The son of
Sir John Ernle,
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Ernle was educated at
Exeter College, Oxford, after which he became a member of
Lincoln's Inn. He went on to serve in the
Royal Navy, commanding
ships of the line. At the
Battle of Solebay of 1672, Ernle commanded
HMS Dover, and during the battle he saved
Sir John Harman and the
Charles from a
fire ship. By the summer of 1678, he was in command of the new 64-gun ship of the line
HMS Defiance. Although he lived chiefly in Herefordshire, he was elected member of Parliament for
Calne in 1685, about a year before his death; the property inherited from his father included
Whetham House, near Calne.
John Aubrey says of him: Ernle was knighted in 1673. On 6 December 1674 he married Vincentia Kyrle, co-heir of
Sir John Kyrle, 2nd Baronet, of
Homme House,
Much Marcle, Herefordshire. They had two children: Hester (1676–1723) and John Kyrle Ernle (1682–1725). He died on 25 October 1686 and was buried at Much Marcle. ==References==