Under Signed in the Original G. Cant. Jo. Lincoln C. S. La. Winton These Islands were first in the Diocese of Dol in Bretagne and so continued from the time of St. Sampson till the coming of the Danes or Normans into Neustria who falling out with the Bretons about the limits of their Territories and a War ensuing thereupon betwixt them withdrew these Islands from the Obedience of the British Bishop and gave them a Bishop of their own viz. that of Coûtance in Normandy the lofty Towers of whose beautiful Cathedral once our Mother Church are seen from JERSEY To this Bishop these Islands remained subject even after the Defection of Normandy notwithstanding the frequent Wars betwixt the two Crowns untill the Tenth Year of Queen Elizabeth King John indeed having lost Normandy had once in an angry Mood designed to annex them to the See of Exeter in England but did not It was the Change of Religion in these Islands that took away from the Popish Bishop of Coûtance his Jurisdiction over them For then they were by an Order of Council dated March 11th 1568. transferred and united to the Diocese of Winton Robertus Cenalis Bishop of Avranches in Normandy imposes upon himself and his Readers when he says that these Islands were sometime under his Predecessors Bishops of Avranches This certainly is a mistake and must proceed from some Papers which belike he found in the Archives of that Church mentioning some Parcels of Tythes paid here in time past to the Bishops of his See The Bishops of Dol and Coûtance for the Exercise of their Authority had in each Island of JERSEY and Guernezey a Commissary or Surrogate called Decanus the Dean An Office of great Antiquity since I find it mentioned in very old Records and have reason to believe it as ancient as Episcopacy and consequently as ancient as Christianity it self in these Islands To him those Bishops left the Cognizance of all Matters of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction reserving only to themselves Ordinations Institutions and Appeals The same Power is vested in the present Deans with this limitation that they are to govern themselves by the Advice and Opinions of the rest of the Ministers who are to be their constant Assessors much after the manner of those ancient Presbyteries or Councils of Priests who sate with the Bishops in their Consistories and assisted them in giving Judgment in all Causes brought before them An excellent Government and grounded on the Primitive Pattern When the Office of Dean was revived in JERSEY in the Reign of K. James I a Motion was made to give the said Dean the Power of a Bishop Suffragan within the Island Appeals being still reserved to the Right Reverend Father in God the Lord Bishop of Winchester I could never know why that Motion was rejected But we daily see the necessity of such a Power particularly in the want of Confirmation of Children after Baptism That Apostolical Institution being thereby become altogether unpracticable amongst Us. Nor have we any way to supply that Defect but by taking great care as we generally do to have Children brought to publick Catechism where in the presence of God's Church they renew their Baptismal Vow and taking upon themselves the Obligations of Christianity discharge their Sponsors of the Promise made for them at their Baptism Upon which and not before we admit them to the Holy Communion The Patronage of all the Churches here in time of Popery belonged to several Great Abbots in Normandy as to the Abbots of St. Sauveur le Vicomte Cherbourg St. Michael Blanche Lande c. which Patronage at the Reformation was vested in the King who has since made Cession of it to the Governor It is he that presents now to all vacant Benefices in His Majesty's Right But the Deanry continues of Royal Nomination and is held by Patent under the Great Seal These Great Norman Abbots had not only the Nomination but the Tythes also of all the Parishes in this Island A small Proportion as the 3 d 7 th 8 th 9 th or 10 th Sheaf of the said Impropriated Tythes being reserved for those that ministred at the Altar These Impropriations at the Dissolution of Monasteries in England instead of returning to the Church were annexed to the Crown and are become part of the King's Revenue in the Island Much the same Proportion as before being still allotted to the Incumbents together with the Novals or Desarts which are the Tythes of Lands that remained wast and untill'd at the Suppression of those Houses but have been since converted into Arable The following Scheme drawn out of the Black-Book of Coûtance like that in the Exchequer will shew what that Proportion was and what the King enjoys now in right of the dispossessed Abbots Vniversis praesentes Literas inspecturis Officialis Constantiensis Salutem Notum facimus quod nos ad Requestam Religiosorum Virorum Abbatis Conventûs Sancti Salvatoris Vicecomitis visitavimus legimus inspeximus atque visitari legi inspici fecimus quendam Librum in Domo seu Manerio Episcopali Constantiensi existentem vulgariter Librum Nigrum nuncupatum in quo vidimus legimus nonnullas Clausulas Ecclesias Beneficia Insulae JERSEY de eis cum praefato Libro Nigro collationem fecimus diligenter Quarum quidam Clausularum Tenor sequitur de verbo ad verbum est talis Ecclesia Sancti Breverlardi Patronus Abbas S. Salvatoris Vicecomitis percipit duas partes Garbarum Rector sextam Abatissa de Cadomo duodecimam Abbatissa Vilmonasterii duodecimam Rector item habet sex Virgas Eleemosynae Et valet dicta Ecclesia Annis communibus XXX Lib. Turonens Ecclesia Sancti Petri. Patronus Abbas S. Salvatoris Vicecom Et percipit medietatem Garbarum Abbatissa Cadomensis quartam Garbam Abbatissa Vilmonasteriensis aliam quartam exceptâ carucatâ de Nobretez Rector percipit novalia habet VIII Virgas Terrae Eleemosynae valet XXX Lib. Turon Ecclesia de Trinitate Patronus Abbas Caesaris-Burgi Abbas S. Salvatoris percipit sextam Garbam Abbas Caesaris-Burgi tertiam liberam Decimam Episcopus Auritanus medietatem Garbarum Rector percipit novalia habet VIII Virgas Eleemosynae valet communibus Annis XXX Lib. Turon Ecclesia Beatae Mariae Patronus Abbas Caesariensis Abbas S. Salvatoris Vice-com percipit sextam Garbam Abbatissa Cadomensis Monasterii Villers quartam partem Decimae Garbarum Rector percipit tertiam partem Garbarum habet XVI Virgas Eleemosynae valet XXX Lib. Turon Ecclesia Sancti Johannis Patronus Abbas S. Salvatoris Vicecom percipit totam Decimam Ecclesia ibidem Prioratus ejusdem Monasterii Et sunt ibi duae Virgae Eleemosynae valet XXVIII Lib. Turon Ecclesia Sancti Audoeni Patronus Abbas S. Michaelis in periculo Maris percipit ibi duas Garbas IV Lib.
the Province of Neustria corruptly so called for Westria Westenrick or West-France because seated on the most Western shore of the great Empire of the Franks which extended from the Sea to the Banks of the Danube as the more Eastern part was called Austria Oostenrick or East-France and with the rest of that great and rich Province was given to Rollo and his Normans Originally Danes and Norwegians who from their own Name called the said Province Normandy Given I say by Charles IV sirnamed the Simple King of France in the Year 912 From which time to this this Island never returned to that Crown as the rest of that Province hath since done tho' it was not added to the Crown of England till the Year 1066 when William sirnamed the Bastard and the sixth Duke of Neustria or Normandy from Rollo invading England and Conquering it transferred that Dukedom and with it this Island to the English Diadem By which account it appears that reckoning from this preset time 1693 it is not less than 781 years since this Island was dismembred from the Crown of France by the Donation of Charles the Simple that it hath been 154 years under the Descendants of Rollo while they continued Dukes of Normandy only and that 't is 627 years since 't is subject to the Kings of England This gives the Inhabitants of this Island the Preference in point of Antiquity to most others of Their Majesties Subjects Ireland not being subdued till the Reign of Henry II nor Wales reduced till that of Edward I nor Scotland united till the beginning of this last Century to say nothing of Foreign Plantations which are yet most of them of a later Date I speak not this to derogate from the Honour of Kingdoms and Principalities which do vastly exceed Us in Expansion of Country and have brought a far greater Addition of Power to the English Empire but to shew Their Majesties ancient and indisputable Right over Us together with that long and faithfull Subjection which our Fathers have paid to that Crown which Their Majesties derive from a Succession of so many Royal Progenitors We find but little in ancient History concerning this Island till the coming of the Normans who struck such Terror in all places where they passed that in the publick Litany after these words From Plague Pestilence and Famine was added and from the fury of the Normans Good Lord deliver us By the advantage of their Shipping they ransackt the Maritime Coasts of France burning and destroying all before them They were Pagans and therefore their Fury fell more remarkably on Churches and Religious Houses Persons and Things consecrated to God No place could be more open and exposed to their Incursions than this Island where they committed the same horrid Outrages they did elsewhere leaving Us among others this Monument of their Cruelty There dwelt at that time in this Island a Devout and Holy man famous amongst Us to this day for the Austerity of his Life whose little solitary Cell hewn out of the hard Rock is yet to be seen in a small Islet close by Elizabeth Castle His name Helerius or Helier mistaken by some for St. Hilary Bishop of Poitiers who was never here Him the Normans slew at their coming into this Island adding thereby to other things which this Island Glories in the honour of having given a Martyr to the Church For under that Name we find him Recorded in the Kalendary or Martyrology of Coûtance in these words XVII Kalend. Aug. Constant in Normannia Festum St. Helerii Martyris à Wandalis in GERSEIO Insulâ occisi And the Author of Neustria Pia speaks thus of him and of the place of his Martyrdom GERSEIUM GERSOIUM seu GRISOGIUM vulgò GERSE Insula est ad Mare oceanum Dioecesis Constantiensis in quam S. Praetextatus Archiâ—piscopus Rothomagensis posteà Martyr relegatus est an 582. Illustrior autem haberi coepit ex quo S. Helerius illic à Wandalis Martyrii palmam accepit Nam in honorem hujusce Inclyti Athletae Christi constructa est infignis Abbatia à Domino Guillelmo Hamonis viro nobili antiqui Stemmatis apud Neustrios Heroe in quâ Canonicos Regulares Ordinis S. Augustini posuit ac tandem ipse excessit è vitâ 21 Novembris cujus sic Meminit Obituarium Caesaris-Burgi XI Calend Decemb. Guillelmus Hamonis qui fundavit Abbatiam S. Helerii in GERSOIO These Wandals from whom St. Helier received the Crown of Martyrdom were no other than Normans those Names being used promiscuously But of this famous Abby erected to his Memory there is not a stone left standing It was built in the same place where is now the lower Ward of Elizabeth Castle So much as was left of that ancient Building was pull'd down An. 1691. to enlarge the Parade From this Holy man the chief Town in the Island is called St. Helier His Martyrdom must fall about the Year 857. After that Rollo and his Normans were peaceably settled in Neustria and in these Islands by Agreement with Charles the Simple that wild Nation mixed it self with the Old Inhabitants grew Civilized and embraced Christianity and this Island enjoyed great Tranquility under the Government of those Dukes that succeeded Rollo and who fill up the whole space betwixt him and William the Conqueror in the Order following ROLLO first Duke of Normandy who at his Baptism took the Name of Robert WILLIAM Sirnamed Longue Espée from his long Sword Son of Rollo RICHARD I. the Son of Longue Espée RICHARD II. Son of Richard I. RICHARD III. Son of Richard II. ROBERT Brother of Richard III. This Duke preserved Edward the Confessor from the Fury of Canute the Dane who had invaded England and slain Edmond Ironside Brother of Edeward He set out a powerfull Fleet to restore him to his Kingdom but being long detained by contrary Winds at Guernezey he was forced to return to Normandy re infectâ WILLIAM II. Bastard Son of Robert Sirnamed the CONQUEROR from his Conquest of England While the Conqueror lived he kept England and Normandy as close linked together as their Situation would permit residing sometime in the one and sometime in the other He died in Normandy and lies buried at Caen where I have seen his Tomb. 'T is but a low plain Altar Tomb that has nothing of Magnificence in it It stands in the middle of the Quire of the great Abby Founded by himself and has two Inscriptions on it one on each side The first expressing the Quality of his Person and the Union of England and Normandy under him The other signifying how that Monument had been defaced by the Huguenots during the heat and rage of the Civil Wars and had been repaired by the Monks An. 1642. After the Death of the Conqueror England and Normandy were parted again England falling to the Lot of William Rufus second Son of the Conqueror who in the absence of
excepted viz. that Penhouet Admiral of Bretagne having worsted the English in a Sea-sight pursued his advantage and entred the Isles of JERSEY and Guernezey which he plundered but durst not sit down before the Castles This happened An. 1404. HENRY V was no sooner on the Throne but he renewed the Claim to France and with much Glory recovered all that had been lost since the Death of the Black Prince with considerable Accessions That brave and warlike King knowing the advantageous Situation of these Islands made great use of them in the Prosecution of the War He added much to the beauty and strength of Gouray Castle in JERSEY gave it the proud Name of Mont-Orgueil which it bears this day made it a place of Arms and one of his chief Magazines of War and resolved so far as Art could do it to render it impregnable This strong Castle fell nevertheless into the hands of the French in the latter end of the weak Reign of King HENRY VI. which happened thus During the Contestation betwixt that unfortunate Prince and Edward IV for the Crown a French NObleman named Peter de Brezè Count de Maulevrier raised Forces in France and brought them with him into England to support the Title of Henry against that of Edward He had before contracted with Queen Margaret Wife of Henry who was a French Woman and had called in the Count to the Assistance of her Husband that in consideration of so important a Service the Islands of JERSEY Guernezey Alderney and Serk should be made over to him to hold them for himself and his Heirs for ever independently from the Crown of England The Bargain being struck the Count sends one Surdeval to seize upon Mont-Orgueil Castle in JERSEY The French coming in the Night got into the Castle by surprize or as others think by the connivence and Treachery of the English Commander who being a creature of the Queen had secret Orders to deliver it up The Count himself came some time after into this Island and tho' he shewed all imaginable kindness to the Inhabitants inviting them by the offer of many large Grants and Priviledges to acknowledge him and renounce their Allegiance to England he could never prevail on the Inclinations of a People who were inraged to see themselves sold to the French a Nation which they hated insomuch that in about Six years time he could never make himself Master of above half the Island Philip de Carteret Seigneur of S. Oüen maintaining the King of England's Authority in the other half during which time frequent Skirmishes happened betwixt both Parties In this State things remained till the Death of Henry VI. and the quiet Possession of the Throne by EDWARD IV. For then Sir Richard Harliston Vice-Admiral of England coming to Guernezey with a Squadron of the King's Ships Philip de Carteret sent to him for Succour They agreed that while the English Fleet blockt up Mont-Orgueil Castle by Sea the Islanders should besiege it by Land The Castle was reduced by Famine and the French were once more driven quite out of the Island The Islanders got much Honour by this Siege and had thereupon a new Charter granted them with special mention of their good Service on this occasion and the said good Service hath ever since been inserted in all our Charters to this Day in perpetuam rei Memoriam So many ill Successes one after another made the French lay aside for a-while the thoughts of these Islands so that we hear no more of them under the Reigns of EDWARDV RICHARDIII HENRY VII and HENRY VIII But I must not omit to mention the Coming of Henry VII to JERSEY in this Interval He was then only Earl of Richmond and fled from the Cruelty and Tyranny of Richard Whether out of Design or forced by contrary Winds in his Passage into Bretagne he put into this Island where he lay concealed till he found an Opportunity to get over Being a wise and discerning Prince he observed some Defects in our Constitution which he amended when he came to the Crown enlarging our Charter and enacting several Ordinances for the better Government of this Island A War breaking out betwixt our King EDWARD VI and Henry II. of France the French re-assumed their former Thoughts of bringing these Islands under their Subjection flattering themselves with greater hopes of Success than ever from the Minority of that King and the Troubles with which his Government was then perplexed In the Year 1549 they set a Fleet out from St. Malo's a Town the ill effects of whose neighbourhood we have often resented and seized on the little Isle of Sark which was then Un-inhabited where they planted Colonies and built Forts That Island is seated in the Middle and Center of the rest which made the French believe that by securing that they would with continual Alarms and Incursions so harrass the others that they would not long hold out against them They began with Guernezey where they set upon a Fleet of English Ships which were at Anchor in the Road before the Town Most of the Captains and Officers were ashore asleep in their Beds which gave the French some advantage in the beginning of the Fight But the whole Town being awakened with the noise of the Canon and the Ships soon mann'd the Fight was maintained and the French repulsed From thence they sailed to JERSEY and landed at Bouley-Bay in the North of the Island but through the Courage and Bravery of the Islanders were beaten back to their Ships many being kill'd and wounded on both Sides Among the Slain on our side was found a Popish Priest of this Island whose Love to the English Government and the Liberties of his Country prevailing above the Discontents which the Change of Religion that was made in that Reign wrought on Men of his Order made him appear that day in the foremost Ranks An Example to be recommended to those of that Perswasion in England who out of an unjust Aversion to the present Establishment would call in the French and subject their native Country to a Foreign Power The poor JERSEY-Priest was much the honester Man and the better Patriot Queen MARY's Reign has been thought inglorious for the Loss of Calais taken by the French after the English had possessed it above 200 Years It was nevertheless in the Time of this Queen that the Isle of Sark was retaken from the French though I cannot say the Recovery of so small an Island countervails the Loss of a Town that was one of the Keys of France The French Colony in that Island was grown very thin The solitariness of the Place and the want of Necessaries but chiefly the ill Prospect of their Affairs and their Despondency of ever becoming Masters of the other Islands causing many of them to desert and return into France so that few able to bear Arms were left for the Defence of the
choicest Plant that grows in our Gardens We call it Vraic in ancient Records Veriscum and sometimes Wreccum and it grows on the Rocks about the Island 'T is gathered only at certain times appointed by the Magistrate and signified to the People by the publick Cryer on a Market-day There are two Seasons of cutting it the one in Summer the other about the Vernal Equinox The Summer Vraic being first well dried by the Sun on the Sea shore serves for Fuel and makes a hot glowing fire but the Ashes are a great improvement of the Soil and are equivalent to a like quantity of Lime The Winter Vraic being spread thin on the green Turf and after buried in the furrows by the Plough 't is incredible how with its fat unctuous Substance it ameliorates the ground imbibing it self into it softning the Clod and keeping the root of the Corn moist during the most parching heats of Summer In stormy weather the Sea doth often tear up from the Rocks vast quantities of this Weed and casts it on the Shore where it is carefully laid up by the glad Husband-man there being particular Officers appointed for the Distribution thereof to all by certain fixed and adequate Proportions The Genius of the Soil is naturally much inclined to Wood and the humour of the People suits with the Genius of their Soil The whole Island especially the more inland Part is so thick Planted that to any that takes a Prospect of it from some higher ground it looks like an entire and continued Forest altho' that in walking through it not a Wood nor hardly a Coppice is to be seen but many Hedge-rows and Orchards Nothing can be imagined more delightful than the Face of this Island when the Trees which are set along the High-ways and in the Avenues of Houses are covered with Verdure and the Orchards are full of Blossoms For as the one affords a pleasant shade so the other recreates the Eye and perfumes the Air with a sweet Fragrancy But still it must be confessed that so much shade is prejudicial to the growth of Pasture and Corn. Tho' we have much Wood we have but little good Timber For almost all our Trees are Pollards which is not so much an effect of Choice as of necessity The Husband-man being obliged to bring his Trees to a Standard by Lopping of those spreading and Luxuriant branches which if let alone would cover his little Plots and Inclosures and suffer nothing to grow under them The ordinary Drink of this Island is Cidar an ancient Liquor since we find it mentioned both by Tertullian and St. Augustine The former calls it succum ex pomis vinosissimum The other writing against the Manichees who objected to the Catholicks that they were men addicted to Wine whereas themselves abstained wholly from the Use of it he answers not by denying the Objection but by telling those Hereticks That altho ' they refused to drink Wine they would quaff very freely of another Liquor made of the Juice of Apples far more delicious than Wine or any other Liquor whatsoever From these Passages of Tertullian and St. Augustine who were both Africanes Cardinal Du Perron who by the way was born in JERSEY of Protestant Parents thinks this Liquor was first known in Africa and from thence passed into Spain among the Biscainers whose Northern Situation and Icy Mountains were too cold for the tender Vine and who therefore improved this hardy Tree that lives and grows under any Climate The Normans who are almost the only People in France unacquainted with the Grape transplanted the Apple from Biscay into their Province from whence we have it in this Island I do not believe there is any Country in the World which on the same extent of ground produces so much Cidar as JERSEY Mr. Samarés his way of guessing at the quantity of Cidar made in the whole Island was to allow one Vergée which is about half an English Acre of Orchard to every house which will amount to 3000 Vergées that being near upon the number of Habitations in this Island Now allowing two Tuns to a Vergée it will arise to 6000 Tuns or 24000 Hogsheads which is 500 Tuns or 2000 Hogsheads for every Parish one with an other 'T is not to be imagined the Island should produce the same quantity every Year The years alternate A good Year is usually succeeded by a bad one But a good Year commonly supplies Us for that and the next ensuing beyond use and necessity even to Excess and Debauchery For this vast quantity of Cidar must be wholly consumed among Our selves little or none being exported abroad tho' it be the onely product of the Island of which we have an Overplus to spare For a remedy to this Evil there was an expedient once found by some of our Merchants which was to buy up this Supernumerary Cidar and distill it into Brandy which they afterwards sold into England But the new Additional impost laid upon those Liquors by Act of Parliament has obstructed that Trade which serv'd to take off from our hands a superfluous Commodity that ministers now only to Drunkenness Many of our Orchards are planted after the manner of the famous Quincunx and all of them in an Order that gives them a Beauty beyond what I have observed in Glocester or Herefordshire where appears little Exactness in the Position and mutual Aspect of the Trees Nor is there better and larger more generous and vinous Fruit than what grows in this Island but we have it in such Plenty that 't is not possible we should use the same nice Exactness in gathering it and improving afterwards by Art such a Sea of Liquor as is drawn out of it which is used in other Parts where there is less Fruit and consequently less Work required about it But were the same method practised here as in England viz to cull the choicest Fruit whereas we mix all confusedly together and then ferment rack and bottle our Cidar I do not doubt but a great deal of it might for Tast and Colour dispute it with the so much admired Red-strake I have often drank some that was not at all inferior to it About 140 years ago there was so little Cidar made in this Island that the Inhabitants were necessitated to apply themselves to Queen Mary then Reigning for leave to transport yearly out of England among other Provisions 500 Tuns of Beer for their Use Custom-free besides 150 Tuns more for the Garrison which she granted in the First year of her Reign Our ancient Drink was Mead. For then this Island abounded with large and numerous Apiaries which thrived exceedingly but since the increase of Cidar they are much decayed tho' to this day Honey made in this Island surpasses all I have Tasted elsewhere Could Men be satisfied with the common Drink of Nature Water I mean no People in the World are more liberally stored with that than
strong for they are all of Stone The meaner sort are of the common Stone of the Island Houses of Gentlemen and rich Merchants are usually faced with smooth wrought Stone either fetched from Chauzé the small French Island mentioned before which also supplies St. Malo or digged out of Mont-Mado which is a rich inexhaustible Quarry of Excellent Stone in the N. of the Island The Chauzé Stone inclines to a Blue the Mont-Mado to a reddish Gray somewhat like the common Porphyry Either of them make a handsome shew These Buildings will last 2 or 3 Hundred Years and would surpass what I have seen in other Countries were the Contrivance and Furniture within answerable to the Strength and Beauty without But our People value themselves more upon what is solid and lasting than upon what is only ornamental Of which this Reason may be given that the Tenure of Houses and Lands here is not for Life or a certain Term of Years only but in perpetuùm So that a Man being perfectly Master of what he possesses no wonder if he takes care that his Layings-out and Improvements be made in such a way as that they may not only last his own Time but may pass also to his Posterity who are to enjoy the Tenement after him The chief Seats in the Island are the Mannors of St. Oüen Samarés Trinity c. The Language is French All publick Preaching and Pleading is in that Tongue and tho' I cannot say that we speak it with the same Purity and Elegancy which they do in France yet if it be considered what Jargon is used in some Provinces of that Kingdom as in Dauphiné Provence Languedoc Gascogne Bretagne c. one will the less wonder that a few uncouth Words and Phrases should still be retained in This and the neighbouring Islands So bad as it is 't were in my opinion safer and more advisable for English Gentlemen to send their Sons hither to learn the Language tho' at the hazard of carrying back a Barbarism or two than to send them as they usually do into France where they are exposed to the Artifices of Men that lie in wait to deceive and from whence they seldom return but with Minds so alienated from the Customs Laws and Religion of their Country that the publick Mischief which results there-from can never be compensated by a few fine Words which they bring home Tho' French be the common Language of the Island there are few Gentlemen Merchants or Principal Inhabitants but speak English tolerably Trade is the Life of an Island And our People accordingly had before the War with good Success applied themselves to the Improvement of it They were become owners of good Ships with which they traded not only into England and France but likewise into Spain Portugal Holland Norway into the Baltick-Sea and into the English Plantations in America But the Neighbourhood of St. Malo that famous Retreat of French Corsaires has ruined our Navigation The constant and standing Manufacture of this Island is that of Stockings tho' that be also brought down very low since the War They are wrought of English Wooll whereof a certain Quantity is by Concession of Parliament allowed to be exported yearly and manufactured in these Islands I have heard that 6000 some say 10000 Pair have been weekly made in JERSEY which were bought up every Saturday at St. Helier by the Merchants who dispersed them afterwards into all Parts of Europe From England we are supplied with all Kind of Mercery and Grocery-ware Houshold-stuff fine Iron-works Leather c. for which we bring in ready Mony to a considerable Value Estates here cannot be great since 't is not easie for a Man tho' never so industrious to enlarge his Patrimony in a Country so full of People and where Land is seldom worth less than 30 years Purchase And the equal sharing of both real and personal Estates betwixt Sons and Daughters which in England is call'd Gavelkind and is the Ancient Use of this Island destroys many a fair Inheritance amongst Us by mincing it into so many little Parcels which in the next Generation that is perhaps 20 Years after must be subdivided again into lesser Portions and so on till an Estate is almost dwindled into nothing Real Estates here consist either in Lands or Rents but generally the latter which are for the most part constituted thus The Proprietor of a Tenement lets it out to another for so many Quarters of Wheat to be paid every Michaelmas for ever Yearly This is called a Rent which may be paid in specie from the said Term of Michaelmas till St. Lawrence's Day next following After which it must be paid in Mony according to a certain Rule or Standard set by the Royal Court which always meets upon that Day and from an Account that is laid before it of the several Rates which Corn has been sold at in the Market every Saturday throughout the Year determines and fixes the Price of the Rents that remain unpaid And so the way of reckoning an Estate with us is not by Pounds but by Quarters of Wheat Therefore when 't is ask'd what Estate a Man hath the Question with us is not How many Pounds as in England but how many Quarters of Wheat he is worth yearly The yearly value of a Quarter of Wheat seldom exceeds 12 Livres French Mony currant in this Island which is about 18 Shillings English But in cheaper and more plentifull Years 't is hardly worth 9 Livres which is less than 14 Shillings This makes Estates variable and uncertain since they must rise or fall according to the Price that Corn bears each Year in the Market Another way of creating a Rent is this A Man that has an Estate and wants Mony and cannot or will not borrow any sells a Summ of Wheat upon himself that is he chargeth himself and his Heirs for ever with the Annual Payment thereof And these Rents have been so multiplied that 't is thought there is more Wheat due on that account every Year in this Island than can grow upon the Island in two Years All Bonds are not Personal as in England but real and carry an express Hypotheca or Mortgage upon the Estate both real and personal of the Debtor In this Island are many very Ancient Families not only among the Seigneurs and Gentlemen of the first Rank but even among those of Inferior Quality several of whom can reckon a Descent which in some other Countries very good Gentlemen would be proud of It appears by Names and Ancient Records that most of the Families of this Island are come out of Normandy or Bretagne Tho' from K. John's time downwards some are found of English Extraction Gentlemen that have Seigneuries or Fiefs in this Island are usually call'd by the Names of them Thus Sir Charles de Carteret Seigneur of St. Oǔen is with us called Monsieur de S. Oǔen and so of others
countenanced and encouraged by the Governor who whether out of Inclination or Affectation of Popularity or which I rather think the hope of adding to his Government the Revenue of the suppressed Deanry favoured that Party They possessed themselves of the Parish Church of St. Helier where the Sieur de la Ripaudiere a French Minister preached and gave the Sacrament after the manner of Geneva and soon after a solemn Deputation was made to the Queen for leave to have all the other Churches in the Island modell'd after that way This the Queen denied allowing them only that Church of which they were possessed and strictly Commanding that Form and Order of Service which was set forth within her Realm to be continued in the Residue of the Parishes of this Isle as appears from the following Letter sent by the Council to the Bailly and Jurats bearing Date Aug. 7. 1565. After our very hearty Commendations unto you Whereas the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty understandeth that the Isles of JARSEY and Guernezey have anciently depended on the Diocese of Constance and that there be certain Churches in the same Diocese well Reformed agreably throughout in Doctrine as it is set forth in this Realm Knowing therewith that you have a Minister who ever since his Arrival in JARSEY hath used the like Order of Preaching and Administration as in the said Reformed Churches or as it is used in the French Church at London Her Majesty for divers Respects and Considerations moving her Highness is well pleased to admit the same Order of Preaching and Administration to be continued at St. Helier's as hath been hitherto accustomed by the said Minister Provided always that the Residue of the Parishes in the said Isle shall diligently put apart all Superstitions used in the said Diocese and so continue there the Order of Service ordained and set forth within this Realm with the Injunctions necessary for that Purpose wherein you may not fail diligently to give your Aids and Assistance as best may serve for the Advancement of God's Glory And so fare you well From Richmond the 7th Day of August Anno 1565. Signed N. Bacon R. Leicester R. Rogers Will. Northampton Gul. Clynton Fr. Knolls Will. Cecil Notwithstanding this Letter all the other Churches in the Island soon followed the Example of that of St. Helier and the English Liturgy came to be generally disused This gave mighty Encouragement to the Puritans in England who hoped to draw great Advantages from it and indeed grew very insolent upon it To improve the Opportunity Cartwright and Snap those Two great Incendiaries of the English Church were sent into these Islands At whose coming a Synod of the Ministers and Elders of JERSEY Guernezey Serk and Alderney was Convened at the Town of St. Peter-Port in Guernezey June 28 1576. And there in Presence of both Governors a Form of Classical Discipline digested into twenty Chapters and each Chapter into several Articles was agreed on to be used from thenceforth in the four Islands Which Discipline was again confirmed in another Synod held at Guernezey the 11 12 13 14 15 and 17th Days of October 1597. It was a bold Step in the Governors not only to tolerate that unlawful Assembly but to countenance as they did all the Acts of it by their Presence and their Signature I call it an unlawful Assembly because it met and enacted Laws Ecclesiastical binding the Subject without the Royal Authority throwing the Liturgy out of those Churches where by Express Command of the Queen it had been injoyned to be continued to make way for their Model which was only indulged to St. Helier in JERSEY and to St. Peter-Port in Guernezey But the Governors got well by it for by that means the Spoils of the poor Deanries fell into their Hands Timely Application was made by that Party to K. James at his coming to the Crown to whom it was falsly suggested that the Discipline had been permitted and allowed by Q. Elizabeth Whereupon a Letter under the Privy-Seal dated Aug. 8. 1603. was easily obtained confirming that pretended Permission and setling the Discipline in both Islands as it was alledged to have been in the Days of that Queen The Letter was as followeth JAMES R. JAMES by the Grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland c. Vnto all those whom these Presents shall concern Greeting Whereas We Our Selves and the Lords of Our Council have been given to understand that it pleased God to put it into the Heart of the Late Queen our most dear Sister to permit and allow unto the Isles of JARSEY and Guernezey parcel of our Dutchy of Normandy the Vse of the Government of the Reformed Churches in the said Dutchy whereof they have stood possessed until our coming to this Crown For this Cause we desiring to follow the Pious Example of our said Sister in this behalf as well for the Advancement of the Glory of Almighty God as for the Edification of his Church do will and ordain that our said Isles shall quietly enjoy their said Liberty in the Vse of the Ecclesiastical Discipline there now Established forbidding any one to give them any trouble or impeachment as long as they contain themselves in our Obedience and attempt not any thing against the Pure and Sacred Word of God Given at our Palace at Hampton-Court the 8th Day of August Anno Dom. 1603 and of our Reign in England the First 'T is plain the Grant in this Letter was void and null from the beginning being founded on an Allegation manifestly untrue viz. that Q. Elizabeth had given way to the Establishment of the Discipline throughout all the Churches in these Islands The contrary whereof appears from the very Words of the Letter written by her Council However matters stood thus till a New Governor coming to JERSEY and clashing with the Colloquy about the Right of collating to vacant Benefices which both Sides layed equally claim to He in the Right of the King as the true Patron They by Virtue of the Discipline which empowered them to confer Orders and fill up vacant Livings with such only as had a Call from themselves the Altercation grew so high that it endangered the publick Peace and many of the Principal Inhabitants became humble Suiters to His Majesty to restore to them the Liturgy and to settle among them a Form of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction suitable to that of the Church of England with regard to their ancient Customs and Priviledges to which they prayed His Majesty at the same time not to derogate The Address was well received at Court The Liturgy was restored and the Office of Dean which had been above 60 Years disused was Revived and conferred on the reverend Mr. David Bandinel one of the Ministers of the Island The New Dean and Ministers were injoyned to draw up a Body of Canons to be approved by the King which after several Corrections and Amendments made therein by
Archbishop Abbot the Lord-Keeper Williams and the Learned Andrews Bishop of Winchester commissioned thereunto by the King received the Royal Assent June 30. in the 21st Year of His Majesty's Reign and were thereupon transmitted to JERSEY to have there the Force of Laws in Matters Ecclesiastical as they have to this Day A Copy of which Canons collated with the old French Original extant in our Records is hereunto added for publick Satisfaction JAMES R. JAMES by the Grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. To our right Trusty and well beloved Counseller the Reverend Father in God Lancelot Bishop of Winton and to our Trusty and well beloved Sir John Peyton Knight Governor of our Isle of JARSEY and to the Governor of the said Isle for the time being To the Bailiff and Jurats of the said Isle for the time being and to the Officers Ministers and Inhabitants of the said Isle for the time being To whom it shall or may appertain Greeting Whereas we held it fitting heretofore upon the Admission of the now Dean of that Island unto his Place in the Interim until we might be more fully informed what Laws Canons or Constitutions were meet and fit to be made and established for the good Government of the said Island in Causes Ecclesiastical appertaining to the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction to command the said Bishop of Winton Ordinary of the said Island to grant his Commission unto David Bandinel now Dean of the said Island to exercise the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction there according to certain Instructions signed with our Royal Hand to continue only until we might establish such Constitutions Rules Canons and Ordinances as we intended to settle for the regular Government of that our Island in all Ecclesiastical Causes conformed to the Ecclesiastical Government established in our Realm of England as near as conveniently might be And whereas also to that purpose our Pleasure was that the said Dean with what convenient Speed he might after such Authority given unto him as aforesaid and after his Arrival into that Island and the publick Notice given of his Admission unto the said Office should together with the Ministers of that our Isle consider of such Canons and Constitutions as might be fitly accommodated to the Circumstances of Time and Place and the Persons whom they concern and that the same should be put into Order and intimated to the Governor Bailiff and Jurats of that our Isle that they might offer to us and to Our Council such Acceptions and give such Informations touching the same as they should think good And whereas the said Dean and Ministers did conceive certain Canons and presented the same unto Vs on the one part and on the other part the said Bailiff and Jurats excepting against the same did send and depute Sir Philip de Carteret Knight Joshua de Carteret and Philip de Carteret Esquires three of the Jurats and Justices of Our said Isle All which Parties appeared before Our right Trusty and well beloved Councellors the Most Reverend Father in God the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury the Right Reverend Father in God the Lord Bishop of Lincoln Lord-Keeper of Our great Seal of England and the Right Reverend Father in God the said Lord Bishop of Winton to whom We gave Commission to examine the same who have accordingly heard the said Parties at large read examined corrected and amended the said Canons and have now made Report unto Vs under their Hands that by a mutual Consent of the said Deputies and Dean of our Island they have reduced the said Canons and Constitutions Ecclesiastical into such Order as in their Judgments may well fit the State of that Island KNOW ye therefore that We out of Our Princely Care of the quiet and peaceable Government of all Our Dominions especially affecting the Peace of the Church and the Establishment of true Religion and Ecclesiastical Discipline in one uniform Order and Course throughout all Our Realms and Dominions so happily united under Vs as their supreme Governor on Earth in all Causes as well Ecclesiastical as Civil having taken consideration of the said Canons and Constitutions thus drawn perused and allowed as aforesaid do by these Presents ratify confirm and approve thereof AND further We out of Our Princely Power and Regal Authority do by these Presents signed with Our Royal Hand and sealed with Our Royal Signet for Vs Our Heirs and Successors will and command that the said Canons and Constitutions hereafter following shall from henceforth in all Points be duely observed in Our said Isle for the perpetual Government of the said Isle in Causes Ecclesiastical unless the same or some Part or Parts thereof upon further Experience and Trial thereof by the mutual Consent of the Lord Bishop of Winton for the Time being the Governor Bailiffs and Jurats of the said Isle and of the Dean and Ministers and other Our Officers of Our said Isle for the time being representing the Body of Our said Isle and by the Royal Authority of Vs Our Heirs or Successors shall receive any Additions or Alterations as Time and Occasion shall justly require And therefore We do further will and command the said Right Reverend Father in God Lancelot now Lord Bishop of Winton that he do forthwith by his Commission under his Episcopal Seal as Ordinary of that Place give Authority unto the said now Dean to exercise Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction in Our said Isle according to these Canons and Constitutions thus made and established De la Souveraineté du Roy. PRemierement selon le Devoir que nous devons a la Tres-Excellente Majesté du Roy il est Ordonné que le Doyen Ministres ayans cure des Ames seront tenus un chascun de tout leur Pouvoir Scavoir Cognoissance d'enseigner mettre en Evidence desclarer purement sincérement sans aucune feintise ou dissimulation le plus souvent que faire se pourra que les occasions s'en presenteront que toute Puissance Forreine estrangere Vsurpée pour autant qu' elle nâ aucun fondement en la Parole de Dieu est totalement pour bonnes justes Causes ostée abolie par conséquent que nulle sorte d'Obeissance ou Subjection dedans les Royaumes Dominions de sa Majesté n'est deüe à aucune telle Puissance Ains que la Puissance du Roy dedans les Royaumes d'Angleterre d'Ecosse d'Irlande autres ses Dominions Contrées est la plus haute Puissance sous Dieu à laquelle Toutes Personnes habitans natifs dans icelles doivent par la Loy de Dieu toute Fidélité Obeissance avant par dessus toute autre Puissance 2. Quiconque affermera maintiendra que la Majesté du Roy n'a la méme Authoritè en causes Ecclesiastiques comme entre les Juiss ont eû les Rois Religieux les Empereurs Chrestiens en