Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Meyrick, John (1538-1599)
MEYRICK, JOHN (1538–1599), bishop of Sodor and Man, natural son of Owen ab Huw ab Owen ab Meyric of Bodeon, Anglesey, and Gwenllian, daughter of Evan of Penrhyn Deudraeth, Merionethshire, became scholar of Winchester College in 1550, was admitted scholar of New College, Oxford, in July 1555, and fellow on 5 July 1557. He graduated B. A. on 12 Dec. 1558, M. A. on 26 June 1562, and served as junior proctor in 1565. In 1570 he was presented to the college living of Hornchurch, Essex, and in 1575, on the nomination of Henry Stanley, fourth earl Derby, elected bishop of Sodor and Man, the queen assenting on 5 Nov. and again on 13 April 1576. He was consecrated at Lambeth on 15 April 1576 by Grindal, archbishop of Canterbury, the diocese of York, in which Man is, being then vacant. Meyrick held the bishopric for twenty-three years, but his position involved many hardships which he detailed in a letter to Lord Burghley. He also furnished Camden with an account of the Isle of Man, preserved in Cotton MS. Julius F. 10, part of which is printed in Camden's 'Britannia,' ii. 390. Meyrick died on 7 Nov. 1599.
Two of Meyrick's half-brothers were also educated at Winchester and New College, Oxford. One, William, was admitted scholar of New College, Oxford, on 9 March 1565-6, fellow on 9 March 1567-8, graduating B.C.L. on 28 Jan. 1573-4, and D.C.L. on 5 July 1582, and was subsequently chantor, commissary, and chancellor of Bangor, when he vacated his fellowship, and rector of Llanvechell. He died in 1605. The other, Maurice (1563-1640), was admitted scholar of New College on 31 March 1582, aged 19, and fellow on 31 March 1584, graduated B..A. on 27 Oct. 1585, and M.A. on 2 June 1589, was subsequently steward of New College and registrar of the university, 1600-8; he resigned his fellowship in August 1595. By his wife, Jane, daughter of Lewis Evans, he was father of Sir William Meyrick (d. 1668), judge of the prerogative court of Canterbury, who is separately noticed.
[Lansd. MSS. lxiii. 81, 982 f. 274; Cotton MS. Julius F. x. 124; Wood's Athenæ Oxon. ii. 843; Foster's Alumni Oxon. 1500-1714; Tanner's Bibl. Brit.; paper by Sir Samuel Rush Meyrick in Gent. Mag. 1825, i. 403; Camden's Britannia, ii. 390; Le Neve's Fasti; Williams's Eminent Welshmen; Kirby's Winchester Scholars; information kindly supplied by the Warden of New College.]