CASTLE COKXET. 343 



the Accounts of Thomas de Ferrers, ten years later, to be 

 about the usual number employed for its defence. But 

 besides these there was " le power del pais," the trained force 

 of the islanders, who were called upon in emergency to assist 

 in defending the castle and island at their own charge. 



The First Siege of Castle Cornet. 



The accounts given by our historians of the various 

 invasions of Guernsey by the French during the early years 

 of the reign of Edward III. are rather conflicting. 



Hitherto it has generally been supposed that the island 

 was ravaged by the French allies of the Scots in 1336, 

 and again in 1338, by the French Admiral Behuchet, who, 

 on the 8th of September, captured Guernsey and Castle 

 Cornet. The occupation of the island and castle by the 

 French has been supposed to have lasted only a few months, 

 and an Order of the Council in Parliament given at length 

 by both Duncan* and Tupperf, has been considered 

 proof of their expulsion from Castle Cornet previous to 

 the 20th January, 1340t 



This Order, which is given on the authority of " Bree's 

 Sketch of this Kingdom (England) in the 14th century,"§ 

 runs as follows : — 



"Anno XIII, Edward III, m. 32 (1339 to 1340). 

 Item fait a remembre que Monsieur Thomas de Ferrars 

 ad empris d'envoyer saunz delay un homme suffisant 

 au chastel de Gerneseye pour sursur les defautes de l'etat 

 de meisme le chastel ; pur pleinement certifier ent au 

 conseil et en moen temps de trover gages a ceux qui y 

 demeureront en garnisons illecques, tant que la some 

 de cent livres ; et le dit Monsieur Thomas f erroit pourvoir 

 tote mancre de morte garnisture pur le dit chastel, 

 disore selon ce est requis par les messages du dit chastel. 

 Et l'Ercevesque Canterburie et le Tresorier sont accordez 

 coment qui serra fait a dit Monsieur Thomas trente 

 tonneaulx de pomadrej cinquante quintals de fer, deux 

 quintals d'acier pour le meisme garniture ; et pur 

 ceo que Guillaume Pein un des juretz de l'isle de 

 Gerneseye, est alors contre defens a les enemys, soit 

 brief mande au baillif et jurez de meisme l'isle de 

 eslire un autre suffisant en son lieu et de seisir ses terres 

 bien et chattels en la main le roi a repondre ent les 

 issues. Harl : M.S.S., No. 14, p. 58." 



* Duncan, p. 31. t Tupper's History of Guernsey, 2nd edition, p. 94. 



t Ha vet gives this date in " Les Cours Royales des Isles Normandes," p. 62. 



§ Printed in 1791. II Cider. 



