Rowland Meyrick

Rowland Meyrick (Merrick) (1505–1566) was a Welsh bishop of Bangor.

Born at Bodorgan in the parish of Llangadwaladr, Anglesey, in 1505, he was the second son of Meyric ab Llewelyn ab Heylin, by Margaret daughter of Rowland ab Hywl, rector of Aberffraw in the same county. He was named after his maternal grandfather, and educated at St Edward Hall, Oxford. He graduated B.C.L. 9 December 1531, and proceeded D.C.L. 17 Feb. 1538. He was principal of New Inn Hall from 1534 to 1536.

In 1541 he obtained preferment at Eglwysael, and was also made precentor of Llandewy-Velfrey, Pembrokeshire. In 1544 he was collated to the vicarage of Stoke-by-Nayland, Suffolk. About 1547 he was appointed chancellor of the diocese of Wells, and in 1550 became canon and chancellor of St David's Cathedral. In this capacity he took a leading part in the struggle between the chapter and Bishop Robert Ferrar. The bishop on his appointment in 1550 found malpractice and theft of church property; and in a letter to the lord chancellor Thomas Goodrich accused Meyrick of 'shameless whoredom'; the details were recorded by John Foxe in his Acts and Monuments. Meyrick consequently refused to acknowledge the bishop's authority to make a visitation of the cathedral, and led the chapter in a factious opposition. Articles were exhibited against the bishop, containing vague accusations and Ferrar was on a charge of praemunire committed to prison. He remained there until Mary I of England came to the throne, and he was sent to the stake for another series of offences. Of the bishop's three bitterest enemies, Thomas Young and George Constantine asked for his pardon before his martyrdom in 1555, but Meyrick did not.

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