Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Jermy, Seth
JERMY, SETH (d. 1724), captain in the navy, was a lieutenant of the Northumberland at the battle of Barfleur in May 1692. In 1694 he was first lieutenant of the Grafton, of the Burford in 1695, and of the Lion in 1696. On 15 Jan. 1696–7 he was promoted to the command of the Spy brigantine, and in December 1702 was appointed to the Nightingale, a small frigate employed in convoy service in the North Sea. For the next five years she was conducting colliers and corn-ships between the Forth, the Tyne, the Humber, and the Thames, and chasing, but apparently never catching, the enemy's privateers. On the evening of 24 Aug. 1707, being off the mouth of the Thames with a numerous convoy, she was met by a squadron of six French galleys under the command of M. de Langeron. Two of the galleys attacked the frigate; the other four gave chase to the convoy. But the Nightingale made such a stout defence that De Langeron was obliged to recall his whole force to his assistance. Even then Jermy continued to fight against overwhelming odds, and yielded only when he saw that all his convoy had got safely into the river. A year afterwards he was exchanged, and on his return to England was tried by court-martial for the loss of his ship and honourably acquitted. He was then appointed to command the Swallow's Prize, and in April 1710 was moved into the Antelope. In 1712, being, according to Charnock, of an advanced age, he was placed on the superannuated list, and died on 3 Aug. 1724. While he was a prisoner in France his pay for the Nightingale was paid to his wife Mary; and in a letter of 8 May 1712 he speaks of a kinsman, Ferdinando Wyvell.
[English Historical Review, iv. 69. The account of the capture of the Nightingale given by Jean Marteilhe in Mémoires d'un Protestant condamné aux Galères de France pour cause de Religion, Rotterdam, 1757, Paris, 1865, appears to be accurate, within the author's sphere of observation.]