REDFORD (JOHN), musician, poet, and writer of interludes, was, according to Hawkins, organist and almoner of St. Pauls. Tusser, in his autobiographical poem, mentions him as master of the children of St. Paul's about 1535. As a musician, his instrumental works are well known, consisting mainly of florid counterpoint upon a plain song. As master of the children at St. Paul's, it was part of his duty to provide dramatic entertainments. A quaint specimen of his skill in this respect is afforded by his "Wit and Science." This is preserved among the additional MSS. at the British Museum (No. 15,233), the memorandum book in which it is written, and of which the original binding is still in excellent condition, containing some musical sketches (possibly memoranda only), and fragments of two other moralities, one of them in Redford's name. The date of his death is unknown, but as Sebastian Westcott was master of the children of St. Paul's in 1559, probably Redford had died before that date. The fragments of other interludes, probably both by Redford, included in add. MSS 15,233, are as follows:-- [_Fragment No. 1._] * * * * * D. Marye, Tom, such poyntes God send him mani! T. Well, go to, mok on! your mokes bere can I, Tyll we shall once be evin, I truste. G. Nay, Tom, all Malles lay in the dust, And syns we have droonke all of one cup, Shake handes lyke freends! all quarelles give up! D. Ye, by my sowle, and syns the payne is past, Let us be merye, and care awey cast. I. What els, Tom, syns we have leve to play? Let us be merye all thys long daye! _Fynis, quod Master Jhon Redford._ _Here the syng_ Hey nony nonye, _and so go forth syngyng_. In the MS. this fragment is cancelled with a pen. [_Fragment No. 2._] The other fragment of an interlude (cancelled in the MS.) is as follows:-- CORAGE. Shall we three joyne in unitee To cheere these gestes? KYNDNES. By my trothe, ye. Clennes _cumth in and_ Con. _steylyth away_. Not so, my friends, here me speake. Mum! CORAGE. Where is Concupiscence becum? CLENNES. My presens hath put her to flyght! Where Clennes doth in place apeere, Ther is Concupiscence gone quighte. This is not signed by Redford; it is only conjecturally his. The other works of Redford's in the MS. book (additional MSS. 15,233) appear to be separate poems, with titles (some apparently inserted in his reprint by Halliwell Phillips). The numbers to the right refer to the pages in Halliwell Phillips's reprint.