Michael Metcalf

Notes:

He was warden of St. Benedict's in Norwich from 1619 to 1634.

He first tried to emigrate to New England in 1636, but his ship was forced back to England. Before this, he wrote a lengthy letter "to all the true professors of Christs gospel within the city of Norwich", where he then resided, setting forth in great detail his religious beliefs and reasons for wishing to emigrate. This letter has survived and was printed in full in the The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, volume 16, pages 279-84, 1862, viewable to anyone with an NEHGS membership.

In about 1636-37 Michael Metcalf appeared at the Norwich Consistory Court as a supporting witness for the Reverend Thomas Allen, who himself later emigrated after being silenced by the bishop. Shortly after his testimony, Michael and his family, plus sixteen-year-old servant Thomas Comberbach, arrived in New England in 1637 and settled at Dedham.

Michael Metcalf was a dornick weaver, dornick being a coarse variety of damask used for curtains, carpets, and wall hangings, originally made at Tournai in what is now Belgium. The Flemish name for Tournai is Doornick.

"Metcalf was an interesting person. He appears to have been a very well-to-do citizen of Norwich and a fiery Puritan. His zeal brought him into conflict with his bishop, Matthew Wrenn, who cited him into the Bishop's Court, and by his persecution brought about his flight to New England. In his trial by the Long Parliament one of the charges brought against Wrenn was his cruelty to Metcalf, which compelled him to remove to New England to the detriment of Norwich's manufactures. Metcalf, after his arrival in Massachusetts, settled at Dedham, whence he wrote several long and religious epistles to his friends in Norwich, and the certificate of his freedom of Norwich is still preserved in the Dedham Historical Society." [G. Andrews Moriarty, The Elwyns of Norfolk, London: Mitchell Hughes and Clarke, 1926]

Michael married Sarah Elwyn on 13 Oct 1616 in Waynham, Norfolk, England. Sarah (daughter of Thomas Elwyn and Elizabeth Bensley) was born before 13 Jun 1593; was christened on 13 Jun 1593 in Heigham, Norfolk, England; died on 30 Nov 1644 in Dedham, Norfolk, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Michael Metcalf was born before 30 Nov 1617; was christened on 30 Nov 1617 in St. Benedict, Norfolk, England; died on 25 Mar 1654 in Dedham, Norfolk, Massachusetts.

Notes:

He was rector of Tatterford, Norfolk and, at his death, also held the living of West Barsham in the same county.

The year and place of his birth is established in a deposition he gave to a diocesasn court of 23 Dec 1614, but the identity of his parents is unknown.

His wife and the mother of his children may have been the Amy Metcalf who was buried at Tatterford, Norfolk on 22 Dec 1602, but this is unproven.