Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Middleton, Richard (d.1641)
MIDDLETON, RICHARD (d. 1641), divine, was educated at Jesus College, Oxford, where he graduated B.A. on 13 July 1586. Wood conjectures that he was son of Marmaduke Middleton [q. v.], bishop of St. David's. It is probable that he was presented to the vicarage of Llanarthney, Carmarthenshire, in 1588. He was collated to a prebend in the collegiate church of Brecon in 1589, held the archdeaconry of Cardigan from 1589 to 1629, became chaplain in ordinary to Charles, prince of Wales, and was designed vicar of Leeds in 1614 (Thoresby, Vicaria Leodiensis, pp. 62, 64). In 1628 he was appointed rector of Eaton, Northamptonshire, being then B.D. He died on 16 Nov. 1641. One Richard Middleton was admitted to the rectory of Stisted, Essex, on 28 Sept. 1619, on the translation of Samuel Harsnet from the see of Chichester to that of Norwich; but his identity with the rector of Eaton is not certain.
Middleton was author of: 1. ‘The Carde and Compasse of Life, containing many Passages fit for these Times,’ London, 1613, 8vo. 2. ‘The Heauenly Progresse,’ London, 1617, 8vo. 3. ‘The Key of Dauid,’ London, 1619, 12mo. On the title-page is his portrait, engraved by R. Elstracke, representing him with a ruff and a great beard (Bromley, Cat. of Portraits, p. 54). At the end of the book is another tract by Middleton, also printed in 1619, and entitled ‘Goodnes: The blessed Man's Badge, or God's Character stampt on Man's Conscience.’
[Addit. MS. 5876, f. 108; Bodleian Cat.; Bridges's Northamptonshire, ii. 144; Foster's Alumni Oxon. early ser. iii. 1010; Granger's Biog. Hist. of England, 5th edit. ii. 63; Le Neve's Fasti (Hardy), i. 315; Lowndes's Bibl. Man. (Bohn), p. 1545; Newcourt's Repertorium, ii. 562; Watt's Bibl. Brit.; Wood's Fasti Oxon. (Bliss), i. 235.]