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Bill for proby money, amount not specified. Addressed to the Master of Jesus College and signed by R. Merry. Written at Guilden Morden.

Paid £20 for Guilden Morden Church Restoration

Letter addressed to "My dear Master" signed by R. Merry. Concerning £107 7s received by the Worcester Old Bank on the behalf of R. Merry from the Master.

Letter from R. Merry to William French, 5th October 1844. Written from Jesus College. Mentions that he doesn't recall correspondence with Mr. Wright where Wright said he was to be guest of Professor Challis or Dr. Ollivant instead of Mr. Berry and Dr. Ollivant's curate, but Merry admits it was his misunderstanding and that Wright was correct. Merry has agreed with Mr. Willis, the London bookseller, that he should take off the College's hands the set of Robert's sketches for £21 in exchange for his own books as priced in his catalogue minus 10%. Merry then asked Mr. Dimmock to ask at the Lodge for the numbers but the servant could only find four of the last. Could he send instruction to the servant so he can find all the drawings. Mr. Birkett arrived and is looking forward to seeing French. Merry is labouring under his old chest attack brough on by a cold caught by removing his furniture and which makes it hurt when he uses his voice. He hopes to set out for his wedding on Thursday. He expects he and Mr Birkett will see each other often enough even once he has gone to Guilden Morden. Mr. Drake repeated his formal renunciation of Guilden Morden.

Letter from R. Merry to William French. Writes to tender his resignation of the tutorship he holds in College. Thanks French for his kindness and help during his tenure of the post. Mr Birkett's address is Kelloe, Durham. He returns Mrs. Otter's letter having answered it. Mr Gaskin has ordered Robert's sketches for the College Library. The first set of 20 costs 40 guineas. Only 14 are as of yet published. However, Merry along with Mr. Drake, Mr. Gibson, the three succeeding deans to Mr. Gaskin, Mr Wordham, every Fellow he has spoken to about it and indeed French himself agree that Robert's sketches are suited for a drawing room and not a College Library and that Mr. Gaskin should not have purchased them. At this point it hadn't been entered into the Library catalogue, so Merry suggests parting with it in exchange for some more valuable works for the library. A bookseller in London he has been in touch with has offered 20 guineas for the set and also has a set of Dodsley's Annual Register, 1758 - 1841 for sale at 14 guineas. Asks for French's approval for this. Also mentioned that his fellowship will become vacant soon as he gets married on 17th October or possibly 24th October. But he expects to be presented to the living at Guilden Morden by then.

Letter from R. Merry, of Guilden Morden, Royston, to the Master of Jesus College, regarding permission to buy a property with money from the Froby Fund. Dated October 1st 1845.

I certainly took this living with the intention of building a parsonage; but on counting this cost of building, laying out the ground, making a road, fitting up, furnishing it I find I should quite impoverish myself for life by the undertaking. I therefore proposed to my landlord Mr. Smyth Fedworth to take my present house on a lease of 7 or 14 years on condition that he could make certain alterations such as building a drawing room but on my applying to the Bishop (at Mr Smythe’s suggestion) for his sanction to this flaw, his lordship refers me to the Plurality Act of 1838 (which I before knew nothing of) he considers himself bound to refuse me to build – this notwithstanding my [?] that if only this house might be [illegible] for the Vicarage, in about 60 years or lest (as I calculated) the Froby Fund would yield 500 towards building. All that I have now to obtain is a license to live in my present residence to Dec. 31 1846 “if being intended in pursuance of the provisions of the Plurality Act that I should build a new House or make the present one fit for residence or reside therein.” Being thus it [illegible] forced to provide a Vicarage I have turned my thoughts towards the purchasing of my present house & converting it into a permanent & convenient residence by such repairs as it well admits of I think. Mr Smythe bought this house with a barn stables & an adjoining yard of 13./2 acres of the best land of this parish for £1575 (as he himself has told me). The land, he tells me, lets for £43, two cottages on it let for £7, the barn is rented by my tenant for £10, I pay £25 for the house & the malting premises in my yard let for something more, £5 I dare say. Now all this he has offered me to sell for 2000 [underlined] (which I certainly consider very little money as he paid £80, he says, for making out the title). Dr. Webb told me a short time ago that the land alone (I understand him) would have been worth 1700 to the College, from its value and favourable situation, as it adjoins the Vicarage paddock. Now I suppose you consider the Froby Fund could not be employed to uby this house. But my proposal is this, that 1670 should come and of the Froby Fund to purchase the land with the two cottages (which certainly come under the item “tenements” of the Froby act) the rental of which is £50, & that the remaining 330 to buy this house, garden, premises, & barn should come out of the living. The land is well worth the rent, indeed Dr. Webb told me he had understood some of it was worth £5 an acre. I have calculated the fee of 3 percent for the Froby money, according to what I understand from Ian [?]. The land would be most valuable to the Vicar, besides its intrinsic worth, from its situation, and if I buy the barn out of the living, the amount wanted for this living is 106 a year
Add Mr Graham’s 48
And then there will be more than enough for the [?] next Xmas at 3 percent. I confess I am extremely anxious that the purchases that he made & as seen as affordable for Mr. Smythe being a monied man know fitting more than 5 percent for his money might not he dispound [?] to sell it at another time besides that he is in a bad state of health this heir in the event of his death might choose never to part with so good a purchase.
To prevent delay, if the College would permit me to buy the land as I have prepared for 1670 at 3 percent out of the Froby Fund, when it can be done, I would borrow the 2000 of my mother (who has offered it me) & make the purchase myself at once (if you thought it proper [all underlined]) in order to secure this bargain [all underlined], on condition that the College would afterwards buy the land of me for this living.
I am very anxious for an immediate settlement of the bargain (if possible) for this reason also, that the house wants general repairs to make if comfortable for the winter who cannot be done under this uncertainty.
I trust your health is now completely restored.
I remain, my dear Master, your’s [sic] truly,

[Signed] R. Merry

An added note thanks Mr. French & Family.

Letter from R. Merry to the Master of Jesus College, asking permission for a loan of £1050 to build a vicarage house by the request of the Bishop of Ely.

Asking the College to assist in the erection of a National School Room and Master's House. The site has been given by Lord Hardwicke and various contributions have been received (he encloses a list). He has carried on a day school in the Vicarage Cottage since March, the parents are very grteful.

[Note from R. Merry to the Master of Jesus College, Cambridge]

'My dear Master,

I have determined to come to Cambridge on Wednesday morning, in case you want to put any question to me.,
But I purpose leaving for Cheltenham on important business before the dinner. I will try to be in Cambridge by 10 or 10 ½.

Yours truly,

R. Merry'

Further correspondence between R. Merry and the Master of Jesus College, Cambridge. Makes a renewed request that the College Makes a renewed request that the College ‘relieve’ R. Merry from the ‘necessity of building a house’ at Guilden Morden by purchasing it with money from the Froby Fund.

A receipt for £111 1s 6d deposited in the account of J. G. Fordham and Sons from the Reverend R. Merry, per Revd. G C Corne. Signed by Nathan Beale.

Series of letters to the Revd. Dr. French from Rev. Robert Merry;

(1) Ely, 25th August 1845

Rev. Sir,

At present I have great doubt whether the Law will allow me to accede to your request, however disposed I may be to do so. The 1 & 2 Victoria c. 106 feet 62 appears to the imperative upon me; but I will carefully examine the matter, and do the best I can in the case. I will write again in the course of a week or so.
Understanding that the money for your school will not be wanted till next year, you may put me down for £10.

I remain, Rev. Sir, yours very faithfully,

[Signed] Rev. Robert Merry

(2) Ely, 27th August 1845

Rev. Sir,

I can find nothing that can abate the force of the Act which I specified in my last note. A house cannot be built in a day; so that some time must be allowed for the building of one. Uour best plan, as it appears to me, will be to ascertain when [underlined] you may rely [underlined] upon the assistance of the Froby Fund; and let me know the result of your inquiries.

I have the honour to be, Rev. Sir, your very faithful servant

[Signed] The Rev. R. Merry.

(3) Ely ,8th of September 1845

Rev. Sir,

On inquiry, I find that the clause to which I referred you is compulsory [underlined]: in other words, that there is no other Act or clause that can relieve me from the necessity of enforcing the building of a house of residence. As therefore I have no discretionary power in the matter, I trust that you will take such steps as may be needful for the building of a Glebe House.
In almost all cases of small livings without fit houses of residence, the same difficulties will arise; but however much a Bishop may lament that there should be such difficulties, he is bound to carry the Act into effect.

I have the honour to be, Rev. Sir, your very faithful servant.

[Signed] Rev. Robert Merry.

(4) Ely, 17th of September, 1845

Rev. Sir,

I have given directions for a License for non-Residence, corresponding to your Petition, till 31 Dec. 1846. This will afford time for considering what may be the best to be done.
I have the honour to be, Rev. Sir, your faithful servant.

[Signed] Rev. Robert Merry.

List of students and prize payments. Addressed to R. Merry from Linthwaite Somerville School. Sum of £106 18s 10d. Signed by R. Merry