Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Redman, Robert

654138Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 47 — Redman, Robert1896Edward Gordon Duff

REDMAN, ROBERT (d. 1540), printer, seems to have started in business in London about 1525, in which year he printed an edition of ‘Magna Carta.’ He also printed an edition of Littleton's ‘Tenures.’ Pynson, in his edition of that year, warns his readers against it on account of its careless printing, and speaks of its printer as ‘Redman, sed verius Rudeman, quia inter mille homines rudiorem haud facile invenies.’ The cause of this jealousy is clear, for not only had Redman started as a printer of law books, in which Pynson had had for some time practically a monopoly, but he had established himself in Pynson's old premises in St. Clement's parish, and used the same sign, the George. On Pynson's death, Redman seems to have taken over his printing offices in Fleet Street, as well as his materials, and in 1530 began to use his device. For the next ten years he was steadily at work, for the most part printing law books. In 1540 an edition of Cicero's ‘Paradoxa’ in English was printed for Robert by John Redman at Southwark. In the same year he died, and his will was proved on 4 Nov. His wife, Elizabeth Pickeryng, was left sole executrix, and continued the business for a short time on her own account, after which she is stated to have married a certain Ralph Cholmonly.

[Ames's Typogr. Antiq. ed. Herbert, i. 385–405; Timperley's Typogr. Encycl.; Gent. Mag. 1859, ii. 345.]

E. G. D.