Career
He was translated to the see of Salisbury on 25 October 1395. The earliest record of him is "Richard Medeford of Hakebourne, clerk" in 1349. The cartulary of Cirencester Abbey records the Metfords of Hakebourne (modern name East Hagbourne, Berkshire) as a leading freeman tenant family of the village.
His name appears as "Metford" in his own household accounts and as "Medford" in the Register of John Chandler, who was Dean of Salisbury Cathedral during much of Mitford"s episcopacy.
He spent much of his life at the royal court, starting probably as a chorister in the Chapel Royal and continuing as a clerk of the household under Edward III. His training during his time as a Fellow at Kings Hall, Cambridge from 1352-1374 prepared him for service in the royal bureaucracy, where he eventually rose to become Secretary of the King"s Chamber to Richard II (1385 to 1388). He was a Canon of Windsor from 1375 - 1390.
However, he was eventually released without penalty. From 1385 to 1390 he was Archdeacon of Norfolk.
In 1389, Mitford was elected to be Bishop of Street David"s but was rejected by the Pope.
While Bishop of Salisbury, Mitford spent much of his time at one or another of his episcopal manors, and by chance the household accounts survive of his stay at Potterne, near Devizes, for the last seven months of his life. Such details as his charitable gifts, the fee for his doctor and how much serecloth was provided for his funeral are also included. The figure of a bishop labelled with Mitford"s name appears in the illustrations of the Sherborne Missal.
He was a patron of Henry Chichele, who acted as lawyer for him.
A summary of his appointments is:
Rector of Stoke Edith 1361
Rector of Worlingworth 1361
Rector of Sybeston 1371
Rector of Wittersham 1381
Rector of Street Magnus-the-Martyr, London Bridge
Prebendary of Hastings 1384
Prior of Holyhead 1384
Dean of Street Martin-le-Grand 1385 - 1389
Archdeacon of Norfolk 1385
Prebendary of Chichester 1385
Prebendary of Wilton 1385
Prebendary of Marsham in York 1386
Prebendary of Wells 1386
Bishop of Chichester 1390
Bishop of Salisbury 1395
Mitford died 3 May 1407, and was buried in the south transept of Salisbury Cathedral, where his tomb survives.