John de Rednesse

John de Rednesse (died after 1386) was an English-born judge who served four times as Lord Chief Justice of Ireland.

[1] Such rapid changes of personnel on the medieval Irish bench were not uncommon, but they normally resulted from a clash between rivals for office; in Rednesse's case, unusually, he was replaced on each occasion by a different man.

[6] Like many officials of the time, Rednesse complained about non-payment of his salary, and in 1358 he felt strongly enough about the matter to issue a writ of certiorari.

At the King's request, the Exchequer of Ireland inquired into the matter, and confirmed that Rednesse was indeed owed £94 in arrears, which was duly paid.

[1] In 1386, by which time he must have been far advanced in years, he was one of several local landowners who were asked to conduct an inquiry into the illegal digging of a watercourse in the Holderness region of the East Riding of Yorkshire, which was causing a nuisance.