34* CASTLE CORNET. 



would be conquered within 2 or 3 days." For as the petitioners 

 pointed out, there were "in the castle or in the land for the 

 King of France but one Knight and 80 men of Normandy." 



On the 7th September, 1339, jXicholas Helie, Sergeant-at- 

 Arms of the King of France, was Governor in Guernsey, " au 

 service de Noblehomme et puissant monseigneiu le Marechal 

 Bertran," and requesting the " Gardien du clos des galees " to 

 provide various munitions to Danois de FAguillon,* master of 

 a galley, for the defence of the islands. And in further proof 

 of the occupation of Guernsey by the French during the whole 

 of this year, we find on the 10th May, 1339, the king ordering 

 the Treasurer and Barons of the Exchequer to give Thomas 

 de Ferrers respite until the " quinzaine of Michaelmas next 

 for the arrears of his f erm of the islands . . . . as he has 

 besouo-ht the kino; to cause allowance to be made to him in his 

 ferm .... and certain of the islands are occupied by 

 the king's alien enemies who have invaded them, and Thomas 

 cannot receive the ferm for that cause ; and the king wishes 

 to deal favourably with him because he is staying in his 

 service in parts beyond the sea and cannot depart to account 

 for what he has lost."t Also in the Accounts of Walter de 

 Weston, Lieutenant in the Isles, we only find mention of 

 the receipt of the Crown revenue from Jersey for this 

 year, nothing being received from any of the other islands.! 



That Guernsey was still in the possession of the French 

 on the 1st Februarv, 1340, is shown by the following letter in 

 the Patent Bolls§ :— 



" Protection during pleasure for the men of the 

 island of Gernereye, as also for those of the islands of 

 Jereseye, Serk and Aureneye, and their possessions, ships, 

 boats and other things against divers men of the king's 

 realm and power and friendship, who under colour that 

 the island of Gernereye is held by the French enemies, 

 daily contrive divers grievances against the men of the 

 said islands both by land and sea. This protection is not 

 however to extend to any French enemies holding the 

 islands, or passing to or from it. 



" By the Keeper and C." 



The king appointed John de le Launde Bailiff of Guern- 

 sey on the 23rd April, 1340, "in consideration of his great 

 labours and good service to the king in those parts.'" |] He had 

 formed one of the garrison of Castle Cornet from 20th June, 



* Dupont, Vol. II., p. 286. (Actes Norm., 116 and 117.) 



t Calendar, Close Rolls, 1339, p. 221. J Bull., Societe Jersiais, XVI., p. 27. 



§ Calendar, Patent Rolls, 1340. 



II Calendar of Patent Rolls, 1310. 



