Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Carleton, Richard
CARLETON, RICHARD (1560?–1638?), musical composer, was possibly a member of the family of the same name who lived at Lynn in Norfolk. He was born in the latter part of the sixteenth century, and educated at Clare College, Cambridge, where he proceeded A.B. in 1577. He subsequently took the degree of Mus. Bac., and was ordained. Soon afterwards he obtained an appointment at Norwich Cathedral. In 1601 e published a collection of twenty-one madrigals, on the title-page of which he styles himself 'Priest.' These compositions, which in the Latin preface he calls 'prima libamina facultatis meas,' are dedicated to Sir Thomas Farmer. Prefixed is a 'Preface to the Skillfull Musician,' dated Norwich, 28 March 1601. In the same year he contributed a madrigal to the collection entitled 'The Triumphs of Oriana.' On 11 Oct. 1612 Carleton was presented by Thomas Thursby to the rectory of Bawsey and Glosthorp, near Lynn. The date of his death is unknown, but it probably took place in 1638, for though a locum tenens (Robert Powis) seems to have been appointed to the living in 1627, there was no other rector until 22 Aug. 1638, when Richard Peynes was presented. Carleton's name is also spelt Carlton or Charlton. The only extant compositions of his, besides those mentioned above, are some instrumental pavans in the British Museum (Add. MS. 568).
[Registers of the University of Cambridge, communicated by Mr. J. W. Clark; Diocesan Registers of Norwich, Register of Bawsey parish, communicated by the Rev. W. F. Creeny and Dr. Mann; information from the Rev. the Master of Clare, Dr. Bensly, and Mr. Walter Rye.]