Sir William Redman

From William Greenfield, The Redmans of Levens and Harewood (1905):

Sir William, Knight -Banneret.

William, Sir Richard's eldest (surviving) son, had probably advanced some way into the thirties when he succeeded to the family estates which he was destined to enjoy for only seven years. Like his father he sought a bride in Westmorland and found her at the Castle of Sizergh, neighbour to Levens, in Margaret, daughter of Walter Strickland, Esquire, and granddaughter of the doughty Sir Thomas, who so gallantly and proudly carried the banner of St. George on the battlefield of Agincourt. This old warrior had died four years before his granddaughter, Margaret, became the wife of young William Redman, of Harewood. As the bride and bride- groom were within the fourth degree of relationship, a Papal dispensation was necessary for a legal union, and this was granted on July 22nd, 1458, by Vincent Clement, the Pope's nuncio. (MSS. of W. C. Strickland, Esq., of Sizergh.)

The Records are tantalizingly reticent about the doings of Sir William. His name appears, in conjunction with those of his neighbour, Sir William Gascoigne, and Sir Richard Wentworth, in the list of " Knightes made at the mariage of Richard, Duke of Yorke, to Lady Anne, daughter and heir of John, Duke of Norff, 17 vel 18 Janu- arii. Anno 17 Edward IV., Anno D'ni 1477. The mariage was solemnized on the XVth day of January. These Knights were elected on the 17 day, and dubbed on the 18 day of the same month." (Cotton MS., Claudius, ciii.)

In 1482 Sir William won the coveted title of knight- banneret. His name appears twelfth on the list of "Bannerettes made in Scotland the 24 day of July Anno D'ni, 1482, Anno 22 Edward IV., by the Duke of Gloucester." Other bannerets created at the same time were Sir William Gascoigne, who thus ran neck and neck with his neighbour, Redman, in the race for honours. Sir Bryan Stapleton, Sir Stephen Hammerton, Sir Herbert Greystoke, and Sir Henry Percy. (Cotton MS., as above.)

In 1480 he found useful employment as Commissioner of Array for the West Riding of Yorkshire. This was at the time when Edward IV. was preparing an invasion of France to revenge the indignity of Louis' breach of the treaty of Pecquigni. And two years later we find him defendant in a suit brought by Sir William Thorneburgh for an illegal distress in " Selshede and Whynsell." (De Banco. Trinity, 22 Ed. IV., m. 314.)

Sir William appears to have died somewhat suddenly. He had time, however, to dispose verbally of a few small legacies to his relatives and dependants. By his nuncu- pative will, on nth September, 1482, he gives his body to be buried in the church at Heversham, and bequeaths—

Waltero, fratri suo xx.

Johaiiui Redeman, servient! sno, iiij marks.

Roberto Tunstall, „ „ xxxiij marks.

Georgio Redeman, ,, c'.

Voluit quod Georgius Redeman sit ballivus de Harwood cum feodo et vadiis, ad quod Edwardas frater mens concessit.

Richardo, fratri suo, xiiij marks.

Willelmo Redeman, xx^. Elizabeth Preston, sorori suae, white horse and 5 marks. He named as exors., Margaret, his wife, Edwardum Redeman, his brother. Dame (Douce) de .Strykland, Thos. Strykland, and John Preston.

It will be seen that the only relatives mentioned in this will are his brothers Edward (executor), Walter and Richard, and his sister, Elizabeth; and it is fair to assume that if he ever had a dozen brothers and sisters, the re- maining eight must have ceased to be at this date. His inquisition, taken at Kirkby Kendal on the 14th October, 1483, sets forth that Sir Richard Redmayn was seized of Levens. The said Richard had issue Matthew, which Matthew had issue Richard, and died in the lifetime of Richard his father, the which Richard the father died of such estate so seized, and the inheritance descended to Richard, as son and heir of Matthew. This last-named Richard had issue, William Redman, in the writ named, and also a son, Edward, and gave parcel of the said manor to William, his son, and Margaret, his wife, and the heirs male, &c., &c., William being under the age of twenty, after whose death s. p. it descended to Edward Redmayn as brother and heir.

The following deals with the dower of Sir William's widow : —

Inquisitio capta api^. Kirkby-in- Kendall, 21 E. IV. Jnratores dicunt super sacramentum suum, quod Ric'us Redman, miles, obiit sei'tus de manerio de Levyns, in d'nico suo ut de feodo, et qd idem Ric'us sic sei'tas dedit Will'o filio suo et heredi, et Margarete ux'i ejus, p' cellam manerii p' d'ci, et p' d'cus Will'us obiit de tali statu sei'tus. Et jur' dicunt quod Margareta Redman, nup' uxor Will'i Redman, militis, inventa est dotabilis, etc. Ergo escaetor assignavit eidem Margaret', p' Thoma' Strikland, militem, attornatum suum, quod Edvvardus Redman vel suus attornatus p' promoniciones e'is fcas assign' tertiam partem omnium mess, etc., de Levyns, etc. (Dods' MS. 159, fo. igb.)

Sir William was buried according to his dying wish " in the middle quyer" of the parish church of Heversham, near the old family seat at Levens — the church in which the third Sir Matthew's bones had been laid nearly a century and a quarter earlier. In 1628 part of his epitaph was still decipherable. It ran thus : —

" Redman erat certe Levens haeres, Harvirode aperte, " Edwardo iiijo regi meruit famulari

" Ye rest broken."

(MS. Dods. 119 fo. 74.)

Sir William left no son to follow him ; but according to Burke, whose testimony should not perhaps be taken too seriously, he had a daughter Ayme, who became the wife of Adam Beckwith, Esquire, of Thurcroft, Yorkshire.