Trenode, who was of Cornish descent, acquired in 1393 lands at Sutton Priour, Devon, near the border with Cornwall, and throughout his life retained close contact with the inhabitants of nearby Plymouth. However, he made his early career as a ‘taverner’ in London where, in June 1396, he was alleged to have threatened a local brewer called Roger Sewale. In the following year he was described as ‘of London, vintner’, but he was again called ‘taverner’ in November 1399, when his patent of protection for serving with Sir John Dabrichecourt, then captain of Calais castle, was withdrawn because of his having remained at home in the City. It seems likely that he had been engaged to supply the garrison at Calais with wine. In March 1403, now referred to as living in the county of Cornwall, he took out a royal pardon for all treasons and felonies, but with the express exemption of any such crimes connected with the murder of Thomas, duke of Gloucester, so it may be that he had been in Calais at the time of the duke’s death in 1397. Nothing is then recorded about Trenode’s movements for ten years, but at some point during that period he settled in Bristol where, apart from what is suggested by a single reference to him in 1414 as a ‘citizen and vintner of London’, he spent his most active years.
Trenode must have become well known to the merchants of Bristol through his position as royal searcher of ships in the port, a post he held for over four years from June 1413. While so employed he was also, in 1414, given authority to examine, in person or by deputy, all vessels entering or leaving Bridgwater and all other harbours from Bristol to Minehead, and to detain any carrying uncocketed or uncustomed wools, fells, hides, cloth, gold and silver, and all letters or other instruments prejudicial to the King. There is evidence of his accounting regularly at the Exchequer, although on one occasion, in February 1416, he was fined £10 ‘pro contemptu’.
Trenode occupied in turn all of the principal urban offices in Bristol, and his first election to Parliament for the borough, in December 1421, followed hard upon his occupancy of the bailiffship. He is noted as being a member of the common council in May 1429. While mayor in 1431-2 he concurrently held office as mayor of the Bristol Staple, having already served his fellow staplers as one of their constables for at least one term. Between 1420 and 1442 there were 16 parliamentary elections held at Bristol, and at only two of these (1436 and 1439) was Trenode not recorded as participating. As sheriff of Bristol he had been responsible for holding the election of October 1423, and in April 1432 he attended in his capacity as mayor.
As one of the Bristol electors to the Parliament of 1435, Trenode had been described as a 40s. free-holder in the urban county and resident there. Nothing is recorded of his property, however, save for the messuage, shop and garden in Baldwin Street and the annual rent from his tenement on the Back, all of which he left in his will, dated 22 May 1442, to his widow for term of her life, and thereafter to provide for an obit. He requested burial in St. Leonard’s church. John Sharp was named as one of the overseers of the will, which was proved the following July before the commissary-general of the bishop of Worcester. In August 1440, two years before Trenode’s death, the mayor and commonalty of Plymouth had agreed to maintain a chaplain to celebrate divine rites daily in the parish church of St. Andrew in their town for the souls of Trenode, his wives and his sister Thomasina, widow of William Venour, as an expression of gratitude for Trenode’s exertions on their behalf during the Parliament of 1439, as a consequence of which the borough’s charter of incorporation had been secured. Clearly, Trenode had never forgotten the home of his youth.