Constituency Dates
Northumberland [1414 (Apr.)], [1417], [1426]
Family and Education
b. c.1373, s. and h. of Sir John Middleton (d.1396) of East Swinburn, Northumb. by Christine (d.1422), da. and coh. of Elizabeth Acton of Jesmond, Northumb. m. by Oct. 1409, Joan (d. 17 Mar. 1450), da. and coh. of Sir Clement Skelton† of Stainton, Cumb., and wid. of John Blennerhasset (d. by 1409) of Carlisle, Cumb., 4s. inc. Thomas* and Richard†. Kntd. by 17 Feb. 1405.1 DL42/16, f. 31.
Offices Held

Attestor, parlty. elections, Northumb. 1407, 1420, 1423, 1425, 1427.

Commr. Northumb., Yorks. (W. Riding) July 1410-c.1431; of gaol delivery, the bp. of Durham’s liberty of Norhamshire and Islandshire Sept. 1431; inquiry Sept. 1431 (concealments).2 DURH3/36, mm. 4, 5. In the earlier biography the MP is wrongly identified as a subsidy collector in Westmld. in 1428: CFR, xv. 217.

J.p. Northumb. 12 Feb. 1422 – 20 July 1424, Westmld. 7 July 1423 – 20 July 1424, Norhamshire and Islandshire 1 Sept. 1431 – d.

Escheator, Northumb. 6 Nov. 1424 – 24 Jan. 1426.

Conservator of a truce with Scotland 12 July 1429.

Justice of assize, Norhamshire and Islandshire 1 Sept. 1431–d.3 DURH3/36, m. 5.

Address
Main residence: Belsay, Northumb.
biography text

Middleton had military experience not mentioned in the earlier biography.4 The Commons 1386-1421, iii. 731-3. On 6 May 1420 he mustered with a small retinue at Southampton, but he was back in England by the following November when he attested the Northumberland parliamentary election.5 E101/49/36, m. 1; C219/12/4. He is wrongly identified in the earlier biography as a juror at the inquisition post mortem of the wealthy Newcastle merchant, Roger Thornton†, the father of his eldest son’s wife, in 1430, although he occasionally acted as a juror at such inquisitions, as he did in March 1422 in the case of Sir John Heron.6 CIPM, xxiii. 378; C138/44/17.

In the subsidy returns of 1436, Middleton was assessed on an annual income of only £23, said to have been derived from lands in Northumberland and Nottinghamshire. It is not known why he should have been so markedly underassessed.7 E179/158/38.

Author
D.I.G.
S.J.P.
Volume
Commons 1422-1461
Notes
  • 1. DL42/16, f. 31.
  • 2. DURH3/36, mm. 4, 5. In the earlier biography the MP is wrongly identified as a subsidy collector in Westmld. in 1428: CFR, xv. 217.
  • 3. DURH3/36, m. 5.
  • 4. The Commons 1386-1421, iii. 731-3.
  • 5. E101/49/36, m. 1; C219/12/4.
  • 6. CIPM, xxiii. 378; C138/44/17.
  • 7. E179/158/38.