 In 1381 he was Knight of the Shire for Nottinghamshire, which he also represented in the parliaments of 1382, 1393, and 1395 and served as Sheriff of Nottinghamshire for 1393.In 1398 he adopted the cause of Henry, Earl of Derby, who had been exiled by Richard II, and in the following year made his way to France to join the earl.He was one of the fifteen lances who embarked with Henry at Boulogne and landed at Ravenspur in July 1399.