176 EARLY CONSTITUTIONAL HISTORY. 



1 179. -Seal of Gilbert de Hoga. (D- 



[TRANSLATION.^ 



Be it known now and hereafter, I, Peter Vivier, have 

 conceded and by this my charter have confirmed to God 

 and to the Abbey of Mont Saint Michel, and to the monks 

 therein serving God, the land which is of the fee of 

 Baldwin Wac in Guernsey (Guenerreio), which Godfrey 

 Yivier gave to the said abbey in perpetual alms, with the 

 consent of the said Baldwin Vac and of Payn Vivier and of 

 my heirs, namely, five acres of land at Herclinroche, with 

 the messuage of Richard de la Rue (de Rua) which the said 

 Godfray held by hereditary right, and for the holding of 

 the covenant he gave the said abbey, with the consent of 

 my heirs, 60 shillings of Anjou < 2 > by the hand of Richard 

 de Huiville. This is done in the Court of the Lord the 

 King in Guernsey before Gilbert de la Hougue (de Hoga) 

 then Vicomte, and because I had not a seal, with the 

 advice and consent of my friends I have ordered this 

 charter to be sealed with the seal of Gilbert de la Hongue, 

 the Vicomte. In the year of the Incarnation of the Lord, 

 1179. Witnesses : Richard de Huiville, prior of the Vale 

 (de Valo), Peter of the Vale and Richard Malesarz, priests, 

 Master Marcherius, William Vivier, Peter de Beauvoir (de 

 Belueir), clarks, William the Chamberlain (Camerario) of 

 Baldwin Vac, Richard the Monk, Hugh de Granteis (de 

 Grancesiis), Gislebert des Rouveys (des Rouueis), Robert de 

 Harvelant, William de la Hougue, Oliver de Barne- 

 ville, William the prevost, Gislebert the prevost, 

 Espiart Legat (Legato), William Viteclin, Robert Maux- 

 marquis (Malmarchie), Gislebert Rossel, Gislebert, son of 

 Robert, Richard and Jordan Vivier, Richard Vivier, and 

 many others. 



Before touching upon what, for our Constitutional 

 history, are the important points of the charter, the reference 

 to the Royal Court at this early date and to the Vicomte of 

 Guernsey, I will first refer to Godfrey Vivier's gift and to the 

 persons named in the document. We have long known of 

 Baldwin Wac's charter confirming Godfrey's gift to Mont 

 St. Michel of 5 acres of land at Herclinroche and the messuage 

 of William de la Rue. The original charter is in the Archives 

 de la Manche at St. Lo, and a copy of it is printed in Dupont's 

 Hutoirc du Cotpntin ct scs lies, and a transcript of it is given 



(1) Historical Manuscripts Commission, Report on Manuscripts in Yarious 

 Collections, Vol. IV., p. 53, Dean and Chapter of Exeter. 



(2) Baldwin Wac's charter (now in the Archives de la Manche at St. Lo) 

 confirming Godfrey Vivier's gift, states that it was the Abbot that gave the 

 60 shillings, with the consent of the other heirs. 



