Henna Escuff was the name of the mother of Isaac Newton. A woman from an ordinary family she was. Some future diviner had predicted that she was not destined to get a happy marital life. Henna felt no good about it. But the British society of that period did not put much faith in future diviners or soothsayers. They were not reliable. No one in the family wanted Henna to give attention to the prediction and stay a virgin forever. The soothsayer was infact throwing hints that the evil planets could be appeased if a sum of money came their way from the family. But there were no takers.
The family got Henna married to a young man of the Newton family called Isaac. Henna became pregnant after marriage but misfortune struck. Isaac died only a few months later and Henna was back in the parental house with a child in her womb. Henna was a sad woman. In that state of mourning she gave birth to a child two months after the death of husband prematurely. It was that premature born baby that went on to become the famous Sir Isaac Newton. The baby had spent only seven months in the womb of his mother. The baby was named after his late sire, Isaac Newton.
It is not clear when exactly he was born. There are two theories : one believes he was born on February 4, 1643 while the other says he took birth on the X-mas day of 1642. This confusion arose as England had not accepted the Papal calendar yet. It wanted his birth to be associated with the date of the birth of the Christ for religious emotional reasons. But later when Papal calender was accepted the birth of Isaac Newton began to be celebrated on 4th February 1643. And it became Isaac Newton’s official date of birth. A seven month old premature newborn had slim chances of survival. He was very weak. According to the mother Henna her baby could be put in a 250 gms pot and the lid placed on, so weak and tiny he was. The baby could not even suck milk from the breasts of its mohter. Henna used to drip milk in the month of Isaac from a soaked cotton piece. Many a time the baby appeared to be dying but somehow it managed to stay alive.
When Isaac grew up to the age of one year the financial instability of the family forced its members to advise Henna to go for a second marriage for security. Henna was not ready for it. She did not want her marriage to pose problems in the care of little Isaac. Then, in the back of her mind there was the prediction of soothsayers that she was not fated to have marital bliss. So, why should she take a risk? If there was no happiness in marriage for her why marry at all? She could take life as it came. Thus, the time passed by. Newton (Isaac) grew up to be a three year old. Henna was a pretty woman and appeared to be a virgin girl. There was no dirth of suitors or marital prospectors. Propositions never stopped coming. Henna’s mother Margrerie increased pressure on her daughter Henna.
Henna yielded to maternal goading and solemn promises of the suitors. She was promised full emotional and material security to her baby Isaac. In a state of dilemma and confusion Henna got married to a high family young man named Barnabas Smith who had fallen for her beauty but he was not ready to accept the baby by her previous husband in their lives. He had infact made it clear to the mother of Henna. The mother did not reveal that fact to Henna and tricked her into that marriage.
After the wedding when Henna tried to take her baby along to her new home the old lady Margrerie cleverly advised her against it on the excuse that it was against custom. She further asked Henna to win the heart of her husband and prepare ground for the entry of Isaac. Sad Henna went with her husband leaving young Isaac to the care of his grandma.
Now Henna was Henna Smith. Barnabus was a cultured young man of high status. As a husband he did give enough love to his bride. On that score Henna could not complain but her heart was with Isaac Newton, the gift of her former husband. She would often go to her mother to meet Isaac and comfort him. On the issue of her taking Isaac to her new family the old lady would craftily think of a reason why she should not every time. Margrerie was a good schemer. Then Henna was by and by liking the life with her husband who indeed was loving. She bore him a baby. Now she was required to give her time and attention to the new baby. Her visits to her mother began to dry up.
By now Smith had also made it clear that he would not like the baby from her earlier husband in his house. Poor Henna could do nothing except feel sorry for Isaac. She was too committed to Smith family lately. The time went by and Henna became the mother of three children from her second husband. It was now clear that she would have no time to spare for Isaac. She had become the lady of Smith family. Newton was out and a distant memory.
Every child is a sensitive creature. Underdeveloped handicapped and orphans are more so. They feel the absence of parental care, affection and closeness. Isaac Newton was no exception in this matter. He would often sigh and lament—‘Fie on such parents! May all of them go to the burning hell and roast for million years!’
