Memorandum. This is the confessyon of xvj. Frenshemen with the Mastyr, takyn at Sheryngam, the iij. wek of Lent.
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.
[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.
[35.2] Philip the Good.
[35.3] Large ships with forestages or forecastles.
[35.4] Henry IV., King of Castile.
[35.5] Francis II., the last Duke.