1914.] SOME OLD DOCUMENTS. 163 



LETTER OF THE 26th MARCH, 1480/1, 



BY WHICH AN ASSEMBLY OF OFFICIALS AND PEOPLE OF 



THE ISLAND APPOINT ATTORNEYS TO REPRESENT THEM. 



In Sir Edgar MacCullocli's MSS. there is an 18th 

 century copy of another document giving details of the 

 constitution of another general assembly, differing somewhat 

 to that of the one we have just considered. It is an 

 act of an assembly of representatives of the people of 

 Guernsey appointing attorneys to represent and act in the 

 name of the community concerning certain engagements 

 (obligations as they are called), entered into some time 

 previously, between the people of the island and the Admiral 

 of France. What these engagements were we unfortunately 

 cannot tell, as the original document was either torn, or 

 illegible, at the spot containing this information, which is left 

 blank in the copy. What interests us is the detailed account 

 of the constitution of the assembly making the appointment. 

 It consisted of the Lieutenant Bailiff, the jurats, the clergy, 

 (les gents d'eglise, as they are called), the constables of all the 

 parishes and " les plus sains des manants et habitans de 

 l'isle." The two attorneys appointed to represent the people 

 of Guernsey were Edmund de Chesney, Bailiff of Guernsey, 

 and Richard Harliston, Captain of Mont Orgneil Castle and 

 Governor of Jersey. 



Can we consider this assembly a meeting of what in those 

 days corresponded to our modern States ? One is tempted to 

 think so, as such a body would have been the only one with 

 authority to act in the name of the whole island. It will be 

 noticed that the constitution of the assembly differs somewhat 

 from that of the one we find legislating in 1429. Les 

 gentihhommes for some reason or other had disappeared and 

 had been replaced by the constables, and the clergy had been 

 added. It is possible that some reform of constitution had 

 taken place in the interval. 



IV. 



§1 t<ms Z uulse qui ces presentes lettres verront ou orront 

 John Blondel lieutenant de honorable gentylhomme Edmond 

 Cheyne Baillif de nostre Souverayn Seygneur le roy dengle- 

 terre en lisle de Guernesey salut en dieu savoir faisons que par 

 le conseil et bon advis tant des jureys de la Court Royalle de 

 nostre dit souverayn seygneur en la elite isle savoir est Druet le 

 Marchant, Thomas Blondel, John Martin, Nicholas de Garris, 

 Thomas de Haveillant, Thomas de Saumares, John Perrin, Pierres 

 le Mesurier, Nicholas Fouaschin, Simon Ettur et James Duport, 



J-: 



