Sir James Middleton

Knighted before 1662, probably the Cornet James Middleton to whom in 1646 the Parliament granted 600 merks for his pains and expenses for carrying letters to and from the Lord-General to the Parliament and Committees. - Acta Parl. Scot., vi. pt. i.

In a Lyon Office pedigree he is styled ' Tribunus Militaris ' in Spanish Flanders. - Reg of Gen. Lyon Office, i. 18.

Clergyman in Montrose.

• The History of Fettercairn: A Parish in the County of Kincardine (1899)

JAMES MIDDLETON, was a licentiate 21st Nov. 1650; ord. to Second Charge, Montrose, 17th March 1659 ; trans, and adm. 18th Dec. 1661 ; died 1672. He marr. Elizabeth Murray, and had issue — John ; Helen. — [St Andreivs Tests."]

• Fasti ecclesiae scoticanae; the succession of ministers in the Church of Scotland from the reformation (1925) (Recorded under Longforgan)

JAMES MIDDLETON, called June 1653; ord. 17th March 1659; trans, to Longforgan 18th Dec. 1661.

• Fasti ecclesiæ scoticanæ: the succession of ministers in the Church of Scotland from the reformation, Volum 5 (1925)

Old and St Andrew's Church, Montrose, 1659-1661.

• http://www.oldandstandrews.com/page0/page34/page35/page35.html

Three witnesses attested regarding James Middleton, that, on his being rebuked by the minister, they heard him say that ‘he cared not for him, nor any minister in Scotland;’ and when the minister threatened to put him in the jougs, they heard him say that ‘neither he nor the best minister within seven miles durst do so much.’

• Domestic Annals of Scotland

James Middiltoune. Settled, 1661.— Middiltoune was ordained at Montrose in 1659, whence he was translated to Longfonran in 1661. He died in 1672, in the thirteenth year of his ministry. His wife's name was Elizabeth Murray, and he had a son John and a daughter Helen. " His books, with utencils and abulze-ments, were estimat at iic li. Frie geir, d. d., vc xxxiili. xivs. iiij d."

The most interesting episode, perhaps, in the church records of the day is the baptism of Earl Patricks eldest son. A large company, including the High Commissioner's wife, Lady Middleton, was staying at the castle. The baptism took place on the 19th May 1663. The record tells how on that day John, Lord Lyon, eldest lawful son to the noble and potent Earl Patrick, procreat betwixt him and Dame Helen

Middletone his spouse, was presented by the said noble Earl and baptized by Mr. J as. Middletone, our own minister, with all solemni-tyes requisite. Among those present were the Earls of Errol, Morton, Panmure, Sirs Geo. Kinnaird, Hay of Megginch, etc.

One event of more public note in the parish occurred the year in which Middiltoune died. In 1672, Charles II. granted a charter ;n favour of Earl Patrick of Strathmore, erecting Longforgan into a free burgh of barony, " with power to erect and constitute bailies, burgesses, clerks, officers, sergeants, etc., and to admit all kinds of trades to a variety of privileges ; to have a weekly market within the burgh, and to have two free yearly fairs , '. . each to last three days." It is to be feared that Longforgan has never risen to its privilege of erecting and constituting bailies and burgesses. By the same charter the barony of Longforgan was erected into a lordship, to be called the Lordship of Lyon. It is likely that it was at this time that the castle ceased to be known as Castle Huntly and came to be known as Castle Lyon, a name which it bore for over one hundred years.

The feudal system was then in full force. Everyone in the village was subject to the castle. As much as three-fourths of the rent was paid in kind in 1667, and part of the rest in constant service.

(High Commissioner's wife, Lady Middleton would've been his sister-in-law, so perhaps it's not so strange that this happened in Longforgan..)

• The Parish of Longforgan: Chapter IX. A List of Ministers in Longforgan, with biographical notes and glimpses of parish life.

James was in the army of the King of Spain in the Netherlands, and in 1731 his great-grandson, James Francis Edward Middleton, obtained from the Lyon Office a certificate of his pedigree and arms, with a thistle in the paw of the lion

• Scottish arms : being a collection of armorial bearings, A.D. 1370-1678, reproduced in facsimile from contemporary manuscripts, with heraldic and genealogical notes (1881). (Page 358)