Roger... son and heir, who, the 12th of Henry II. upon the assessment of aid for marrying the king's daughter, certified his knights fees to be three de veteri feoffamento, and a fourth and a fifth part de novo; besides four which he held in demesne. He died the 34th Henry II. when Duncan, earl of Fife (in Scotland), gave 500 marks to the king for the wardship of Roger, his son and heir, to the intent that he might marry his daughter. 1
-----------------------------------
Roger de Merlay the First, under the designation of Roger, son of Ranulph, confirmed to the monks of St. Cuthbert the tilled and untilled land of Morwick, for the health of the souls of himself, his wife, and his heirs, and for the health of the souls of his dear brother Wm de Merlai, and of all his forefathers;... In 1164, the sheriff of the county accounted for him into the exchequer for 75s. 10d.; and, in the following year, he himself certified that he held in capite of the king, four knights' fees in Northumberland (Morp. Misc. No. 3); and occurs in the Great Roll as owing one mark and one hunting horse for an agreement for some land between him and Eilaff, the son of Gospatric. Also, in the same Roll, he occurs in 14 Henry II. as paying four marks for the aid for marrying Maud, the king's daughter, to the Roman emperor. In the sixteenth year of the same reign, he accounted for twenty marks imposed upon him as a fine, for his horses being taken in the king's forest; and, in the next year, for thirteen marks for a like offence. In 1272 [sic: i.e. 1172], he paid four pounds for scutage. He died in 1188, and was buried near his father. 2
-----------------------------------
Alice de Stuteville's husband, Roger de Merlay, succeeded to his lands before 1166 (RBE, I, 444), but their son was a minor when Roger died in 1187-8 (PR 34 Henry II, 100); he succeeded before 1194-5. 3
-----------------------------------
William was dead at Michaelmas 1165, when Roger de Merlay accounted for 75s 10d in Northumberland ( PR 11 Henry II , 28). Roger was brother to William, as appears from a confirmation for Durham, given by ‘Rogerus de Merlai filius Rannulfi de Merlai’, of the land in Morwick ‘pro animabus cari fratris mei Willelmi de Merlai et aliorum antecessorum meorum’ (Hodgson, Northumberland , pt 3, vol. 2, pp. 142–3). The date must be after October 1162, the earliest date for the witness German, prior of Durham, and before September 1174, when the witness John, archdeacon of Northumberland, died. In 1166 Roger held four knights’ fees in chief of the king in Northumberland ( RBE , 444). the year to Michaelmas 1166 he accounted for 10 marks and a hunting horse for the king’s consent to an agreement between himself and Eilaf fitz Gospatric concerning land ( PR 12 Henry II , 76; PR 13 Henry II , 75). 4
Also called Roger DE MERLEY