Middlemore Family Genealogy

50. John Middlemore, of Hawkeslow, esquire.  John Middlemore was a recusant, and evidently was strongly attached to the Roman Catholic faith, as we may judge from letters which have been preserved amongst the State papers, and he educated at least two of his sons at Rome.  Some notes of his correspondence will be of interest.

On 30 April, 1588, John Middlemore writes to his son William, then at Paris, to acknowledge the receipt of his letter, adding that he desires him to continue firm in the Romish religion, and to apply himself to his studies, and requests him on his return to call on Mr. Talbot's son at Rouen, and to bring any letters he may wish to send.

A letter dated 26 April, 1580, from William Gifford, fellow of the English Church at Rome to William Middlemore is preserved. The writer desires to be informed of the state of affairs in England and sends four pairs of hallowed beads, and " other Popish tokens," and expresses a hope that he might have seen one of his brothers at Rome.

On 9 October, 1580, Edward Stransam wrote to Mr. Middlemore, of Hawxley, apparently from Rome, as to the cause of his sending home his son William Middlemore, who found the study of Latin " very difficult," whilst at the same time commending his general conduct, and also refers to the progress of Robert Middlemore, presumably a younger son, in his studies.

It is evident that the doings of the Middlemores were closely watched, for on 24 October, 1580, Richard Barry writes from Dover Castle to Lord Cobham, that he had "stayed" William Hyldesley on his landing from abroad, with William Middlemore (nephew of Mr. Middlemore of the Privy Chamber,) in his company, who were the bearers of letters from many young papists and others from abroad to their friends in England, together with two books, some crucifixes, " a picture of Marie Mawdlyn holowed and certain other tryffles."

The first one of the Recusant Rolls of 34 Elizabeth, 1592, shows that " two parts " of his mansion house called Hawkeslowe, and other premises in Worcestershire, had been leased by the Crown to his brother Henry Middlemore who, as a courtier, doubtless " conformed " to the new order of affairs, since 22 June, 30 Elizabeth, 1590, at the annual rent of £18 6s., for which he is entered as " owing " that amount. The entry recurs in the following year, 35 Elizabeth, with the addition, that John Middlemore " late of King's Norton " owed £40 " for recusancy," and the indebtedness of Henry Middlemore is repeated annually until 38 Elizabeth, when he is debited with a further sum of 18s., being apparently apportioned rent consequent on the death of John Middlemore, which took place on 7 June, 1597, 39 Elizabeth.

With his brother Robert in 1573 he bought Henleyse in Alchurch, Worcestershire, for £200, from Hytche and Moren. In 1575 John Rotsey, brother of Richard Rotsey, "devised" Longbridge Farm, King's Norton, to John Middlemore, who afterwards settled it upon his son's marriage with Mary Badger. In 161 0, Dive Rotsey took proceedings against William Middlemore. In 1585 one John Hawke, of King's Norton, again sued John Middlemore, of Hawkeslow, esquire, in the Star Chamber.  The plaintiff's story was that Middlemore, about 1565, sold two houses and lands in Wrednale Yelde, King's Norton, to Richard Hawk, of Wrednale Yelde, that Richard died about 1578, when the premises should have descended to Edmund Hawkes, of Franckley, the plaintiff's father, but that John Middlemore, Robert Middlemore, and Alice, Richard Hawkes' widow, set up a forged will giving the premises back to John Middlemore.  Being interrogated, John Middlemore replied that the testator's intention for five or six years before his death was to leave him the property, and that he has heard that his brother, Robert Middlemore, witnessed the will about two days before Hawkes' death. Robert Middlemore also answered and admitted that he witnessed the will and that the testator was in perfect health at the time, and that the will had not been altered in any way.

 No record of his burial appears in the King's Norton register and we must conclude that he died too far away to be buried with his ancestors. No will is to be found either at London, Lichfield, or Worcester, of himself or his widow Amphillis, who was also a recusant. He married Amphillis, daughter of John Goodwyn, of Over Wichington, Bucks, esquire, ante nuptial settlement dated 1 May, 7 Edward VI, 1553.

This document is still quite perfect and bears the signature of John Myddlemore, with his pendant seal, the Middlemore crest. The trustees were John Goodwin, brother of Amphillis, and William Underhill. The lady's marriage portion was two hundred marks, and Middlemore brought in settlement the mansion house of Haukeslase with other premises in King's Norton, Dormston, and Little Inkborough. His signature and seal are shown below.

Signature and Seal of John Middlemore, 1553

She survived her husband and was buried as "late wife of Mr. John Middlemore " at King's Norton, 9 August, 1603, In 1600 the Sheriff of Worcestershire accounted for £10 for the tenements and lands of Amphillis Middlemore, widow, recusant.      The tenants of two parts thereof owed £6 13s. .4d. for Hawkeslow[5], "part in the tenure of Amphillis Middlemore," and other premises in Dormeston and Northfield.

John Middlemore and Amphillis Goodwyn had issue

1. William Middlemore, of whom next (51 ;).

2. George Middlemore, married Joan Baskervill, and of whom nothing more is known. The Baskerviles, however, were a very ancient Herefordshire family settled at Erdisley in that county in the days of Henry the Second. It is not known to what branch Joan Baskervill belonged, but John Baskerville, brother of Sir Walter Baskervile, of Erdisley, K.B., had a grandson, Sir Thomas Baskervile, of Goodrest in Warwickshire, general of the English army in Picardy, who died in 1597, having married Mary, daughter of Sir Thomas Throckmorton.  It is not unlikely that she was sister or daughter of this Sir Thomas Baskervile.  Arms, Argent a chevron gules, between three hurts.
3. Robert Middlemore, who had a grant of an annuity of £40 from his brother William, for the life of himself his wife, and son, charged upon the King's Norton property.  He was evidently educated abroad, perhaps at Rome, and he may be the Robert Middlemore who was the "convictor" living at the English college at Rome in 1579, instead of his remote kinsman and contemporary, Robert Middlemore, of Edgbaston, as suggested on page 57 ante. He and his wife, Frances Smyth, of Shereford, died in 1632, but do not appear to have been buried at King's Norton.

Their son

1. William Middlemore, who after his parents' death in 1632, sold the annuity of £40 to John Sheldon, of Madeley : on the death of William Middlemore, of Hawkeslow, in 1634, John Middlemore, his son, the new owner of Hawkeslow, refused to pay the annuity. This led to an actopm by John Sheldon against John Middlemore, who in his reply denied all knowledge of the deed creating the annuity, and stated that he held most part of the lands, as heir to his grandfather, who died in 1597, from the Queen as of the manor of -King's Norton. He died at Drogheda in Ireland, 1 August, 1642, leaving a widow, Elizabeth, living in Herefordshire[6]," in 1653, when she gave evidence in the suit of Sheldon v. M.
4. Catherine, married Roger Wade.
5. Jane, married Holland Badger.
6. Mary.
7. John Middlemore, of Bream, in Newland, Gloucestershire.  He also was a Roman Catholic, for in 1608 the benefit of his recusancy was granted to George Throckmorton, of Temple Grafton, and John Hurd, of Rowington, co. Warwick. Will, 1 May, 1609; a ring of 20s. with death's head on it to each of his brothers and sisters ; to Sir Harbert Croft one d'mont ring; my cousin Prater, my black sword and dagger; my other sword and dagger to my brother Thomas Middlemore; legacies to his servants, and the residue to his wife Marie; at her death, £100 to his brother Thomas Middlemore; £10each to his godchildren, Frances Middle­more, John Middlemore, of Edgbaston, and Thomas Middle­more, of Hawkeslow, and to little Mall a " ° carcanet" (i.e., a necklace of jewels) ; residue as his wife directed. Proved by Robert Weaver, of St. Bartholomew the Great, yeoman, Marie Middlemore, the widow, renouncing, 27 February, 1610-1611.  The surname of his wife Marie is not known, nor have we record of any children.
8. Thomas Middlemore, of Sussex, of whom hereafter (72).