358 CASTLE CORNET. 



On the 3rd June Thomas de Ferrers returned to the 

 island with reinforcements, and letters under the Privy Seal 

 to treat with the French Knights in the castle. A few days 

 later he was joined by Sir William de Gruyssy and Sir Roland 

 de Verdon, who were accompanied by six esquires and eight 

 valets. An unsuccessful attempt was made at this time to 

 engage the services of the Genoese, but the messengers sent to 

 Brittany for this purpose were taken prisoners. The 

 negotiations with the French Knights evidently proceeded 

 for some weeks, for on several occasions we find record of 

 payments to divers valets sent to Normandy to ascertain 

 news and the wishes of the friends of the Knights.* The 

 result was unsatisfactory, so, on the 30th June, Sir Roland 

 and one valet returned to England, and about the same time 

 Philip Barton and Nicholas de Gruyssy were also sent to 

 report to the king at Sandwich,* where the army for Guienne 

 was being assembled under the Earl of Derby. As the king 

 left Sandwich for Flanders on the 3rd July,t it is doubtful 

 whether he received de Ferrers' report until his return on the 

 26th of the same month. J This report referred without doubt 

 to the failure of de Ferrers' negotiations with the French 

 Knights in Castle Cornet, and also to the impossibility of his 

 capturing the castle with the force at his disposal. The king, 

 therefore, entrusted the difficult task to the Captains of five 

 vessels of Bayonne and " others his faithful subjects." A 

 warrant of the 5 th August § gives the names of the ships and 

 the commanders, Peter Bernard, of the La Katherine, Peter 

 de Benessa, of the La Die?/, la Garde, Raymond des Vaux, of 

 the La Nave Dieu, Arnold de Caressa, of the St. Mary, and 

 Peter Darby, of the St. Peter. The first-mentioned, Peter 

 Bernard, of Toulouse, was a famous freebooter who figures 

 often on the Roils of this period. || In command of the 

 expedition was Sir Godfrey d'Harcourt, who, accompanied by 

 a personal following of five Knights and 24 men-at-arms, 

 arrived in Guernsey with his force on the 13th August.1T 



In the interval Thomas de Ferrers was closely besieging 

 the castle, and from the 2nd July to the time of the arrival of 

 d'Harcourt's force, 30 archers were employed in boats 

 watching round the castle to prevent supplies being brought 

 to the garrison. Arms and munitions had been brought from 

 England, and scaling ladders, &c, prepared for the final 

 assault on the castle.** 



* Bulletin, XVI., Societe Jersiaise, pp. 47, 53. t Calendar, Patent Rolls, p. o 1 7. 



X Calendar, Close Rolls, p. 639. § Tupper Chronicle, Castle Cornet, p. 12. 



II Calendar, Close Rolls, 1343 to 1346. 



1 and ** Bulletin, XVI., Societe Jersiaise, pp. 47 to 53. 



