Career
Cranfield was the son of Lionel Cranfield, 1st Earl of Middlesex and was baptised on 27 December 1621. He inherited the earldom on the death of his father in 1645. Middlesex was nominated as Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire in 1646 and Keeper of Kingswood Forest in 1647.
In 1648, he was a Parliamentary commissioner to the Treaty of Newport.
Cranfield married Lady Anne Bourchier, daughter of Edward Bourchier, 4th Earl of Bath.
