John Rede, MP and Lawyer

[NOT the Bishop of Chichester. That was William Reade]

Family and Education m. bef. Apr. 1378, Cecily (d. 20 May 1428), da. and coh. of William Halyngrigge by Alice, niece and coh. of John Marmion of Checkendon, 1s. 1da.

Offices Held Commr. to put down rebellion, Bucks. Dec. 1381, Mar., Dec. 1382; of arrest, Oxon. June 1384; to refund sums levied for archers recruited in defence of the realm, Bucks. Feb. 1387; of gaol delivery, Wallingford May 1387, Windsor July 1390, Oxford Sept. 1390, Aylesbury Feb., Aug. 1391, Wallingford Mar. 1392, Oxford June 1392, Reading July 1393, Wallingford, Reading, Oxford Nov. 1393, Oxford Feb., June 1394, Oct. 1395, June 1396, Oxford, Wallingford, Windsor July 1399; inquiry, Oxon. Dec. 1387 (escapes of felons), Devon, Glos., Oxon., Bucks., Lincs. Sept. 1389 (wastes on the Stonor estates), river Thames Feb. 1391 (theft of nets confiscated by the water bailiff), Oxon. Dec. 1400 (holdings forfeited for treason by Sir Thomas Blount*), Oxford July 1402 (treasons); oyer and terminer, Northants. July 1392, Berks. May 1393, Oxford Feb. 1395, Berks. Aug. 1401, Dorset Mar. 1404; to hold special assizes Oct. 1397, Jan. 1398; of weirs, Oxon. June 1398; to correct errors in judgements made in the mayor’s ct. London Aug. 1398, Oct. 1399.

J.p. Bucks. Dec. 1382-July 1389, Nov. 1397-d., Oxon. Jan. 1386-July 1389, Nov. 1389-d., Oxford Oct. 1390-d., Wilts. May 1404-d.

Justice of assize May 1401-d.

Biography Early on in his career Rede, who came from Bledlow in Buckinghamshire, acquired a tenement, shop and garden in Oxford, which he sold in 1382. As a consequence of his marriage, contracted a few years previously, he had by then established himself as a landowner in the county, with holdings in Checkendon and Stoke which his wife had inherited through her mother; and these estates, substantially increased after the death of his father-in-law (who held a large part of the inheritance ‘by the courtesy’), formed the basis of his descendants’ prosperity in the following century. With the profits of a successful career in the law, Rede was able to add to his possessions the Oxfordshire manors of Standhill (in the 1390s) and Gatehampton (1402).1

Rede’s legal practice, already well-established by 1378, brought him clients from both Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, the best known among them to start with being (Sir) Richard Chambernon and Thomas Childrey*. He soon came to be regularly appointed to royal commissions, particularly those of a judicial nature such as gaol deliveries, and his service as a j.p. lasted more than 20 years. Probably by Michaelmas 1387 he had been made steward of the manor of Benson, which, previously held by the Black Prince and his widow Joan of Kent, had quite recently come into the possession of Sir John Salisbury, a knight of the King’s chamber. However, Salisbury’s execution by judgement of the Merciless Parliament, and the forfeiture of his estates, led to Rede being summoned to the Exchequer in the Easter term of 1389 to produce certain court rolls still in his possession, so that the bailiff could make full account of the manorial issues. The same year he was also discharging the office of steward of the Chiltern hundreds, presumably as deputy to Sir John Golafre, another knight of the chamber and at that time constable of Wallingford castle. On one occasion (in 1391) Rede witnessed a deed at Rotherfield Peppard for James Butler, earl of Ormond. Then, in 1394, he agreed to act as attorney for Sir Walter de la Pole* during the latter’s absence in Ireland with Richard II’s army. Associated with him in this last task was de la Pole’s brother-in-law, Robert James* of Wallingford, with whose family he had long had close dealings. Rede was also acquainted with John Cassy, the chief baron of the Exchequer, with whom he was party to transactions in the following year. Recognition of his abilities led to his promotion to the estate and degree of serjeant-at-law in the Michaelmas term of 1396, when a great feast was held at Westminster, he and his five fellows providing the food.2

In May 1399 the serjeant was nominated as attorney by both Richard Metford, bishop of Salisbury, and Henry Beaufort, bishop of Lincoln, while they accompanied Richard II to Ireland. His appointment to commissions of gaol delivery by the caretaker government under the duke of York in July suggests that there was still no question of his loyalty to the King, but he nevertheless acquiesced in the usurpation of Henry of Bolingbroke, continuing to serve on the bench without a break until his death. Perhaps the transition was made easier for him by his connexion with the new King’s half-brother, Bishop Beaufort, for whom he witnessed a charter at Oxford in 1402. He was then in receipt of £20 p.a. as a justice of assize (as paid from May 1401); but naturally enough he continued to supplement his income with fees from private clients, such as (Sir) William Moleyns*, the wealthy Buckinghamshire landowner, who engaged his services for £2 a year. Rede was among the professional lawyers who in April 1403 were each asked to lend £100 to the Crown.3

Rede died on 31 May 1404 and was buried at Checkendon, where a monumental brass (since lost) commemorated his devotion as ‘quondam serviens domini Regis ad legem’, and depicted him wearing his gown of office. Soon afterwards his widow, Cecily (who subsequently obtained a licence from Bishop Repingdon of Lincoln to have religious services celebrated in her private chapel at Checkendon), married Sir Thomas Sackville I* of Fawley, Buckinghamshire, only to be again widowed before the end of 1406. It was Rede’s son, Edmund, who through his marriage in 1412 to Christine, daughter of Robert James, was to establish the family as landowners of some importance when, several years later, Christine became her father’s sole heir.4

Ref Volumes: 1386-1421 Authors: Richmond / L. S. Woodger Notes 1.CIMisc. iv. 67; Liber Albus Oxoniensis ed. Ellis, 66; Boarstall Cart. (Oxf. Hist. Soc. lxxxviii), pp. vii-viii, 2-3, 29-30, 32, 47-48, 63; VCH Oxon. viii. 153; CP25(1)191/23/2. 2.CFR, ix. 134; CCR, 1381-5, p. 296; 1389-92, p. 525; 1392-6, pp. 223, 386, 398, 480; M.T. Pearman, Hist. Bensington, 71; CPR, 1391-6, pp. 472, 476; 1396-9, p. 28. 3.CPR, 1396-9, pp. 553, 555; 1401-5, p. 232; E101/512/17; PPC, i. 203; E404/16/602. 4.Parochial Colls. (Oxon. Rec. Soc. ii), 86; Brit. Arch. Assoc. n.s. xxiv. 28; Reg. Repingdon (Lincoln Rec. Soc. lvii), 61; Boarstall Cart. 29; Misc. Gen. et Her. (ser. 5), vi. 364.

William Reade (sometimes Rede; died 1385) was a medieval Bishop of Chichester.

Reade was brought up, from boyhood to maturity, by his friend and protégé Nicholas of Sandwich.[1] He was then educated at Exeter College, Oxford and elected from it to a fellowship at Merton College, Oxford where astronomy, mathematics and natural philosophy (science) flourished.[2] He collected what was probably the largest private library in 14th-century England, and was one of the University's greatest benefactors.[3] Reade wished to provide resources for Oxford scholars as there was no University library at the time, Reade donated and bequeathed some 350 volumes to the libraries at Merton, Exeter, Balliol, Oriel, Queen's, and New Colleges, Oxford.[2] Reade also provided a large sum of money to support the building of the library that is still in use today.[3]

In 1365 Reade was made provost of the college of Wingham, Kent, and archdeacon of Rochester in 1369.[2][4][5] He was nominated for Bishop of Chichester on 23 September 1368, and by provision of Pope Urban V was appointed to the see of Chichester on 2 September 1369.[2][6]

Reade's contribution to Chichester Cathedral was the systematic compilation of cartularies, gathering together all the charters and writings concerning the church.[7] His cartularies have preserved virtually the only early documentary evidence about the Cathedral.[7]

Reade converted the old Manor House at Amberley, into a castle. Stephens says he did this to provide a strong fortress for himself and his successors against troublous times.[2][8]

Reade held a deer park, in Selsey, that was plagued with poachers so much so, that the incensed bishop issued a decree excommunicating the offenders by "Bell, book, and candle", and he ordered that the ritual should be performed at all churches within the deanery.[9]

Reade died 18 August 1385,[6] and asked in his will to be buried at Selsey parish church then located at Church Norton before the high altar.[10] His wish was not acted upon as he was buried in Chichester Cathedral without monument.[2] It seems that this was not the only problem with the execution of his will as the dean and chapter, of Chichester Cathedral, petitioned the executors, thirteen years later, to account for the thirteen gilt cups, bequeathed by Reade, for the use of the cathedral.[2]