Family and Education

b. 1529, o. s. of John Buller (d. 15 Jan. 1529) of Wood by Dorothy, da. of Sir John Keilway. m. by 1548, Elizabeth, da. of Sir John Rogers of Bryanston, Dorset, 5s. suc. fa. on birth.1

Offices Held

J.p. Som. 1573/74-d.; sheriff 1582-3.

Biography

The wardship of John Buller, who was born after the death of his father, was in 1534 granted to William Lyte of Lillesdon. Although Lyte later bound himself in £300 to transfer the wardship to John Mawdley II, he failed to keep the bargain and it was presumably he who arranged Buller’s marriage to Elizabeth Rogers. Buller was related to both the knights of the shire for Dorset in 1555, Sir John Rogers and Sir Giles Strangways II, and was probably indebted to Rogers for his own return at Weymouth. Unlike his fellow-Member Thomas Hebbs, Buller and his two powerful relations followed Sir Anthony Kingston’s lead in opposing one of the government’s bills. Earlier in the year Buller assisted his father-in-law’s servant Thomas Keynell (q.v.) in the ‘abduction’ of an heiress, and during the Parliament the two men were being sued in the Star Chamber by the girl’s alleged guardians.2

At this time Buller lived at Wood but by 1575 he had moved to another manor of his inheritance in the same county, Lillesdon, in the parish of North Curry, leasing Wood to a clothier from Ilminster. After a conventional career as a country gentleman he made his will on 12 Jan. 1592 asking for burial in his parish church and naming his second son, John, his executor. He died the same day and was succeeded by his eldest son George.3

Ref Volumes: 1509-1558

Author: Helen Miller

Notes

• 1. ‘In ventre matris sue’ at fa’s death, C142/52/67, 55/76. Vis. Som. ed. Weaver, 13.
• 2. LP Hen. VIII, vii; C1/1034/33; CPR, 1553, p. 344; PCC 40 Alen; Guildford mus. Loseley 1331/2; St.Ch.2/24/275.
• 3. Stowe 570; Som. Enrolled Deeds (Som. Rec. Soc. li), 229; PCC 22 Harrington; C142/232/42.