Merryweather – Forefathers

Although our progenytors and forefathers were at the begynnynge but plene
and sympell men and wemen, and of small possessyon ...
yt I do wysshe and exhort you that you sholde not be asshamed of them ...
for I am sure the gretes oxse was fyrste a lytell calfe. Consider wythe
yourselves what ys wryten in the liiij Chapyter of the profytte Esays which sayithe,
Remember of what stones ye were hewen out of and of what graves ye were dugged owte of.
Robert Furse.¹

The earliest record of the name in Wiltshire is Willelmus Muriweder who held a virgate² of land in the Manor of Bishopstrow in 1260 and 1280.³ There are references in Wiltshire Inquisitions Post Mortem to Bartholomew de Mereweden of Manningford in 1327 and of Upavon in 1345.

Someone who might be connected with our line is Edward, who tenanted the demesne of Burnell Manor in 1438 where the family remained as tenants until 1480 when they moved to Hales Manor. Others of this family may possibly have been Hugh and Christopher Merywether of Cheverell Magna who appear in the 1547 Wiltshire taxpayers list, whilst that for 1576 includes Joane and John Merewether of Cheverell Magna and Christopher of Worton. But there is no firm patriarchal line as Merryweathers were in many places in Wiltshire in the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries, and there are fewer chances of finding surviving documents before these times.

In 1538, Henry VIII ordered all parishes to maintain systematic records of baptisms, marriages and burials but only around 800 registers now survive and tragically, at St. Katherine's, Sedgehill the earliest extant registers start as late as 1706. The possibility that the gap might be filled by transcripts of all entries which the priest was supposed to send annually to his bishop proved to be very disappointing as the few surviving fragmentary Sedgehill membranes show only the following Merryweathers:

Baptisms.
Thomas, son of Anthony 17 January 1633
Nicholas, son of Anthony 30 March 1635
Alice, daughter of Anthony & Rebecca 31 March 1639

Burials.
Maria, daughter of John 8 June 1622
Ann, 20 August 1742
John, 10 February 1757

Churchwardens.
John, 1624
Anthony, 1715
John, 1765[?]

However, the registers of the parish of St. Michael the Archangel at neighbouring Mere start in 1561 and include:

Andrew, son of Andrew baptised, 9 February 1630
Antonie married Rebecca Forward, 12 April 1630

At adjacent East Knoyle an earlier marriage was Melior to William Henstridge 12 June 1575.

Whilst no connection can be claimed to Andrew Merriweather Gent. of East Knoyle whose Will was proved at the Archdeacon of Sarum's Court 23 December 1643, his Christian name and that of others mentioned is continued in succeeding generations of local Merryweathers. It is possible, but not provable that Andrew was an ancestor of ours and as the Will shows, a fairly wealthy one at that.

To the poor of East Knoyle 40/- [Ł2.00].
To godson Andrew son of brother Richard Ł10.
To Katherine, daughter of brother Walter Ł30.
To Anthony Merriweather, John Merriweather and my goddaughter Joane the sons and daughter of my brother John Ł20 apiece ....
To godson Andrew Merriweather, the son of my kinsman Anthony Merriweather before mentioned and godson Andrew Merriweather the son of my kinsman John aforementioned Ł9 apiece to remain in hands of overseers until the last named godsons shall accomplish 21 years of age.
To godchildren not named in my Will 2/- [10p] apiece.
To kinswoman Joane Merriweather that now liveth in house within Ł120 and bedstead in which I now lieth, my feather bolster etc., greatcoat, brass pan and three barrels.
To brother Richard, executor, the balance of my goods.

And shall we ever know what connections there might have been with 'Osmund Merewether of Pharam [Fareham] in County South⁴ Yeoman and Jacob Merewether of Fovant Wilts, Husbandman ...' who entered into an Administration Bond for the huge sum of Ł1000 in respect of the goods of Richard Mereweather the elder of Fovant on 28 May 1644? In another Bond of 4 April 1648, Osmund was also revealed as the nephew and Administrator of the goods of Andrew Mereweather deceased of East Knoyle.⁵

Are these people our direct ancestors whose names could be added to the family tree? Alas, records being absent, they can only be thought of as kinsmen and join the dozens of other Merryweathers in the files who seem to belong nowhere in particular.

Local happenings would have impinged upon the lives of our ancestors and we know something of life during the period of the Civil War in which the West Country played an important part, with the passing and re-passing of rival armies even though far removed from the fighting, and the disruption of life during the general disorder. Protests materialised in the years 1645 and 1646 in the form of a movement called the 'Clubmen' who claimed to be neutral in the quarrel between King and Parliament, concerned only to protect themselves against damage to their property caused by both sides. The movement was strongest in the areas around Shaftesbury, Gillingham,⁶ Mere and Wincanton where the three Counties meet and where the memory of the struggle against enclosure of the royal forest was not dead.⁷ There is a vivid account of the sufferings of a Merryweather Quaker family and others at the hands of the Puritans, still being persecuted even after the 1660 Restoration of King Charles II to the throne.⁸

1661. John Collens's letter to E Hooks of ye 15^th of 8^mo.
The 13^th of ye 8^mo there came souldiers to the house of John Merryweather of Fovant in the County of Wilts, as Friends were in the backside parting from each other and some were gone: and their warrant being demanded they drew their swords and with great threatnings demanded us away with them: which we refusing, one went and fetched their Lieut. and Ensigne (as they called them) and brought an order under the hand of Sir John How. So they brought us to their Capt. Sharpe and so to Wilton that night: where the Captain demanded our names to the end to make our Mittimus,⁹ and they told me he did.
I asked whither they would not think us very indiscreet to be accessory to our own committment, and also if we were brought before some in authority (we being not sensible of any crime) we might then be discharged and not committed, but they were angry. And the next day the Capt. demanded the same thing again several times, but he not prevailing was angry and told me we all deserved to be hanged, a company of Quaking knaves.
And so sent us to prison to Fisherton [in Salisbury] with a Guard of Musqueteers, who delivered us to ye keeper, who knowing our names sent them for a Mittimus of Capt. Sharp's sending with his hand and seal, so we are here until we shall be delivered by the Deputy Lieuts. of the County.
We are ten apprehended together, several poor men, viz., John Meryweather and his two sons Andrew and John, and one Henry Moon whom they took on ye highway, John Jennings, Henry Ingram, Thomas Mercer, Ralph Bennet, James Abbott, Thomas Bodman and John Collens.

And its sequel.¹⁰

January 24 1661. Fr. Sambrook (Deputy Clerk of the Peace of Wells), to Seymour Bowman. Justice Wyndham, who ruled their sessions, ordered a number of sectaries in prison to be discharged, nine of whom have taken the Oath of Allegiance; the two most notorious, Jo Mereweather of Fovant and John Hicks, are still detained.

There are numerous other Merryweathers in local records and so it seems that for several centuries past our ancestors lived either in the area or in the adjacent Counties of Dorset, Hampshire and Somerset where other families were to be found.

¹ From this yeoman's Diary and Family Book, 1593.
² The size of this area of land depended on its soil quality, but was usually about 30 acres.
³ Mrs. M H Waley's letter to me related how at a WAS meeting at Chippenham, Wiltshire in 1902, the Rev. W G Clark-Maxwell read a paper, The Customs of Four Manors of the Abbey of Lacock. Two cartularies [collections of charters and records], were involved.
⁴ Southampton, like Bristol, was formerly a County town in its own right.
⁵ From Archdeacon of Sarum documents in the WRO.
⁶ The pronunciation is with a hard G, and strongly defended by local folk.
⁷ J H Bettey. Rural Life in Wessex. Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire 1977.
⁸ N Penney. Quakerism in Wiltshire. WNQ. Vol. II p.174-5.
⁹ A warrant committing a person to prison.
¹⁰ Calendar of Domestic State Papers. Vol.XXIX 12.1661.
¹¹ Until 1752, the 25 March was the civil and legal New Year's Day, therefore the 24 January came after 15 October 1661.

	Website of ALAN MERRYWEATHER
	*SHARE MY HARVEST* by Alan Merryweather CHAPTER 1. WILTSHIRE FOREFATHERS
	Although our progenytors and forefathers were at the begynnynge but plene and sympell men and wemen, and of small possessyon ... yt I do wysshe and exhort you that you sholde not be asshamed of them ... for I am sure the gretes oxse was fyrste a lytell calfe. Consider wythe yourselves what ys wryten in the liiij Chapyter of the profytte Esays which sayithe, Remember of what stones ye were hewen out of and of what graves ye were dugged owte of. Robert Furse.¹ The earliest record of the name in Wiltshire is Willelmus Muriweder who held a virgate² of land in the Manor of Bishopstrow in 1260 and 1280.³ There are references in Wiltshire Inquisitions Post Mortem to Bartholomew de Mereweden of Manningford in 1327 and of Upavon in 1345. Someone who might be connected with our line is Edward, who tenanted the demesne of Burnell Manor in 1438 where the family remained as tenants until 1480 when they moved to Hales Manor. Others of this family may possibly have been Hugh and Christopher Merywether of Cheverell Magna who appear in the 1547 Wiltshire taxpayers list, whilst that for 1576 includes Joane and John Merewether of Cheverell Magna and Christopher of Worton. But there is no firm patriarchal line as Merryweathers were in many places in Wiltshire in the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries, and there are fewer chances of finding surviving documents before these times. In 1538, Henry VIII ordered all parishes to maintain systematic records of baptisms, marriages and burials but only around 800 registers now survive and tragically, at St. Katherine's, Sedgehill the earliest extant registers start as late as 1706. The possibility that the gap might be filled by transcripts of all entries which the priest was supposed to send annually to his bishop proved to be very disappointing as the few surviving fragmentary Sedgehill membranes show only the following Merryweathers: Baptisms. Thomas, son of Anthony 17 January 1633 Nicholas, son of Anthony 30 March 1635 Alice, daughter of Anthony & Rebecca 31 March 1639 Burials. Maria, daughter of John 8 June 1622 Ann, 20 August 1742 John, 10 February 1757 Churchwardens. John, 1624 Anthony, 1715 John, 1765[?] However, the registers of the parish of St. Michael the Archangel at neighbouring Mere start in 1561 and include: Andrew, son of Andrew baptised, 9 February 1630 Antonie married Rebecca Forward, 12 April 1630 At adjacent East Knoyle an earlier marriage was Melior to William Henstridge 12 June 1575. Whilst no connection can be claimed to Andrew Merriweather Gent. of East Knoyle whose Will was proved at the Archdeacon of Sarum's Court 23 December 1643, his Christian name and that of others mentioned is continued in succeeding generations of local Merryweathers. It is possible, but not provable that Andrew was an ancestor of ours and as the Will shows, a fairly wealthy one at that. To the poor of East Knoyle 40/- [Ł2.00]. To godson Andrew son of brother Richard Ł10. To Katherine, daughter of brother Walter Ł30. To Anthony Merriweather, John Merriweather and my goddaughter Joane the sons and daughter of my brother John Ł20 apiece .... To godson Andrew Merriweather, the son of my kinsman Anthony Merriweather before mentioned and godson Andrew Merriweather the son of my kinsman John aforementioned Ł9 apiece to remain in hands of overseers until the last named godsons shall accomplish 21 years of age. To godchildren not named in my Will 2/- [10p] apiece. To kinswoman Joane Merriweather that now liveth in house within Ł120 and bedstead in which I now lieth, my feather bolster etc., greatcoat, brass pan and three barrels. To brother Richard, executor, the balance of my goods. And shall we ever know what connections there might have been with 'Osmund Merewether of Pharam [Fareham] in County South⁴ Yeoman and Jacob Merewether of Fovant Wilts, Husbandman ...' who entered into an Administration Bond for the huge sum of Ł1000 in respect of the goods of Richard Mereweather the elder of Fovant on 28 May 1644? In another Bond of 4 April 1648, Osmund was also revealed as the nephew and Administrator of the goods of Andrew Mereweather deceased of East Knoyle.⁵ Are these people our direct ancestors whose names could be added to the family tree? Alas, records being absent, they can only be thought of as kinsmen and join the dozens of other Merryweathers in the files who seem to belong nowhere in particular. Local happenings would have impinged upon the lives of our ancestors and we know something of life during the period of the Civil War in which the West Country played an important part, with the passing and re-passing of rival armies even though far removed from the fighting, and the disruption of life during the general disorder. Protests materialised in the years 1645 and 1646 in the form of a movement called the 'Clubmen' who claimed to be neutral in the quarrel between King and Parliament, concerned only to protect themselves against damage to their property caused by both sides. The movement was strongest in the areas around Shaftesbury, Gillingham,⁶ Mere and Wincanton where the three Counties meet and where the memory of the struggle against enclosure of the royal forest was not dead.⁷ There is a vivid account of the sufferings of a Merryweather Quaker family and others at the hands of the Puritans, still being persecuted even after the 1660 Restoration of King Charles II to the throne.⁸ 1661. John Collens's letter to E Hooks of ye 15^th of 8^mo. The 13^th of ye 8^mo there came souldiers to the house of John Merryweather of Fovant in the County of Wilts, as Friends were in the backside parting from each other and some were gone: and their warrant being demanded they drew their swords and with great threatnings demanded us away with them: which we refusing, one went and fetched their Lieut. and Ensigne (as they called them) and brought an order under the hand of Sir John How. So they brought us to their Capt. Sharpe and so to Wilton that night: where the Captain demanded our names to the end to make our Mittimus,⁹ and they told me he did. I asked whither they would not think us very indiscreet to be accessory to our own committment, and also if we were brought before some in authority (we being not sensible of any crime) we might then be discharged and not committed, but they were angry. And the next day the Capt. demanded the same thing again several times, but he not prevailing was angry and told me we all deserved to be hanged, a company of Quaking knaves. And so sent us to prison to Fisherton [in Salisbury] with a Guard of Musqueteers, who delivered us to ye keeper, who knowing our names sent them for a Mittimus of Capt. Sharp's sending with his hand and seal, so we are here until we shall be delivered by the Deputy Lieuts. of the County. We are ten apprehended together, several poor men, viz., John Meryweather and his two sons Andrew and John, and one Henry Moon whom they took on ye highway, John Jennings, Henry Ingram, Thomas Mercer, Ralph Bennet, James Abbott, Thomas Bodman and John Collens. And its sequel.¹⁰ January 24 1661. Fr. Sambrook (Deputy Clerk of the Peace of Wells), to Seymour Bowman. Justice Wyndham, who ruled their sessions, ordered a number of sectaries in prison to be discharged, nine of whom have taken the Oath of Allegiance; the two most notorious, Jo Mereweather of Fovant and John Hicks, are still detained. There are numerous other Merryweathers in local records and so it seems that for several centuries past our ancestors lived either in the area or in the adjacent Counties of Dorset, Hampshire and Somerset where other families were to be found. ¹ From this yeoman's Diary and Family Book, 1593. ² The size of this area of land depended on its soil quality, but was usually about 30 acres. ³ Mrs. M H Waley's letter to me related how at a WAS meeting at Chippenham, Wiltshire in 1902, the Rev. W G Clark-Maxwell read a paper, The Customs of Four Manors of the Abbey of Lacock. Two cartularies [collections of charters and records], were involved. ⁴ Southampton, like Bristol, was formerly a County town in its own right. ⁵ From Archdeacon of Sarum documents in the WRO. ⁶ The pronunciation is with a hard G, and strongly defended by local folk. ⁷ J H Bettey. Rural Life in Wessex. Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire 1977. ⁸ N Penney. Quakerism in Wiltshire. WNQ. Vol. II p.174-5. ⁹ A warrant committing a person to prison. ¹⁰ Calendar of Domestic State Papers. Vol.XXIX 12.1661. ¹¹ Until 1752, the 25 March was the civil and legal New Year's Day, therefore the 24 January came after 15 October 1661.