Mello is a small village in the canton of Neuilly-en-Thelle, arrondissement of Senlis, in the present-day département of Oise, about 45 kilometres north of Paris. In medieval times, it was the site of an important castle, the earliest references to which in the primary sources date to the late 11th century. Depoin refers to the château de Mello as "le chef-lieu d´une très ancienne seigneurie du Beauvaisis"[638]. The family of the seigneurs de Mello rose to some prominence in the region, as shown by the position of their names in the subscriber lists of various charters which are quoted below. One branch of the family settled in the county of Auxerre in the duchy of Burgundy (see the document BURGUNDY DUCHY NOBILITY). There was a tradition, now impossible to verify, that the family was descended from Charlemagne: Hugues le Poitevin´s mid-12th century Histoire de Vézelay, when recording the appointment as abbot of "Guilelmum de Meloto", adds that he "Caroli Magni de Rupe Merloti proles edidit"[639]. Depoin makes the point that the name Dreux, borne by many members of the Mello, was also closely associated with the Carolingian dynasty[640].
The reconstruction of the early generations of the family is problematic. The genealogy as shown by Père Anselme is inaccurate and incomplete[641]. Later attempts, in particular those of Depoin in the early 20th century, have been confused by the additon of a possible "Gilbert [II] Seigneur de Mello" in the early 12th century. This results from an interpretation of a mid-12th century charter which names numerous members of the family, and refers to an early grant of property by "dominus Gillebertus de Mello" to one of his sons[642]. However, a careful study of the chronology of the family shows that there is insufficient time for the insertion of Gilbert [II] as an additional generation and that this charter must in fact refer to Gilbert [I] Seigneur de Mello. In addition, no other references have been found in charters to a Gilbert [II], although all other members of the family are recorded in numerous documents. I am grateful to Jean-Claude Chuat for providing information on many charters which have been useful in establishing the reconstruction which is shown below.
GILBERT [I] de Mello (-after [before 1106]). A charter dated to before 1106 records a donation to the priory of Saint-Leu d’Esserent, guaranteed by "Gislebertus de Marlo et filius eius Drogo", witnessed by "Philippo cognomento Compains", and the subsequent challenge of the donation and settlement of the challenge[1187]. Depoin suggests the existence of a Gilbert [II] de Mello, supposed son of Dreux [I] and father of Gilbert [I]’s two younger sons Guillaume and Yves who are shown below[1188]. However, the chronology of births of the Mello family, as shown below, would not permit the insertion of another generation. m ---. The name of Gilbert's wife is not known. It is possible that Gilbert [I] married twice and that his two sons Guillaume and the younger Yves, shown below, were sons of this supposed second marriage. The second son named Yves would presumably have been born after the death of Gilbert [I]’s first son named Yves. Gilbert [I] & his wife had five children