A number of nonconformist ministers waited for James II at Rowton Heath on 27 Aug.; Newcome as senior was expected to address the king; he put it off on Jollie, 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 mob in June 1715, and has since been enlarged, but much of the original structure remains.
By this time Newcome had abandoned his presbyterianism, and entered into a ministerial alliance on the basis of the London union of 1690 [see Howe, John, 1630-1705], 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. He married, on 6 July 1648, Elizabeth (1626-1700), daughter of Peter Manwaring (d. 24 Nov. 1654) of Smallwood, Cheshire, by whom he had (1) Rose, born on 24 April 1649 and buried 4 May 1719, unmarried; (2) Henry (see below); (3) Daniel, born on 29 Oct. 1652 and died 9 Feb. 1684; he was twice married and left issue; (4) Elizabeth, born on 11 April 1655, died unmarried; (5) Peter (see below).
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 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, D.D. [q. v], with a family memoir (written 1846) by Thomas Newcome. It has none of the graphic power of the contemporary 'Life' of Adam Martindale, 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 [q. v.] by Oliver Heywood [q. v.] His other works are: 1 . 'The Sinner's Hope,' &c., 1660, 8vo. 2. 'Usurpation Defeated,' &c., 1660, Svo. 3. 'An Help to the Duty in ... Sickness,' &c., 1685, 12mo. 4. 'A Plain Discourse about ... Anger,' &c., 1693, 8vo. Calamy 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.
Newcome, Henry (1650-1713), eldest son of the above, 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.
Newcome, Peter (1656-1738), third son of the above, 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
