John Middleton (giant)
Because of his size the landlord and sheriff of Lancashire, Gilbert Ireland, hired him as a bodyguard. When King James I stopped by in 1617 to knight Ireland he heard about Middleton and invited both of them to the court, which they accepted in 1620. Middleton beat the King's champion in wrestling and in doing so broke the man's thumb. He received £20 which was a large amount of money in those times. Jealous of his wealth, Middleton's companions mugged him or cheated him out of his money while he was returning to Hale. Middleton died very poor in 1623. He was buried in the cemetery of  St Mary's Church in Hale. His gravestone reads, "Here lyeth the bodie of John Middleton the Childe of Hale. Nine feet three. Borne 1578 Dyede 1623." He is likely one of the tallest people in history. If these height markings are accurate, he would go past Robert Wadlow's height of .