Z6 ANTIQUITIES OF NORTHUMBERLAND. 



He founded the abbey of Neiu-Min/ter ; on the north fide of the 

 chapel of which he was interred, with his lady, and their Ion 

 Ojlert (it). William dc Merlay was a benefactor to an hofpital in 

 Morpeth, of his anceflors foundation (-u). The three laft Lords 

 Merlay were all of the name of Roger; the firft of whom, by pay- 

 ing a fine of twenty marks and two good palfreys, i K. John, 

 1199, acquired for his borough of Morpeth a weekly market on 

 Wednefdays, and an annual fair (ivj. He was interred at Neiv- 

 Mitifter (x). The fecond Roger Lord Alerlay contributed much to 



(it) Ratntlphus de Met lay, una cum Juliana uxor ejus, et Oflerto filio ejus, fepulti funt in 



borcaii pane domus capituli Novi Monafterii quod condidit. 



Ex Aut. graphs peramiquo, 



(v) Willielmui de Merlay omnibus fuis hominibus, & amicis, et vicinis, cl'ericis, etlaicis, 

 francigenis & angligenis, nee non et omnibus dilcftis filiis fancls matris ecclefias, falutem. 

 Notum fit vobis omnibus, tarn prasfentibus, quam futuris, ad quorum notitiam & audicn- 

 tiam litterse ifhe pervcnirint, me et mcos homines dediiu;, & conceffifTe, in perpetua elemo- 

 fina, imam carucatam terras dotnui infirmorum de fiforpatht, &c. Iftam donationem meam, & 

 meorum hominum fieri, & teneri & haberi, ilcut perennem elemofinam perennitur concejo, 

 & cartulas hujus infcriptione, & figilli mei atteftatione confirmo. Teftibus iftis, Petro de 

 Morpatbc t Helia facerdote, Caufrtdo Parcbier, Walter/) c'e Rocbejbaro, Aldret de Windgate, Ri- 

 Mo ' Petro Janitorc, &c. -- Monaft. A^gl. Vol. i. p. 801. 



(iv) Jolannes del gratia rex Angfi& t &c. Sciatis nos conceffifle, et prajfenti carta con- 

 firmaffc, Rogero de Merlay et hsercdibus fuis quod habcant in perpctuum fingulis annis unam 

 Tenant apud Morpctb per unam diern duraturam, viz. in fefto Sanda: Maiite Magdalen*, et 

 fingulis Ebdomadis unum mercatum in die Mercurii. Qiiaie volumus ctfirmiter prsecipimus, 

 quod prxdiftus ~Rogcrus et hsredes fui poft ipfum picediclam feriam et prpedi&um mercatum 

 habeant benc et in pace ficut pnediclum eft in omnibus libertatibus et liberis confuetudinibus 

 ad hujufmodi t'erias et mercata pertinentibus. Ita tamen quod non fmt ad nocumentum vi- 

 cinarum feriarum, aut vicinorum mercatorum. His teftibus, Galfrida filio Peiri com. de 

 E/ex, WiU'ulmo Brewer, Hugone Bardon, WiUiebnt de StutviU, Riberto de Rus, &c. 



Carta de anno i R. Jobannis. 



(x) Cum Rogerus de Merlay primus hsc etalia confilia compleviflct, obdormivit in domino, 

 et in domo capituli Novi Mona/lerii cum patre fuo fcpultus eft. Et fucceflit ei Rogerus films, 

 qui dicitur Rogevui de Merlay fecundus. Ex allographs perantiquo. 



the 



