Francis Vernon

Francis Vernon (1637?–1677) was an English traveller and author. Early life Born about 1637, near Charing Cross, he was the son of Francis Vernon of London and brother of James Vernon. He was admitted in 1649 to Westminster School. He matriculated on 10 November 1654 at Christ Church, Oxford. He graduated B.A. on 28 January 1658, and M.A. on 17 July 1660. Vernon began to travel before he had taken his master's degree. During one of his voyages, he was taken by pirates and sold. After his release, he seems to have returned to Oxford. In 1668, he was chosen because of his experience to accompany Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Carlisle, ambassador-extraordinary to Sweden, and the king wrote to Christ Church requesting a leave of absence for him. In Paris Vernon was next appointed to go with Ralph Montagu to Paris as secretary to the embassy. His letters fell below the required standard, but he remained there till the end of 1671. He was, in fact, considered frivolous for filling correspondence with court and city gossip. He reported, for example, the first performances of plays by Jean Racine and Pierre Corneille in 1670 (the rival Bérénice and Tite et Bérénice).