_Memorandum. This is the confessyon of xvj. Frenshemen with the Mastyr,
takyn at Sheryngam, the iij. wek of Lent._
[Sidenote: 1462 / MARCH]
Right worshipfull sir, I recomaund me to you, and lete you wytte, that I
have be at Shiryngham, and examyned the Frenshmen to the nombre of xvj.
with the maister. And thei telle that the Duke of Somerset is in to
Scotland; and thei sey the Lord Hungyrforthe was on Monday last passed
afore Sheryngham in to Scotland ward, in a kervyle [_carvel_] of Depe,
no gret power with hym, ne with the seid Duk neyther. And thei sey that
the Duk of Burgoyn[35.2] is poysened, and not like to recovere. And as
for powers to be gadered ayenst our weelfare; thei sey, there shulde
come in to Seyne CC. gret forstages[35.3] owt of Spayne, from the Kyng
there;[35.4] and CCC. shippes from the Duk of Bretayne[35.5] with the
navy of Fraunce, but thei be not yet assembled, ne vitayll there
purveyd, as thei sey, ne men. And the Kyng of Fraunce[35.6] is in to
Spayne on pilgrymage with fewe hors as thei sey; what the purpose is
thei can not telle certeyn, &c. In hast at Norwich.
The Kyng of Frauns hath comitted the rewle of Bordews on to the
marchaunds of the toun, and the browd[35.7] tha[t] be therin to be at
ther wages; and like as Caleys is a Stapole of wolle here in England, so
is that made staple of wyne.
John Fermer, presoner, seyth, on [_one_] John Gylys, a clerk that was
with the Erle of Oxforthe, wych was some tym in Kyng Herrys hows, was a
prevy secretary with the Erle of Oxforthe; and if any wrytyng wer made
by the seyd Erle, the seyd Gylys knew ther of in this gret matyeres.
[Footnote 35.1: [From Fenn, i. 250.] This letter evidently refers
to the state of matters in the beginning of the year 1462, when
Henry VI. and Margaret of Anjou were in Scotland, and when the
Earl of Oxford had just been beheaded for conspiring against
Edward IV. The date of Oxford’s execution was the 20th of
February. This confession of the Frenchmen is dated in the third
week of Lent, that is to say, between the 14th and the 20th of
March.]
[Footnote 35.2: Philip the Good.]
[Footnote 35.3: Large ships with forestages or forecastles.]
[Footnote 35.4: Henry IV., King of Castile.]
[Footnote 35.5: Francis II., the last Duke.]
[Footnote 35.6: Lewis XI.]
[Footnote 35.7: This word, says Fenn, is imperfect in the
original.]
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