CASTLE CORNET. 345 



it was known as an undeniable fact that the castle was 

 captured from the French in August, 1345, by the Captains 

 of Bayonne in the employ of Edward III. Hence it was 

 supposed that it had been captured a second time by them 

 at some unknown period between these dates. The idea 

 most generally accepted being that this second invasion 

 occurred some time during the wars of the succession of 

 John III., Duke of Brittany, 1341 to 1343. 



In recent years many valuable documents have been 

 published by the Record Office, London, the " Societe Jer- 

 siaise," &c, which have added largely to our knowledge of the 

 history of this period. From these and other sources, it would 

 seem that for the first few years of the reign of Edward III. 

 our islands enjoyed comparative peace ; but in the year 

 1336 the French allies of the Scots swept down upon the 

 Channel burning and ravaging the Southern ports, the Isle 

 of Wight, and Guernsey and Jersey.* In the following year 

 they again invaded the Isles and ravaged Serk and Alderney. 

 This time Guernsey and Jersey seems to have escaped 

 invasion, or possibly repelled the enemy, as the Warden, 

 Thomas de Ferrers, accounts for the receipt of the full revenue 

 from both islands ; whilst from Alderney and Serk he received 

 nothing " on account of the invasion of the enemy, f 



On the 11th May, 1337, shortly after this invasion, the 

 king wrote to Thomas de Ferrers reciting all that the 

 inhabitants of Serk had recently suffered at the hands of 

 " the adherents of the Scots, his enemies," warning him that 

 he was menaced by similar evils if he did not oppose them 

 energetically. At the same time he orders that all the men 

 of the islands be armed and enrolled in corps of thousands, 

 hundreds and twenties for their defence. J 



In the execution of this order de Ferrers was evidently 

 energetically assisted by the Bailiffs and civil authorities 

 of the Islands, as on the 18th August, 1337, the king, 

 writing to the Bailiff and Jurats of Guernsey, says he has 

 " been pleased to learn that they are active according to their 

 strength in matters touching the honour and safety of the 

 islands, for the which the king thanks them requesting 

 them to repel the king's enemies. "§ 



At the same date the king wrote to de Ferrers, ordering 

 him to cause the castles of " La Cornet and Gurry "|| to be 



* Duncan. Appendix, p. 580, Rot. Scot., 10 Edward III., 3, Fcedera. 

 t Bull. XVI. Societ6 Jersiaise, 1891, p, 26 and 27, Art. Documents relatifs 

 aux Attaques sur les lies de la Man eke, 1338-1345. 



t Tupper's History of Guernsey, p. 101 (Pat. Rolls Edward III., p. 1 m. 6 d.) 



§ Calendar Close Rolls. 11 Edward III., p. 159. 



II Gorey Castle. 



D 



