He represented Shrewsbury in both the Short Parliament and Long Parliament. A royalist during the English Civil War, he fought in 1644 in the Battle of Oswestry on the side of King Charles I of England and was then imprisoned. After the restoration in 1660, Newport became Custos Rotulorum of Shropshire, fulfilling this office for his lifetime. In the same year, he had been appointed also Lord Lieutenant of Shropshire, but on the command of King James II of England was replaced by George Jeffreys, 1st Baron Jeffreys in 1687. After Jeffrey's death and the Glorious Revolution in 1689, Newport was restored as Lord Lieutenant until 1704.