252 LIVES OF THE PURITANS. EDMUND BUNNEY, B.-D.-This zealous minister was born at Vach, near Chalfont St. Giles, in Buckinghamshire, in the year 1540, and educated in the university of Oxford ; where, on account of his great knowledge of logic and philosophy, he was elected probationer fellow of Magdalen college. Hewas the son of Mr. RichardBonney of Newtom, usually called Bunney-hall, near Wakefield in Yorkshire. His father, designing him for the law, removed him from the university, and sent him to the inns of court, where he continued about four years. Mr. Bunney, not liking the law, resolved to study divinity, for which his father cast him off, and disinherited him.. Upon this he returned, to Oxford, and in 1565, was elected fellow of Merton college, and admitted to the reading of the sentences. There was not at this time a single preacher in his college, and the greatest scarcity through the whole university ; but Mr. Bunney was chosen preacher to the society. In this situa- tion, he soon became a very eminent, constant, and popular preachent He used frequently to visit the university, for many years after he left it ; when he was constantly engaged in preaching ; and, by his sound doctrine and holy life, was the means of doing unspeakable good, especially among the scholars. He also travelled like an apostle, over most parts of England, everywhere preaching the word. Hereby he incurred the displeasure and censure of many. But, to acquit himselfof all blame, he wrote " A Defence of his Labour in the Work of the Ministry." This he dispersed amonghis friends, though it does not appear that it was ever published. But because he was a thorough Calvinist, and a zealous puritan, Wood denominates him " a busy, forward, and conceited man, and a most fluid preacher." According to this writer, he seldom or never studied his sermons, but prayed and preached extempore; and, the opinion of many, was troubled with the divinity squirt: and, he adds, that, by the liberties which he took in his preaching, he did a great deal of harm.-,t The same author, indeed, styles him " an excellent writer, an eminent preacher, and a, learned theologist') Mr. Strype calls him " an eminent writer and divine:1 About the year 1570, Mr. Bunney became chaplain to Grindal Archbishopof York, who gave him a prebend in wood's Athena; Oxon. vol. i. p. 364. + Wood's Hist. and Antiq. of Oxon. vol. ii. p. 152. ,Athens Oxon. vol. i. p. 364, 365. § Ibid. p. 395,717.-Hist. and Antiq. vol. ii. p. 152. h Strype's Annals, vol. iii. p. 609. '
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