John Jernyngan to Margaret Paston

Add. 43488, f. 42

1 June 1458

Gairdner, Vol III, item 369; Fenn, Vol I, Henry VI item 39

LETTER XXXIX.

Unto my Ryght Wurchipfull Cosyn Marget Paston yis lett^r
be delyu^rd in haste.

RYGHT Wurchipfull and my moste beste beloved Maystres
and Cosyn I Recommaund me unto you as lowly as I may
ev^rmor desyring to here of your gode welfar y^e whiche I
beseche Almyzthy J’hs to p’s^rve you and kepe you to his plesur
and to your g’cious herts desyre.

And yf it plese you to here of my welfar I was in gode hele
at y^e makyng of yis l’re blessed be God. Prayng you y^t it
plese you for to send me worde yf my sadyr wer at Norwiche
w^t you at ys Trenite Masse or no and how y^e matyr dothe
be twene my maystres Elawnche Wychynham and me and
ys ze sopose y^t it shall be brought a bowte or no and how ze
sele my sadyr yf he be wele wyllyng therto or no, prayng you
lowly y^t I may be recomaund lowly unto my Maystres Arb-
lastres wyse and unto my Maystres Blawnche her Dowzther
specially.

Ryght wurchipfull Cosyn yf it plese you for to her of suche
tydings as we have her y^e Basset of Burgoyne schall come to
Calleys y^e Saturday eftyr Corpus Xp’i day as men say v
hondred horse of hem.

Moreover on Trenite sonday in y^e mornyng came Tydings
unto my Lord of Warwyke y^t yer were xxviij^te Sayle of Spay-
nyards on y^e Se and wherof yer was xvj grete Schippis of
Forecastell and then my Lord went and manned fyve Schippis
of ¹ forecastell and iij ² Carvells and iiij ³ Spynnes and on y^e
monday on y^e mornyng eftyr Trenite Sonday we met to gedyr
afore Caleis at iiij at y^e clokke in y^e mornyng and fawz the t
gedyr till x at y^e clokke and ther we toke vj of her schippis
and they slowe of oure men aboute iiij^xx and hurt a ij hondred
of us ryght sore and ther wer slayne on theyr p’te abowte xij^x
and hurt a v hondred of them.

And haped me at y^e fyrste abordyng of us we toke a Schippe of
iij^c ton, and I was lefte therin and xxiij men w^t me and thei fawzthe
so for y^t our men wer fayne to leve hem and go the ⁴ and then
come they and aborded y^e Schippe y^t I was in and ther I was
taken and was p’soner w^t them vj houris and was delyv^rd agayne
for theyr men y^t wer taken beforne and as men sayne ther was
not so gret a Batayle upon y^e Se yis xl wyntyr, and for sothe
we wer wele and trewly bette, and my Lord hathe sent for mor
scheppis and lyke to fyzthe to gedyr agayne in haste.

Nomor I write unto you at yis tyme but y^t it plese you for to
recomaund me unto my ryght Reverent and wurchipfull Cosyn
your husband and myn ownkll Gournay and to myn Awnte
his wyfe and to alle gode Maysters and Frends where it schall
plese you and eftyr y^e writyng I have from you I schall be at
you in alle haste.

Wretyn on ⁵ Corpus X’pi day in gret haste.

Be your owne umble S^rvant and Cosyn,

11 ¾ by 8 ½.

⁶ John Jernyngan.

               Paper Mark,
         Bull’s Head and Star;
               Pl. IX. N^o 12.

Calais,

             Corpus Christi day,
             Thursday, 1st of June,
             1458, 36 H. VI.

The Beginning of this Letter, after the usual commendations, refers to a marriage that
seemed in agitation for the Writer; the other part gives a most particular and curious
account of a Sea Engagement, in which the Writer was present and bore a part, between
the Earl of Warwick and the Spaniards; about which our Historians are much divided,
as to what Nation the Ships taken, belonged, &c.

From this authentic Narrative it appears that the Earl took six of the trading Ships of
Spain, and then was obliged to retreat, and secure them and himself in Calais; the
immediate exchange of Prisoners is a curious piece of intelligence.

This battle was fought on Monday the 29th of May, 1458, 36 H. VI. Hollinshed
says this Sea Engagement was fought about Midsummer 1459, &c.

A Commission of Enquiry concerning this Engagement was granted in July 1458.

¹ Ships of Forecastle were ships with Forestages, and carried about 150 men each;
they were the largest ships then in use.

A Barge carried about 80 men, and a Balynger about 40.

² Carvels were ships of a middle size.

³ Spinnes or Pinnaces, carried about 25 men each.

⁴ These words are struck across in the Original Letter.

⁵ Is always on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday, which fell this year on the 28th of May.

⁶ The Family of Jernegan, or Jerningham, has been a family of Distinction, in Norfolk
and Suffolk, ever since the Conquest, and at present flourishes at Coffey in Norfolk.

John Jernegan appears to have had a command in this Engagement, he was (by the
pedigree) the Son of John Jernegan, who died in 1474, and married in 1459 Ifabel,
Daughter and heir of Sir Jarvis Clifton, Kt. and died himself in 1503. Pl. III. N^o 34.

LETTER XXXIX.

Unto my right worshipful Cousin, Margaret Paston, this Letter
be delivered in haste.

   RIGHT worshipful, and my most best beloved Mistress and
     Cousin, I recommend me unto you as lowly as I may,
evermore desiring to hear of your good welfare; the which I
                                                                                             beseech

beseech Almighty Jesu to preserve you, and keep you to his
pleasure, and to your gracious heart’s desire.

And if it please you to hear of my welfare, I was in good
hele (health,) at the making of this Letter, blessed be God;
praying you, that it please you for to send me word, if my
Father were at Norwich with you at this Trinity Mass or no,
and how the matter doth between my Mistress Blanch Witch-
ingham and me; and if ye suppose that it shall be brought
about or no, and how ye feel my Father, if he be well
willing thereto or no; praying you lowly that I may be recom-
mended lowly unto my Mistress, Arblaster’s wise, and unto my
Mistress Blanch her Daughter specially.

Right worshipful Cousin, if it please you for to hear of such
tidings as we have here, the Basset (Embassy) of Burgundy
shall come to Calais the Saturday after Corpus Christi day, as
men say five hundred horse of them.

Moreover, on Trinity Sunday in the morning, came tidings
unto my Lord of Warwick, that there were 28 sail of Ships
on the Sea, and whereof there was 16 great Ships of Forecastle;
and then my Lord went, and manned five Ships of ¹ Forecastle
and three ² Carvells and four ³ Spynnes; and on the Monday,
in the morning after Trinity Sunday, we met together afore

Calais at four at the clock in the morning, and fought together
till ten at the clock; and there we took six of their Ships, and
they slew of our men about four score, and hurt a 200 of us
right sore; and there were slain on their part about 120, and
hurt a 500 of them.

And happed me, at the first aboarding of us, we took a Ship
of 300 ton, and I was left therein, and 23 men with me; and
they fought so fore that our men were fain to leave them
⁴ and go the and then come they and aboarded the Ship that I was
in and there I was taken, and was prisoner with them six hours,
and was delivered again for their men that were taken before;
and, as men say, there was not so great a battle upon the Sea this
forty winters; and forsooth we were well and truly beat, and my
Lord hath sent for more Ships, and like to fight together again
in haste.

No more I write unto you at this time, but that it please
you for to recommend me unto my right reverend, and worship-
ful Cousin your husband, and mine Uncle Gournay, and to mine
Aunt his wife and to all good Masters and Friends, where it
shall please you; and after the writing I have from you, I
shall be at you in all haste.

Written on ⁵ Corpus Christi day in great haste.

By your own Humble Servant and Cousin,

⁶ JOHN JERNYNGAN.

11 ? by 8 ?.

               Paper Mark,
         Bull’s Head and Star;
               Pl. IX. N^o 12.

Calais,

             Corpus Christi day,
             Thursday, 1st of June,
             1458, 36 H. VI.

The Beginning of this Letter, after the usual commendations, refers to a marriage that
seemed in agitation for the Writer; the other part gives a most particular and curious
account of a Sea Engagement, in which the Writer was present and bore a part, between
the Earl of Warwick and the Spaniards; about which our Historians are much divided,
as to what Nation the Ships taken, belonged, &c.

From this authentic Narrative it appears that the Earl took six of the trading Ships of
Spain, and then was obliged to retreat, and secure them and himself in Calais; the
immediate exchange of Prisoners is a curious piece of intelligence.

This battle was fought on Monday the 29th of May, 1458, 36 H. VI. Hollinshed
says this Sea Engagement was fought about Midsummer 1459, &c.

A Commission of Enquiry concerning this Engagement was granted in July 1458.

¹ Ships of Forecastle were ships with Forestages, and carried about 150 men each;
they were the largest ships then in use.

A Barge carried about 80 men, and a Balynger about 40.

² Carvels were ships of a middle size.

³ Spinnes or Pinnaces, carried about 25 men each.

⁴ These words are struck across in the Original Letter.

⁵ Is always on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday, which fell this year on the 28th of May.

⁶ The Family of Jernegan, or Jerningham, has been a family of Distinction, in Norfolk
and Suffolk, ever since the Conquest, and at present flourishes at Coffey in Norfolk.

John Jernegan appears to have had a command in this Engagement, he was (by the
pedigree) the Son of John Jernegan, who died in 1474, and married in 1459 Ifabel,
Daughter and heir of Sir Jarvis Clifton, Kt. and died himself in 1503. Pl. III. N^o 34.

369

JOHN JERNYNGAN TO MARGARET PASTON³

Unto my ryght wurchipfull Cosyn, Marget Paston,
this lettre be delyvered in haste.

   RYGHT wurchipfull and my moste beste beloved maystres
     and cosyn, I recommaund me unto you as lowly as I
     may, evermor desyring to here of your gode welfar;
the whiche I beseche Almyzthy Jesus to preserve you and
kepe you to his plesur, and to your gracious herts desyre.

And yf it plese you to here of my welfar, I was in gode
hele at the makyng of this lettre, blessed be God.

Prayng you that it plese you for to send me word yf my
fadyr wer at Norwiche with you at this Trenite Masse or no,
and how the matyr dothe be twene my Maystres Blawnche
Wychynham and me, and yf ze sopose that it shall be brought
a bowte or no; and how ze fele my fadyr, yf he be wele
wyllyng thereto or no; prayng you lowly that I may be
recomaund lowly unto my maystres, Arblastres wyfe, and
unto my Maystres Blawnche, her dowzther, specially.

Ryght wurchipfull cosyn, yf it plese you for to her of
suche tydings as we have her, the basset [embassy] of Burgoyne
schall come to Calleys the Saturday¹ eftyr Corpus Christi day,
as men say v. hondred horse of hem. Moreover, on Trenite
Sonday,² in the mornyng, came tydings unto my Lord of
Warwyke that ther were xxviij^te sayle of Spaynyards on the se,
and wherof ther was xvj. grete schippis of forecastell; and
then my Lord went and manned fyve schippis of forecastell,
and iij. carvells, and iiij. spynnes [pinnaces], and on the
Monday,⁸ on the mornyng eftyr Trenite Sonday, we met to
gedyr afore Caleis, at iiij. at the clokke in the mornyng, and
fawz thet gedyr till x. at the clokke; and ther we toke vj.
of her [their] schippis, and they slowe of oure men aboute
iiij^xx [four score], and hurt a ij. hondred of us ryght sore; and
ther wer slayne on theyr parte abowte xij^xx [twelve score], and
hurt a v. hondred of them.

And haped me, at the fyrste abordyng of us, we toke a
schippe of iij^c. [300] ton, and I was lefte therin and xxiij. men
with me; and thei fawzthe so sor⁴ that our men wer fayne to
leve hem,⁵ and then come they and aborded the schippe that I
was in, and ther I was taken, and was prisoner with them vj.
houris, and was delyvered agayne for theyr men that wer taken
beforne. And as men sayne, ther was not so gret a batayle
upon the se this xl. wyntyr. And for sothe, we wer wele and
trewly bette; and my Lord hathe sent for mor scheppis, and
lyke to fyzthe to gedyr agayne in haste.

Nomor I write unto you at this tyme, but that it plese
you for to recomaund me unto my ryght reverent and wurchip-
full cosyn your husband, and myn ownkll Gournay, and to
myn awnte his wyfe, and to alle gode maysters and frends
where it schall plese yow; and eftyr the writyng I have from
you, I schall be at you in alle haste.

Wretyn on Corpus Christi day in gret haste, be your owne
umble servant and cosyn,

JOHN JERNYNGAN.

³ [From Fenn, i. 156.] The engagement at sea described in this letter is dated
by Fabyan on Trinity Sunday or Monday 1458.

¹ June 3rd. ² May 28th. ³ May 29th.

⁴ ‘for’ in Fenn; seemingly a printer’s error, as the word is ‘sore’ in the modern
version.

⁵ Here, according to Fenn, the words ‘and go the’ occur in the original, struck
out.

JUNE 1

1458

JUNE 1

1458

JUNE 1