• General Notes

  of Merton
  
  
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  John D'Oyly, Esq. of Merton, in Oxfordshire, eldest son and heir of Robert, succeeded to the manor of Merton under the terms of Queen Mary's grant of it to his father; and soon after his father's decease in 1577, erected the present mansion at Merton,[574] which stands at the eastern extremity of the village, and faces the north. It is entered by a porch leading through a passage to the hall, beyond which is a large parlour; similar apartments occupying the ground floor of the south front, which was in the form of a Roman L. Of this portion of the building, a long gallery ran along the upper part. At the end of the garden was a small terrace raised against the wall, which afforded a view of Ottmoor and the surrounding villages; while the court close was laid out in pleasure grounds, and bounded on the north by a moat or fishpond. There is a drawing of Merton Hall in Dunkin's Oxfordshire.—Here John D'Oyly lived during Elizabeth's reign, "and was deservedly esteemed," says Dunkin, "throughout the neighbourhood, for his great hospitality, and for the honest discharge of his duty as a magistrate."[575] He was High Sheriff of Oxfordshire in 27th Eliz. 1584.[576] —During his father's lifetime,[577] this gentleman married Anne, daughter of Francis Barnard, Esq. Lord of Abbington, near Northampton; by Alice his wife, daughter of John Haselwood, of Maydwell, co. Northampton, by Catharine his wife, daughter and heiress of William Marmion, Lord of Galby, co. Leicester; which Alice Haselwood was no doubt aunt of Robert, who married Elizabeth, sister of John D'Oyly. The Barnards had possessed Abbington for two centuries; bore, "Argent, a bear rampant sable;" and there descended from them, the Baronets Barnard of Huntingdon (now extinct), and the Barnards of Castle Barnard in Ireland.[578] Having settled Merton on his wife, John D'Oyly, Esq. died in June 1593, leaving her surviving, and was interred in Merton church; at the north side of which is a handsome alabaster monument to his memory, erected by Anne his widow. Beneath a circular canopy, supported by pilasters, are the effigies of a man in armour, and his wife, kneeling, with books of devotion; beneath them four daughters, also kneeling. The inscription is divided into three compartments, two below the figures, and one above; the former of which run thus:
  
  "Here lyeth buryed John D'Oyly, of Merton, Esquire, who has been Shrieve and Justice of the Peace in Oxfordshire. He lived in great reputation in his countreye, for his sinceritie in religion, integritie in life, equitie in justice, and hospitalitie."
  
  "Anne Barnarde, who made for him this monument, being the daughter of Francis Barnarde, of Northamptonshire, Esquier, was his only wife, by whome he had issue these four daughters and heires, Margerie, Katharine, Anne, and Elizabeth."
  Above the effigies, at the top of the monument, is the third inscription, surmounted with the D'Oyly arms, quartering Moore; the whole differenced with a crescent in fesse point. This inscription runs thus,
  "He dyed the 17th of June, Anno D'ni 1593, of the reign of Queen Elizabeth 35.— This John D'Oyly was descended of the D'Oylys who were Barons in the Conqueror's time, of Hocknorton, in the county of Oxford, founders of the Abbaye of Osney, and of the Castell of Oxford, and were also Lords of Wallingford Castle."[579]
  By John D'Oyly's inquis. post mortem, it appears, that he died seised of the Merton estate, and that he left only four daughters, all then minors, his coheiresses.[580] —Anne, his relict, married, secondly, Sir James Harington, of Ridlington, co. Rutland, created a Baronet in 1611, brother of John Lord Harington, of Exton, and third son of Sir James Harington, by Lucy his wife, daughter of Sir William Sydney, Knt. The said Anne was his second wife, and had no issue by him, though he enjoyed Merton in her right for his life, and died in 1613.[581] She survived him also, and wedded, thirdly, Sir Harry Poole, of Wiltshire, "a prudent and provident knight," in whose possession Merton remained till 1622. John D'Oyly's four daughter-coheirs by her were

Details of John's family with Anne Bernard