Commons 1386-1421

Bailiff, Bedford 1408; mayor 1414 – 15, 1416–17.Beds. RO, DDW 18, DDTW 11/254, 374. Kent should not be confused with a royal servant of the same name, who in 1409 shared in the fines due to the King for the escape of prisoners from Bedford gaol, and five years later obtained a pension chargeable to the issues of Beds. and Bucks., in consideration of his loyal service. Despite these strong local connexions, it is clear from the letters patent confirming the pension in 1444 that most of the recipient’s early life had been spent in France, although he may well have been related to the subject of this biography (CPR, 1408–13, p. 96; 1413–16, p. 235; 1441–6, p. 286; see also SC8/55/2701).

Tax collector, Berks. May 1379, Mar., Oct. 1393, May 1398, Mar. 1401, Dec. 1402.

Mayor, Reading Mich. 1391–2, 1393 – 94, 1401 – 02, 1405 – 06, 1409 – 10; bailiff 1403–4.VCH Berks. iii. 373; Reading Pub. Lib. deeds 79, 80, 90, 91; C219/10/5; CAD, i. A554.

Coroner within the abbot of Reading’s liberty 1395 – 97; Berks. at d. JUST 2/10 m. 3; CCR, 1413–19, p. 5.