merry/marry/mary in Merry Olde England

[Joel S. Berson]

Bampfylde-Moore Carew writes of the judge at Exeter who sentenced him
in 1739 to be transported to Maryland:

"The Chairman then told him, He must proceed to a hotter Country; he
enquired in what Climate, and being told Merryland, he with great
Composure made a critical Observation on the Pronounciation of that
Word, implying that he apprehended it ought to be pronounced Maryland ...".

[Wilkinson, "The King of the Beggars" (1931), either page 132 or 149.]

Does this move the merry/marry borders?  :-)

Joel

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