Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Middleton, Marmaduke
MIDDLETON, MARMADUKE (d. 1593), bishop of Waterford and St. Davids, was the second son of Marmaduke Middleton of Cardiganshire (descended from the Middletons of Middleton in Westmoreland) and his wife Isabella, daughter of John Staveley (Dwnn, Heraldic Visitations of Wales, i. 69, but cf. A. Wood, Athenæ Oxon. ed. Bliss, ii. 830). He was educated at Oxford, but left the university without a degree. Subsequently he went to Ireland, where he became vicar of Coolock in the diocese of Dublin, vicar of Dunboyne, and rector of Killare in the diocese of Meath. On 31 May 1579 he was created bishop of Waterford and Lismore, in succession to Patrick Walsh. His intemperate zeal soon brought him into collision with the citizens. It was impossible for him, Captain Yorke of the Achates averred, to remain thus without special protection (State Papers, Irel. Eliz. lxx. 44), and on 7 Dec. Sir William Pelham advised his translation to the see of Ferns (ib. lxx. 45). Justly or unjustly, he was charged by the mayor with being a man of bad life, and guilty of plundering the cathedral of Christ Church. Neither the lord deputy, Grey, nor the chief government officials believed the charge, and the mayor failing to substantiate his assertions, Middleton was ‘acquitted with great credit’ (ib. lxxviii. 45, lxxxv. 33, 60; Cal. of Fiants, Eliz. No. 3743). But the popular feeling ran so strongly against him that it was felt impossible for him to remain at Waterford, and having obtained letters of recommendation to Walsingham from Lord Grey and Archbishop Loftus, he repaired to England, apparently in September 1581. On 30 Nov. 1582 he was translated to the see of St. Davids in Wales, and on 27 April 1583 he was, at his special request, created D.D. of Oxford, convocation allowing the degree in the hope that it might make him ‘more willing to promote in the church graduates, and especially Oxford graduates’ (Register of the University of Oxford, vol. ii. pt. i. p. 145). But his conduct in his new diocese did not escape censure. One of his servants reported that he was dissatisfied with his position, and spoke disrespectfully of the queen and her ministers (State Papers, Dom. Eliz. cxc. 40). He quarrelled with Sir John Perrot [q. v.] in an affair of ecclesiastical jurisdiction (ib. cxcv. 113); and finally in 1589 he seems to have given so much offence in his diocese as to cause the ecclesiastical commissioners to interfere (ib. ccxxviii. 14, 15). The exact nature of the complaint against him is uncertain. By one account (Martin Marprelate, A Dialogue. Wherin is plainly layd open the tyrannicall dealing of Lord Bishopps; Hay any Worke for Cooper) he is charged with having had two wives, Elizabeth Gigge and Alice Prime. According to another account (case of the Bishop of Lincoln in Rushworth, Hist. Coll. pt. ii. vol. i. p. 428), he had contrived and published a forged will. Browne Willis, who carefully investigated his case (Addit. MS. 5840, p. 420), came to the conclusion that he had been guilty of simoniacal practices, of a notorious abuse of a charity, and of a design to alienate some lands of the bishopric with intention of settling them on his son Richard, archdeacon of Cardigan (Survey of St. Davids, p. 123). In any case his offence was considered of so grave a nature that after being fined in the court of Star-chamber he was handed over to the high commission court for degradation. He claimed, but was denied, his privilege as a peer not to answer on oath, but upon his honour. The sentence of degradation and deprivation was executed before the high commissioners at Lambeth House, not only by reading it in scriptis, but by formally divesting him of his episcopal robes and priestly vestments (Peter Heylyn, Examen Historicum, London, 1659, p. 221). He died apparently on 1 Nov. 1593, and was buried in the royal chapel of St. George at Windsor. Richard Middleton (d. 1641) [q. v.] was possibly his son.