CASTLE CORNET. 353 



in the islands, as he is informed that divers men having land 

 in the island, have absented themselves in time of war, 

 staying among the king's enemies of France . . . and 

 returning in time of truce and peace."* 



In the spring of this year (1342) the Spanish and Genoese 

 allies of Charles de Blois, Don Louis of Spain and Joseph 

 Grimaldi were, according to Froissart, cruising off Guernsey 

 with a fleet of 32 ships and galleys, to intercept the reinforce- 

 ments which Edward III. was intending to send to Brittany 

 to aid the cause of the Count de Montfort. And as it has 

 been supposed that Guernsey was recaptured about this time 

 by the French, or their Spanish allies, during the wars of the 

 succession of John III., Duke of Brittany, before considering 

 the documents referring to the island it may be advisable to 

 glance briefly at the events. which have given rise to this idea. 



On the death of John III., Duke of Brittany, in April, 

 1341, without issue, the dukedom was claimed by Charles de 

 Blois, in right of his wife, the heiress of John's next brother ; 

 but his title was disputed by her uncle, the Count de 

 Montfort, John's stepbrother, as heir male. Edward III. 

 with curious inconsistency, considering his own claim to the 

 French Crown, espoused de Montfort's cause. The details of 

 the first campaign of 1341 do not concern us, suffice it that the 

 Count de Montfort was defeated and taken prisoner at Nantes 

 by Charles de Blois. His Countess bravely defended herself 

 in the castle of Hennebont, and being at length succoured by 

 an English force under Sir Walter de Mauny, she sought 

 refuge in England. In the spring of 1342, Edward III. 

 determined to send a force to Brittany to aid the cause of the 

 de Montforts which, according to Froissart, assembled at South- 

 ampton about Easter, under the command of the Earls of Pem- 

 broke, Northampton, Salisbury, &c.,but was delayed from sailing 

 by contrary winds. At length, the Countess, accompanied by 

 Robert d'Artois and the above-named Earls, set sail, and off 

 Guernsey fell in with the fleet of Don Louis of Spain and the 

 Genoese. The English fleet consisted of 46 ships, but 

 although more numerous than their opponents, the latter had 

 nine vessels of greater size than any of the English. Towards 

 evening the fleets engaged in battle, and after a very fierce 

 conflict at close quarters, during which the Countess de 

 Montfort fought like a man among the knights, for Froissart 

 relates, she had a " lion heart," night fell and ended the battle. 

 Both fleets anchored, intending to renew the conflict next day, 

 but during the night a terrific storm arose, " as though the 



* Calendar, Close Rolls, 1342, p. 375. 

 Froissart's Chronicles, Lord Berners' trans., Vol. I. pp. 182, 195, 211 and 213. 



