Shrewsbury Castle and demesne. In 1668 Charles made him comptroller of the household, and in 1672 treasurer of the household, when he was sworn of the privy council (1 July). On 11 March 1674–5, he was created Viscount Newport of Bradford in Shropshire. Being adverse to arbitrary government, he was not sworn on the remodelling of the privy council in 1679, and on the accession of James II he lost his offices. He was restored to the treasurership of the household and the lord-lieutenancy of Shropshire by William III, who also created him Earl of Bradford in Shropshire on 11 May 1694. He died at Richmond House, Twickenham, in September 1708. Newport married in April 1642 Lady Diana Russell, daughter of Francis, earl of Bedford, by whom he had issue, with some daughters, Richard (1645–1723), his successor, M.P. for Shropshire 1670–81 and 1689–98; and Thomas (1655–1719), M.P. for Ludlow 1695–1700, and Wenlock 1715, who was created, 25 June 1715, Baron Torrington.
[Visitation of Shropshire (Harl. Soc.), p. 374; Foster's Gray's Inn Reg. and Alumni Oxon.; Inner Temple Books; Owen and Blakeway's Shrewsbury, i. 414, 477, 495; Annals of Queen Anne, 1709, vii. 348; Clarendon's Rebellion, book vi. § 66, and xvi. § 26; Comm. Journ. ii. 706, iii. 374, iv. 64, v. 179, 508; Letters of Lady Brilliana Harley (Camden Soc.), p. 155; Verney's Notes of Long Parl. (Camden Soc.), p. 58; Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1655–6; Cal. Comm. Adv. Money, pt. ii. p. 639; Cal. Comm. Comp. 1643–6, p. 924; Whitelocke's Mem. pp. 94, 627; Hatton Corresp. (Camden Soc.), i. 73; Sir John Bramston's Autobiog. (Camden Soc.), pp. 269, 335, 348; Life of Marmaduke Rawdon of Yorke (Camden Soc.), p. 165; Nicholas Papers (Camden Soc.), ii. 243; Rushworth's Hist. Coll. pt. iii. vol. ii. p. 575; Thurloe State Papers, iii. 210, 537; Hist. MSS. Comm. 4th Rep. App. p. 268, 5th Rep. App. pp. 148–51, 207–8, 10th Rep. App. p. 408, 11th Rep. pt. ii. pp. 90, 184, 273, 275; Clarendon and Rochester Corresp. ii. 255, 259; Cal. Clarendon Papers, iii. 156, 263; Luttrell's Relation of State Affairs, i. 394, 413, 502, 513, ii. 225, vi. 353; Phillips's Mem. Civil War in Wales (1874); Burnet's Own Time, ed. 1833, 8vo, iii. 262 n; Lysons's Environs of London, iii. 576; Phillips's Shrewsbury, p. 55; Declaration of Gentry of the County of Salop, &c. (Brit. Mus. 190 g, 13 (314)).]