Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 9.djvu/96

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [n s. ix. JAN. 31, wu.

tobacco leaves.' And a few years later Hippolyte Augier, a very popular playwright of the time, mentions in his 'M^moires' that he has met several officers smoking cigars, and adds that this is a newly introduced custom in Paris."

W. F. PBIDEAUX.

NEWNHAM FAMILY, ISLE OF WIGHT. (US. viii. 489.)

THE Newnhams were members of a yeoman family resident for centuries in the Isle of Wight, holding lands in the parishes of Whitwell, Niton, and Chale ; at first pro- bably as tenants renting their lands from the Lisles of Gatcombe. The name is found variously spelt Newnam, Newman, Newn- ham and obviously referring to members belonging to the same family.

In the list of jurors present at an in- quisition taken at Newport, Isle of Wight, in response to a writ dated at Westminster, 16 May, 1384 (Inq. 7 Hie. II., No. 46), relating to Stenbury, a manor situated on the confines of Whitwell parish, is the name of William Newenham, conjee turally an early ancestor.

Another reference occurs in the Archi- diaconal Visitation of the Isle of Wight, held in 1543, by Nicholas Harpisfelde, where " R. Newman, Whitewelle capella," is entered. A badly written note by the side of the name refers apparently to a grant for repairs. An explanation is given in the reference to the neighbouring church of Niton, where the churchwardens of the two parishes are ordered to repair the church windows.

The names of Richard and Thomas Newnham appear as resident parishioners in the Lay Subsidy Rolls, 31 Henry VIII. (1545), contributing xviiis. and viiis. to- wards the total amount levied of vijZ. xivs. The first-named held office the same year as churchwarden of Whitwell. In the list of "Churche Goods belonging to Whitwell Chappel] within the p'ishe of Godishill," 2 Edward VI. (1549) ; is mentioned

"one challise of silver solde by the handes ol Kichard Newnam and his co-warden, with the con sent of the p'ishe and Churche men."

On the dispersal of the Gatcombe Lisle estates, which took place at this time, this same Richard acquired, by purchase, the Whitwell manorial estate from Sir Geoffrey Pole, who then held the estates by his marriage with a descendant of the Bramshot

isles. In 1596 he or his son divided the Droperty with Thomas, son of John Worsley )f Appuldurcombe, Isle of Wight, taking he lands lying to the east of the village treet. William Newman died in 1639, seised of half the manor, and was succeeded his son Thomas, who is probably to be dentified with the Thomas Newnham entered in a Court-book, 1 Charles I. (1625). The earliest name entered on the " Register of burialls for the Quarter of Whitwell " is hat of " Elizabeth, wife of Thomas Newn- iam,' z who died in 1 678. The earlier William is included in the names given by Worsley the historian in his ' Noate of the Freeholders n the Isle of Wight, 1606,' members of the Knighten Court. A Nicholas Newman conjee turally his brother is also named, and is referred to later, in 1617, by Sir John Oglander, in his ' Memoirs,' as follows : " Forde [farm] that Nicholas Numan hath was parte of ye sayd mannor of Whitwell." He had in 1627 " to provide a light horse for island defence."

Thomas Newnham, minister of St. Law- rence, Isle of Wight, who took his degree at Oxford in 1658, and was ejected from his living in 1662 for nonconformity, was son of Thomas, the owner of the Whitwell and Gotten estates. He was born in 1631 at Gotten, died of the smallpox, and was buried in Whitwell Church in 1689. His name is mentioned in Calamy's memorial. He was preaching at an outside service held on Stroud Green, a pretty spot on the road near Chale, on 4 Nov., 1688, and " on hearing that the Dutch armament conveying William of Orange was sailing past the shores or the Island, he set aside the subject he intended to have preached on, and gave his people a discourse suited to such a circumstance of Providence." His father survived, and by a partition deed, bearing date September, 1689, is shown to have left several grandchildren to inherit. A grandchild, son of the minister, attained his majority in 1704, and in 1709 he sold the estates to Sir Robert Worsley of Appul- durcombe, Isle of Wight.

JOHN L. WHITEHEAD.

Ventnor.

Q. CICERO AND STONE CIRCLES (11 S. viii. 229). MB, J. W. HAYES has very kindly informed me who it is that is strongly suspected of having played a hoax on Charles Hulbert with the pretended letter of Quintus Cicero. The name of the pro- bable perpetrator of the jest is well known to me, and I have more than one book from his library in my possession. The original