Thanks for the reply Frances. I too have seen it transcribe as 'wife', but I am still very dubious of this transcription. The word appears quite often at the beginning of a male name and only appears in the 1515, 1526 and 1527 Manorial Rolls, then disappears after than period. I also haven't found it in the 1507 Rolls. The first letter definitely looks like a 'B' rather than a 'W'. I just wonder if it is a word that refers to a person of high regard or of importance, such as the term Sir. I am just putting it out there.
Craig