EDE, John, of Reading, Berks.

Little is known about John Ede, a fishmonger who paid the comparatively large sum of 4s. as poll tax, but he was probably related to Walter Ede, a wealthy innkeeper who died in about 1380. When John Smith was elected to Parliament in May 1382, Ede stood surety for him. In 1396 he served on a Reading jury indicting criminals before the county j.p.s, and he was probably the man of this name who in 1410 donated 4s. to the re-roofing of St. Laurence’s church.Ibid.; C219/8/6; KB9/3; C. Kerry, Hist. St. Laurence, 22. The John Ede who rented a fishmonger’s stall in Reading market from 1420 to 1429, was constable in 1425-6 and one of the 24 burgesses chosen to negotiate with the abbot of Reading in 1432, was probably his son. (Reading Pub. Lib. cofferers’ accts. R/FA/1420-9; Reading Recs. ed. Guilding, i. 1-2.)