Post by Peter on Jul 6, 2019 20:37:12 GMT
Richard ap Merrick
Or Richard ap Meryk, anglicised to Richard Amerike (or Ameryk) (c. 1440–1503) was an Anglo-Welsh merchant, royal customs officer and, at the end of his life, sherriff of Bristol. Several claims have been made for Amerike by popular writers of the late twentieth century. One was that he was the major funder of the voyage of exploration launched from Bristol by the Venetian John Cabot, who sailed from Bristol, in 1497, and that Amerike was the owner of Cabot's ship, the Mathew. The other claim revived a theory first proposed in 1908 by a Bristolian scholar and amateur historian, Alfred Hudd. Hudd's theory, greatly elaborated by later writers, suggested that the continental name America was derived from Amerike's surname in gratitude for his sponsorship of Cabot's successful discovery expedition to the 'New World'. However, neither claim is backed up by hard evidence. The consensus view is that America is named after Amerigo Vespucci, the Italian explorer. However, this claim is equally devoid of hard evidence. Both claims for America's naming having equal merit, it will remain so until someone discovers an ancient document verifying one or the other, or a 3rd party.
Proceeding on the reasonable possibility that Richard ap Meryk is the rightful claimant, we will list his details.
'Amerike' is an anglicised spelling of the Welsh ap Meuric, ap Meurig or ap Meryk, which means "son of Meurig". It was, however, only one of the many different ways that the customs officer's name was rendered, even in official documents. The 'Amerike' version was noted by some modern historians because it looked like 'America' and because this was how his name was spelled on a tomb brass created for his daughter in 1538.
Ap Meryk's place and date of birth are unknown. One modern author suggests that Richard Amerike was born in 1445 at Meryk Court, Weston under Penyard, near Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire. He may have been born earlier than this, since one of Amerike's daughters, Joan, was married to a future lawyer, John Broke, by April 1479. While there were certainly Merricks in and around Weston under Penyard, Richard Amerike's genealogy and connection to Merrick Court have not been verified. The only contemporary document to refer to his background states that he was from Chepstow, a Welsh port close to Bristol.
References:
www.geni.com/people/Richard-Merrick/6000000008743487001
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Amerike
A similar Richard ap Meryk was born in Angelsey the same year, and was also a sherriff.
www.geni.com/people/Richard-Merrick/6000000008743487001
Or Richard ap Meryk, anglicised to Richard Amerike (or Ameryk) (c. 1440–1503) was an Anglo-Welsh merchant, royal customs officer and, at the end of his life, sherriff of Bristol. Several claims have been made for Amerike by popular writers of the late twentieth century. One was that he was the major funder of the voyage of exploration launched from Bristol by the Venetian John Cabot, who sailed from Bristol, in 1497, and that Amerike was the owner of Cabot's ship, the Mathew. The other claim revived a theory first proposed in 1908 by a Bristolian scholar and amateur historian, Alfred Hudd. Hudd's theory, greatly elaborated by later writers, suggested that the continental name America was derived from Amerike's surname in gratitude for his sponsorship of Cabot's successful discovery expedition to the 'New World'. However, neither claim is backed up by hard evidence. The consensus view is that America is named after Amerigo Vespucci, the Italian explorer. However, this claim is equally devoid of hard evidence. Both claims for America's naming having equal merit, it will remain so until someone discovers an ancient document verifying one or the other, or a 3rd party.
Proceeding on the reasonable possibility that Richard ap Meryk is the rightful claimant, we will list his details.
'Amerike' is an anglicised spelling of the Welsh ap Meuric, ap Meurig or ap Meryk, which means "son of Meurig". It was, however, only one of the many different ways that the customs officer's name was rendered, even in official documents. The 'Amerike' version was noted by some modern historians because it looked like 'America' and because this was how his name was spelled on a tomb brass created for his daughter in 1538.
Ap Meryk's place and date of birth are unknown. One modern author suggests that Richard Amerike was born in 1445 at Meryk Court, Weston under Penyard, near Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire. He may have been born earlier than this, since one of Amerike's daughters, Joan, was married to a future lawyer, John Broke, by April 1479. While there were certainly Merricks in and around Weston under Penyard, Richard Amerike's genealogy and connection to Merrick Court have not been verified. The only contemporary document to refer to his background states that he was from Chepstow, a Welsh port close to Bristol.
References:
www.geni.com/people/Richard-Merrick/6000000008743487001
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Amerike
A similar Richard ap Meryk was born in Angelsey the same year, and was also a sherriff.
www.geni.com/people/Richard-Merrick/6000000008743487001