74 ENGLISH GARRISON OF GUERNSEY. 



many references on the subject, especially concerning the 

 fortification of Alderney which seems to have been commenced 

 at this time. 



Under Mary and Elizabeth many Letters and Orders 

 of the Council refer to guns and stores sent for the defence 

 of our castles, and to reinforcements of troops sent over 

 in time of danger. It was during the reign of the latter 

 that Castle Cornet was considerably enlarged ; these improve- 

 ments being completed in the year 1594. Much information 

 on the condition of the garrison imder' EKzabeth can be 

 gathered from the Report of the Commissioners sent over by 

 James I. in 1607, to investigate the disputes betw^een the 

 inhabitants of Guernsey and the (lovernor, Sir Thomas Leigh- 

 ton. The latter was governor of the island for 39 years, this 

 being the longest period on record, with the exception of that 

 of Otho de Grandison, but unfortunately, in common with the 

 latter, he seems to have been the most hated of all our 

 Governors, and his term of office w^as one of continual friction 

 between himself and the people. Among the complaints 

 made before the Commissioners, Sir Robert Gardner and Dr. 

 Hussey, are many referring to the Governor's system of 

 maintaining the garrison in Castle Cornet. It w^as still paid 

 by the Governor in time of peace, and not by the Crown, 

 hence his sole idea Avas to reduce his expenses as much as 

 possible, and to oblige the islanders by various illegal means 

 to contribute towards its support. Thus we learn that the 

 Governor obliged the Constables of the parishes to furnish 

 him with such sheep as were required to feed the garrison at 

 about one-third their market value ; he also compelled the 

 people to supply him with beer, cider, and w^ood at his 

 own price, to carry whatever he required to the castle, as 

 w^ell as to provide beds, sheets and coverlets for the soldiers 

 without payment. Also his soldiers lopped off the boughs 

 of trees to provide fuel for the castle without either the 

 consent of the owners or offer of payment. These actions 

 the Commissioners pronounced illegal, and the Governor was 

 forbidden in future to exact service Avithout pa^^, or to oblige 

 the people to victual the castle except at fair market prices.* 



Further we are told the Governor had obliged " these 

 late years, a great many of the best of the inhabitants of 

 the Isle, to keep watch at the castle, sometimes in their 

 own persons, being not able to procure any other to do it 

 for them, howbeit the said parties were of weak disposition, 



* Tupper, Chronicles of Castle Cornet, pp. 32, 33. 

 Report of Commissioners, Jamee I. 



