Sir Jean Vassall, II, Captain

Sir John Vassall II was born in 1544 at Caen, Normandy, France. He was married three times. He died of the plague on 13 Sep 1625 at Stepney, Middlesex (London), England. John became an alderman of London, and in 1588 fitted out and commanded two ships of war at his own expense, the Samuel and the Little Toby, with which he joined the Royal Navy to oppose the Spanish Armada. A Mayflower (not the Pilgrim ship), of 250 tons out of London, owned by John Vassall and others, was outfitted in 1588 for the Queen, possibly also for Armada service. [2] John Vassall was a subscriber for two shares of stock in the Virginia Company with an investment of 25.10.0 pounds in 1618. He was the son of John Vassall, a Huguenot of Normandy. His father had sent him into England due to the troubles in France. In 1588, John of Essex, England, fitted out at his own expense and commanded the ships, the Samuel and the Little Toby, to help repel the Spanish Armada. The arms granted to him by Queen Elizabeth I in consequence of this service were adopted by his family replacing thereafter the arms that were used by his french forebearers. John was an alderman of London and a vestryman in Stepney Parish, Middlesex. In a disposition made in 1610, he described himself as being of Eastwood, Essex and age 62 years. He died of the plague 13 Sept 1625 and was buried at St. Dunstan, Stepney. His will was dated 29 April 1625, proved 16 September 1625, naming his wife Judith and his children. Judith Vassall, of Eastwood, died testate, her will having been written 9 Nov 1638, proved in Jan of 1638/39. (Ref: Adventurers of Purse and Person, Virginia 1607-1624/5 by Virginia M. Meyer and John Frederick Dorman, 1987, abstracted).