Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Redford, Henry

654127Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 47 — Redford, Henry1896Albert Frederick Pollard

REDFORD, Sir HENRY (d. 1404?), speaker of the House of Commons, came of a family long settled in Lindsey, Lincolnshire. In 1386 he accompanied John of Gaunt on his expedition to Spain, and in 1392–3 served as sheriff of Lincolnshire. He represented that county in parliament in 1400–1, and in the latter year was summoned to the privy council. During 1402 Henry IV requested him to contribute to a benevolence, and he again represented Lincolnshire in the parliament that met on 1 Oct. Two days later he was elected speaker, but his tenure of the chair was not marked by any incident of note, and parliament was dissolved on 25 Nov. In 1403 Redford was again attending meetings of the privy council, and in 1404 once more represented the same constituency in parliament. He probably died in that or the following year. Another Sir Henry Redford, possibly a son, took an active part in the wars in Normandy under Henry VI; in 1449 he was one of the three commissioners appointed to treat for terms on the surrender of Rouen to the French. He was himself one of the hostages and remained prisoner till 1451. In 1459 he fought against the Lancastrians at the battle of Ludford, but immediately afterwards made his peace with the king. He was pardoned, but his estates were forfeited, except those he held as executor or feoffee (Rolls of Parl. vol. v. passim; Letters and Papers of Henry VI, Rolls Ser. ii. 608, 611, 628; Narratives of the Expulsion of the English from Normandy, Rolls Ser. p. 353; Nicolas, Proc. Privy Council, vi. 109–10).

[Rymer's Fœdera, orig. edit. vii. 508; Rolls of Parl. iii. 486 a; Nicolas's Proc. and Ord. of Privy Council, i. 158, 160, ii. 75, 76, 86; Palgrave's Antient Kal. and Inventories, vols. ii. and iii.; Official Ret. Memb. Parl.; Wylie's Hist. of Henry IV, i. 296; Manning's Speakers of the House of Commons.]

A. F. P.