Subject: Re: Merrill family John Meryell
Date: Mon, September 24, 2007 4:34p

Question: Sandy Naegle wrote:

I came across the attached document while searching for ancestors in relation to my Ryves line (maternal line) and noticed the name John Meryell (Merrill is my paternal line). If John Meryell son of Thomas Meryell was born in 1475 (?) is there any way to identify the John Meryell on the list of names of prisoners who escaped Marshalsea prison in 1470? Description Petitioners: ? No Petitioner named Nature of request: A list of names of prisoners who escaped from the Marshalsea prison on the Monday after Michaelmas, 10 Edward IV (1470) Nature of endorsement: [None] Places mentioned: [Prison of the Marshalsea, Surrey] People mentioned: Charles Rychard (Richard); John Rufford; Thomas Grene (Green); Robert Yonge (Young); John Mason; Edward Marton (Martin); William Dene (Dean); Thomas Busshe (Bush); John Spencer; Thomas Martyn (Martin); Agnes Hacbech; Joan Asshley (Ashley); John Smyth (Smith); Robert Harryson (Harrison); John Clerk; William Swayne; William Wydoue (Widow); Philip Castell (Castle); Robert Style; John Barret; Walter Sydrak; Henry Sharpe; William Cotton; William Noreys (Norris); John Russell; William Mathew (Matthew); Reginald Bradshawe; William Lewys (Lewis); Hugh Hunter; William Costard; Edward Robson; John Est (East); John Davy; William Heyward (Hayward); Thomas Hyll (Hill); Richard Archer; Ralph Benet (Bennet); Edward Germayne; John Meryell; John Rysseley, priest; Thomas Davy; John Bradford; Robert Stephinson (Stevenson); Maud Porter; Roland Vance; Richard Bayly; Laurence Perysson; Thomas William; Thomas Shyrborne (Sherborne) alias Thomas Frost; Gilbert Jenkynson (Jenkinson! ); Robert of Chamber; Henry Wynkefeld; Thomas Saunder; Nicholas Adamson; John West; Reginald Wadden; William Johnson; Maud Wiggyston; John Fawne; Elizabeth Doget; Alison Geliot; David Hewe; Walter Afforde; Thomas Clyffe; Robert Datry (Dawtry); Nicholas Wodeson; Thomas Geliot; Nicholas Ryson; Margaret Bowman; Thomas Hylderston; Thomas Andrewe (Andrew); Thomas Davy; John Coffyn (Coffin); Thomas Clerk; John Olyver (Oliver); Robert Rykelouse; William Coferer; Thomas Curteys (Curtis); John Thomas; William Hermer; John Freston, priest; Ralph Trevyke; Richard Norbery (Norbury); Piers Martyn (Martin); John Fermer (Farmer); Thomas Colyns (Collins); William Dawes; John Wolfe; William Bramston; Eleanor Beeston; William Hawkyswell; Jane Swete (Sweet); Eugene Mayden (Maiden), priest; William Neyle; William Grey; John Hervy (Harvey); William Avale; John Copelande (Copeland); John Leweston Date derivation: This document, with its accompanying petition, is enrolled on the roll of the parliament summoned at Westminster in October 1472 (12 Edward IV) and prorogued a number of times until January 1475 (Rot. Parl. vol. VI, pp.49b-50b). It is stated on p.49b that the petition was presented on 8 February, 12 Edward IV (1473). Date 1473 Catalogue reference SC 8/29/1442B John Meryell appears about halfway down the list of names. I had to copy and paste as I could not attach the document to this form. Thank you. Sandy Naegle

Answer: Sandra:

We have done very little research in England, but it seems to us unlikely that a John Meryell who escaped from a prison in Surry [southwest of London] in 1470 is likely to be related to the John Meryell, b. ca 1475, son of Thomas of Wherstead, Suffolk, which at that time would have been many days journey to the northeast of London.  We know that there were other Merrill families in England, which from DNA studies of their descendants cannot be related to the Wherstead Merrills in over 40,000 years, far longer than surnames have been in use. [Which , for the common man started about in the 1300's]  We do not know who the prisioner, John Meryell belongs to.

Howard and Jean Merrill