1918.] QUAKERISM IN GUERNSEY. 117 



a second time, had a large family by his second wife ; therefore 

 when he became of age he left his home and came into town 

 with a very small sum in his pocket. Having some knowledge 

 of spoon and buckle making, he hired a small shop where he 

 cooked his own victuals, and with one trade and another made 

 enough money to marry on. About this time a. travelling 

 French clockmaker arrived in the Island and asked to be 

 allowed to join his shop ; he then taught my grandfather his 

 trade, who so took to it and became so proficient that he could 

 not turn clocks out quick enough and even had to order some 

 ready made from England so as to supply his customers ; but 

 many preferred waiting a long time in order to have clocks of 

 his own workmanship. After a while he also undertook watch- 

 work and soon became famous as a watchmaker also.' 1 



In 1774, at twelve years old, Nicolas Naftel shipped as a 

 cabin boy and sailed to London and back with Captain William 

 Solbe, but his grandfather took him away from a sea-faring 

 life and placed him in one of the Ecrivain's Offices, so that, he 

 should be taught the laws of the Island. " In 1776 " he writes, 

 " while I was at the Office, Claude Gay, a Friend in the 

 Ministry, came to Guernsey, as he had married a Guernsey- 

 woman, and came to the Clerk's Office for some copy of law 

 transactions about her property ; he came and sat by me ; his 

 plain appearance and language diverted us." Berry, in his 

 History of Guernsey (p. 267), tells us that "Claude Gay, of 

 Barking in Essex, was a native of France, born in the City of 

 Lyons about 1706, and educated in the Church of Rome, of 

 which he continued to be a zealous member till about 36 years 

 of age, when he quitted that persuasion, left France and came to 

 Jersey, where he embraced the principles of the Friends. About 

 1741 he was imprisoned there by order of the Magistrates and 

 was banished to England, but returning, was again imprisoned 

 and banished under pain of corporal punishment ; he was 

 afterwards relieved by order of the King's Council, with 

 liberty to return to Jersey, but settled in London about 1745. 

 He afterwards travelled much, visited this Island and 

 established the Society of Friends, and died at Barking in 

 1786." Nicholas Naftel goes on to say : " Whilst in the Island 

 he had a handbill printed in French, by way of an address to 

 the inhabitants as follows : ' In passing along your High 

 Street on a Market day I saw, with the eyes of my faith, your 

 souls as being the purchase of the blood of Jesus Christ. Do 

 not then pollute these souls with any wilful sins and take care 

 lest you take the Name of God in vain. God is willing to save 

 you. Why should any of you lose or destroy y^rsejves ? ' ' 



