Henry Redford

Who is Henry Redford?

Sir Henry Redford or Retford was a Knight of the Shire, Sheriff of Lincolnshire and the Speaker of the House of Commons.

In 1384 he served on a number of royal commissions and was knighted.

After serving with Richard II on an ill-fated Scottish campaign in 1385 he accompanied John of Gaunt in 1386 on his expedition to Spain. In 1389, 1392 and 1397 he served as High Sheriff of Lincolnshire and represented Lincolnshire in parliament as Knight of the Shire for 1400, and in 1401 was summoned to the privy council.

In 1402 he again represented Lincolnshire in the parliament that met on 1 Oct 1402 and two days later he was elected speaker. The parliament was held at Coventry before moving to Westminster, with the Lord Chancellor asking for:

Ways and means for maintaining the war against Scotland, for utterly subjecting the enemies of Wales, for wholly conquering Ireland and for defending Guienne, Calais and the Marches thereof.

Alarmed at the scale of the request, Parliament took several days to consider it, but found they couldn't come to any conclusion. On 10 October they asked permission to confer with members of the House of Lords, which the King granted under duress.