Edward Bune

Edward Bune, or Edward Woburn, was rector of Eversholt from 1559 to 1563. He had previously been one of the monks of Woburn Abbey! There is an article about this in

Transactions of the Royal Historical Society for 1933, but Cambridge University wants £20 for a single copy of the article, so I just poked about with Google books snippet view.

The attempt to trace what became of the remaining monks has only been partially successful. The depositions taken by the commissioners indicate that there were at least twelve monks at Woburn at the time of the dissolution, excluding the abbot and the sub-prior. One, the sexton, perished with his two superiors. Of the remaining eleven, the subsequent history of five can so far be traced. Edward Bune, alias Edward Woburn, who had been priested some seven months earlier, on the 22nd September, 1537,. held for a time the rectory of Fortho in Northamptonshire. Subsequently, in 1553, he was instituted rector of Grafton Regis in the same county and on the 26th March, 1560, rector of Eversholt in Bedfordshire. The 1561 Parker certificate in the library of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, speaks of him as unmarried and holding two livings, presumably Grafton Regis and Eversholt. …[some missing]…The lists of rectors in the churches of both Grafton Regis and Eversholt record the institution of Edward Bune, and each gives the date for the next institution as 1563…

It seems that Woburn Abbey was broken up by force in 1537 or 1538. The Abbot, sub-prior and sexton were killed. Edward Bune or Woburn was a relatively young monk. He was flexible enough to go along with the new church and made two good livings for himself!

The national archive listing on the Rectors page says that Bune was appointed because there was a vacancy, meaning that the previous chap just disappeared or was fired or something. Bune’s Patron was Ralph Johnson, citizen and grocer of London. “Citizen” probably means that he was a member of the Worshipful Company of Grocers and had the Freedom of the City of London. It also says that Bune “departed”, so presumably didn’t die in office.

Here’s a snippet from Reports and Papers Read at the Meetings of the Architectural Societies of the Counties of Lincoln and Nottingham, County of York, Archdeaconries of Northampton and Oakham, County of Bedford, Diocese of Worcester, and County of Leicester, Volume 25.

Bune, Edward, cl., adm. 19 Mar., to the ch. of Eversholte alias Eversholde, vac. both of right and in fact, on the pres. of Ralph Johnson, citizen and grocer of London, by virtue of a certain grant of adv.

What I think that means is:

Bune, Edward, clergyman or clerk, admitted 19 March, to the church of Eversholte alias Eversholde, vacated both of right and in fact, on the presentation of Ralph Johnson, citizen and grocer of London, by virtue of a certain grant of advowson.

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