Sir Edward Redman

from William Greenfield's The Redmans of Levens and Harewood (1905):

CHAPTER XII.

Sir Edward, Esquire to King Richard III

EDWARD, who on his brother William's death without male offspring, succeeded to the Redman inheritance, was a man of twenty-six at the time of his accession, as is evidenced by the escheat of 22 Edward IV., No. 49 : —

The Jurors say that Sir William Redman, knight, held the Manor of Levens, on the day on which he died, of William Parr as of his Barony of Kendal, and that Edward Redman is brother and heir of the said William and twenty-six years of age. (Dods. MS. 70, fo. I4it'.)

The new Redman Lord of Harewood appears to have been a man of greater enterprise and energy than his brother, father, or grandfather, and for a brief time rivalled the industry, if not the discretion, of any of his predecessors. Very soon after his accession, in 1483, we find him discharging magisterial duties in three counties — Westmorland, the West Riding of Yorkshire, and Wilt- shire ; though what took him so far south as the latter county it is impossible to say. In 1483-4 he was engaged as Commissioner in assessing subsidies, &c., in the county of York ; and in the same years we find him actively em- ployed with John, Lord Scrope, of Bolton, and others in arresting and imprisoning the rebels in Devon and Corn- wall, who had taken part in the insurrection headed by Henry, Duke of Buckingham, against the infamous Richard III, the failure of which cost the Duke and many of his sympathisers their heads.

In 1484 Edward was busily engaged in the south of England as Commissioner of Array for the county of Dorset ; and for all these loyal services to his Sovereign he was rewarded by the grant of a Somersetshire manor and broad acres in Dorset.

" Grant to Edward Redmayne, alias Redemayne, Esquire of ttie body, and the tieirs male of his body, for his good services against the rebels, of the Lordship or Manor of Illubruar, Co. Somerset, late the property of Thomas Arundell, Knight, and the lands of Middleton, &c., Co. Wilts., late of Roger Tocotes, rendering to the King £(> yearly. (Patent Rolls, 2 Ric. Ill-)

From this grant we see that Edward was one of the trusted officers of Richard III., who executed the orders of that odious King, and on whom his favours were showered. Two months after Richard bad been carried from Bosworth field, flung limp and lifeless across a horse's back, and Henry VII. had come to his throne, Edward was fortunate in receiving a pardon for his mis- guided loyalty to the tyrant. On October 23rd, 1485, there appears a general pardon and release to " Edward Redmayne, of Harwode, Co. York, alias of Levens, Co. Westmoreland, alias of Shideoke or Chideoke, Co. Dorset, for all manner of offences committed before the date hereof."

After this spell of exuberant activity Edward seems to have settled down into the less stimulating, if safer, life of a country gentleman. As a partisan of Richard he was not likely to be in great favour at the Court of the first of the Tudor Kings; and it may be that the exciting times which culminated on Bosworth field had satisfied his thirst for adventure. At any rate he seems to have held no public office of any kind for several years after receiv- ing his pardon.

In 1489 it was found by an inquisition on Thomas Harrington, Esquire, that he held land in Lupton of Edward Redman, Esquire ; and in 1494 Edward emerges from his obscurity to assume the duties of sheriff of Cum- berland, an office, as we have seen, which had been held half-a-dozen times by his great-grandfather. Nine years later, in 1503, his name appears with those of Sir Roger Bellingham, Walter Strickland, and others in a Com- mission for an assessment of aid. (Rolls of Parliament, 19 Hen. Vn.)

In 1509 he had succeeded in getting himself into hot water again; for we find Henry VIII., in the first year of his reign, granting a pardon to " Edward Redmayn, brother and heir of William Redmayn, knight ; otherwise Sir Edward Redmayn, of Isell, in Co. Cumberland, late Sheriff of Cumberland, lately of Levens, in the County of Westmoreland, Esquire ; late Sheriff of Somerset and Dorset ; brother and heir of William Redmayn, Knight of Harewod in the County of York, Esquire ; of London gentleman ; late of Chideoke, in the County of Dorset."

From this variegated description we gather that Ed- ward had been sheriff of the two southern counties of Somerset and Dorset, as well as of Cumberland ; that he was a knight at Isell, near the ancestral Redman ; an esquire at Levens and elsewhere, and a " gentleman at large " in London ; in fact he must have been a veritable chameleon among Redmans, and deserved a pardon if only for the embarrassing burden of his qualifications. So far as I have been able to discover, Edward was the last of his line to be prominently identified with any county south of Yorkshire.

Edward married (possibly as his second wife) Elizabeth, widow of Sir — Leigh, of Isell, Cumberland, and daughter of Sir John Huddleston, of Millom Castle, by his wife, Joan, daughter of Sir Miles Stapleton. Her brother. Sir John, it may be interesting to note, was uncle by marriage of Jane Seymour, one of Henry VHI.'s Queens. Eliza- beth survived her husband nineteen years, dying in 1529, in which year there was a commission to Sir Richard Tempest, Sir William Middleton, and others, to make inquisition p. m. on the lands and heir of Lady Elizabeth Leigh, wife of Edward Redmayn. (Letters and Papers, Hen. VHL, F. & D., vol. iv.)

Edward had at least four children — (1) Henry, who married Alice Pilkington and died shortly before his father, leaving an infant daughter, Joan, who, when her grandfather's inquisition was taken, was " one year old and more."

(2) Richard, who succeeded his father on the death of

Elizabeth Leigh.

(3) Helen.

(4) Magdalen.

Joan, Edward's granddaughter, found a husband in Marmaduke Gascoigne, of Caley, son of Sir William Gascoigne, of Gawthorpe, and probably died without off- spring. According to Sir George Duckett, who bases his statement principally on the Vincent Pedigrees, Joan (or Jane, as he calls her) had for first husband William Duckett, of Flintham, in Nottinghamshire, and by him had two sons, the younger of whom was Sir Lionel Duckett, Lord Mayor of London (temp. Eliz.). Accord- ing to the pedigree given by Sir George {Dnchetiana, p. 218) the elder son of this alleged marriage made his will in 1545, at a date when Joan, his alleged mother, was but thirty-six years of age, and scarcely likely to be the mother of a son who had reached manhood.

Edward died on September 27th, 15 10, nineteen days after making his will, of which this is a full copy : —

In Dei No'ie Amen. The viijth daie of Septemb'r, the yere of o' Lorde, a thousand V hundreth and ten. I, Edward Redeman, in a full aud hoole mynd, make my will in this maner. First, I wil my Soule to God Almightie, o' Lady Sant Mary, and all the Com- pany of Hevyn, my body to be buried in a chapell w'in the church of Harwood, called Redeman chapell. Also I bequeth in the name of my mortuary, my best whick goods. Also it is my will that my wiff shall have, receyve and take to her owne use during her liffe all maners, lands and tent's and other the p'mis's and all the p'fetts and issues, except xxli yerly going out of lands and tent's in Har- wood p'ish, which shuld grow to Richard Redeman, my sonne, and Elisab'h, his wiffe, and to theires male of his body lawfully begotten. And I will that Thoms Stray, and Hary Diks, make a lawfull joyncto"' according to the covenants of the Indentur made betwixt Sr William Gascoing knight and me for the marriage of my said Sonne Richard and Elisab'h, doghter to the said Sr William Gas- coing. Also I will that the said maners, lands and tent's, w' all of the p'mis's and all the profetts and issues thereof, aft^ the decesse of my wiffe, shall remayn to my said sonne, Richard, and to theires male of his body lawfully begotten, and for defaute of such issew, I will that all the p'mis's shall come and grow to Magdalene Redmayn, my doghter, and to theires male of hir body begotten by any of the sonnes of oon William Redeman, of twisleton ; and for defaut of such issew I will that all the p'mis's shall come and grow to thuse and possession of Jean Redeman, doghter to my sonne Herry Redeman, and to theirs male of hir body lawfully begotten by any that hight Redeman, and for defaut of such isshew all the p'miss to remayn to my nevew, Thomas Preston, and to theirs male of his body lawfully begotten ; and for the defaut of such issew I will that all the p'miss shall remayn and grow to theires of my body ; also where that I have resuyd xl li of lands for terme of yeres, lyve or lyves, to be disposed aud ordered at my will by indentures of couenants made betwixt Sr William Gascoyng, knyght, and me for the marriage of my son Richard and Elisab'h, doghter of the said Sr William Gascoing, I will that the foresaid xl li of landes so resued be ordord and disposed for the welle of my soule and mariage of my doghter, Magdalene, at the sight of my vviff. Thorns Stray and Kerry Diks be recond afor Robt Rede and his felows. Also I will that my doghter, Alice Redeman, have an anuyte of the yerly valew of XX marlvs of the said xl li of landes so resuyd during hir lift, soe that she delyver or cause to be deliverd the indento"- made betwixt my lord Archbishop Sauage and me of the mariage of my sonne Herry and the said Alice.

Also I will and make my wiff, and my sonne Richard, myn execu- tors and have the hole disposition of my goods for the welle of my soule and the payment of my detts. Also I bequeth to my house- hold s'u'nts a certayn of my moveable goods at the sight of my wiff and my sonne Richard. Also I desir my brod' Sr John Huddelston to be good brod' to my wiff, and good maister to my s'u-nts, and desir hym to have the oversight to the p'fo'mance of my will. These witnes, Henry Diks, John Stodelay, preist, Robert Sherman and William Cowper.

This will exhibits Edward's keen, almost pathetic, anxiety that the inheritance which he was about to leave should at least continue to be associated with the name Redman. At the time of making it his elder son, Henry, had died without male offspring. Richard was married to Elizabeth Gascoigne, but no son had been born to them, nor indeed was a son born to Richard until eighteen years later. Thus there seemed to be a strong probability that the next generation would contain none " that hight Redeman." To guard as far as possible against this un- desirable contingency, Edward leaves his lands, in default of male issue of his son Richard, to his daughter Mag- dalen and her heirs begotten by a Redman, of Twisleton, and failing such heirs, to his granddaughter Joan and her heirs male similarly begotten by a Redman. And it was only in case of this third failure to perpetuate the family name that the inheritance was to pass into Preston hands.

The following inquisitions, taken after Edward's death, are interesting as giving a detailed description of the Redman possessions at this time : —

INQUISITION taken at Kirkby, in Kendale, Co. Westmoreland, 14 Jany., 2 Hen. VIII., post mortem of Edward Redmayne. Jurors say that Edward was seized of . . . acres of land, 40 acres of meadow, 100 acres of wood, 500 acres of pasture, 2000 acres of furze and heath, and 40 solidates of rent in Leyvens, in county aforesaid; and of 40 messuages, 1,000 acres of land, 100 acres of meadow, 3,000 acres of furze in Lupton ; of 2 messuages. So acres of land, 40 acres of meadow in Hiaton ; of i messuage, 40 acres of land, and 10 acres of meadow in Hencaster; and i messuage, 10 acres of land, i^ acres of meadow in Henshill ; and he enfeoffed John Huddleston, Knight, and others of the same to the use of said Edward and (Lady) Ehzabeth Leigh, then widow, for term of their lives. .And Joan Redmayne, daughter of Henry Redmayne, son of said Edward Redmayne is his heir, and one year old and more ; and and said Edward died 27th Sepr. last past. Eschaetors' Inquisitions. (File 116, No. 3).

INQUISITION taken at Wearby, Co. York, 14 Novr., 2 Hen. VIII., post mortem of Edward Redmayn. Jurors say that said Edward was seized of a moiety of the Castle and Manor of Hare- wood ; of 2 messuages, 80 acres of land, 30 acres of meadow, and 6 acres of pasture in Harwood, Otley Pole, and Holynhall ; and, by deed i Hen. VII., enfeoffed John Huddleston, Knight, and others of the same to the use of said Edward and Elizabeth Lighe, then widow, and afterwards his wife ; remainder to Richard, his son, and Elizabeth, his wife, and their heirs male, and in default to Magdalen Redmayn, daughter of said Edward, and heirs male by any son of Wm. Redmayn, of Twysleton. And said Edward died 27th Sepr. last past, and Joan Redmayn is cousin and heir of Edward, to wit, daughter of Henry Redmaj'n, son and heir of said Edward, and one year old and more. (File 217, No. 18).

INQUISITION taken at Harwood, Co. York, loth June, 6 Hen, VIII. (1515) p.m. Edward Redmayn, late seized of the Manor of Hollyng Hall, and 3 messuages, 400 acres of land, etc., in Otley Poole, Hollyng Hall; and of 13 messuages, 100 acres of land, etc., in Harwode, and moiety of the Manor of Harwode ; and in i Hen. VIII. enfeoffed John Huddleston Knt., and others of the same to the use of the said Edward, and of Elizabeth Leigh afterward his wife, etc. (File 318, No. 13.)

Edward's will and inquisitions present certain problems which, on such information as we possess, are exceedingly difficult to solve. In the Yorkshire inquisition (14 Nov., 2 Henry VIII.) there is a reference to a settlement on his marriage with Elizabeth Leigh made in the first year of Henry VII. (1485), with remainder to Richard, his son, and Elizabeth, his wife. It is evident that either the transcript is incorrect or the effect of the limitation in the settlement at the time of the inquisition is given rather than the language of the instrument itself, since it was not possible for Edward to have had a married son in 1485, when he himself had not yet reached his thirtieth year.

Again, how are we to reconcile the fact that in the in- quisitions Edward's granddaughter, Joan, is described as his heir, to the exclusion of his son Richard ; while in his will his son Richard becomes entitled on the determina- tion of the widow's life estate, and Joan's interest in the inheritance is deferred even to that of her aunt Magdalene ?

It is possible that Edward was twice married and that there was a settlement on his first marriage, under which Joan took as heir of her father, Henry ; and a further settlement on his marriage with Elizabeth Leigh under which Richard takes on his elder brother's death. What- ever may be the explanation of the mystery (and there are several possible solutions), it is evident that Richard succeeded to the inheritance on the death of his father's widow in 1529.

In the meantime there had evidently been a serious family dispute over the inheritance, for a letter from Lord Darcy to Wolsey, a few years after Edward's death, states that Sir William Gascoigne, Joan's father-in-law, is detaining the feoffment of Harewood Castle from Lady Leigh, and gives a history of the dispute and of the con- nection between the families of Gascoigne, Redman, and Sir Ralph Ryder. (Letters and Papers, F. & D., Hen. VIIL, vol. ii.) It thus seems that the problem of inheri- tance which we find so puzzling in the 20th century was a cause of family friction nearly four centuries ago.