FEUDALISM IN GUERNSEY. 



65 



of the King of England, a favourite minister of Henry II., 

 who died in 1177. Then followed Grislebert de la Hougue in 

 1180 and lastly Robert de Saint Mere Eglise, in 1198, member 

 of an important family of the Contentin and near relative of 

 William de Saint Mere Eglise, Bishop of London. 



On the loss of Normandy by King John many of the 

 owners of our manors adhered to Philip Augustus, and in con- 

 sequence lost their lands in the island. The principal fiefs 

 forfeited at this period were — Rosel, St. Peter-Port ; Anne- 

 ville, St. Sampson's ; Suhart, Castel and St. Peter's-in-the- 

 Wood ; Lemminge, Fortescue, Vielesse, Buard, and Gorges, 

 St. Martin's ; Beggeville, Torteval ; Legat, Vale, and several 

 small manors at St. Andrew's. The lands of all the Norman 

 abbeys were also forfeited for a time, and were only restored 

 about 1238, by Henry III. 



If we glance at the list of the Ecclesiastical and Lay 

 Seigneurs owing suit of court at the Chief Pleas of the Royal 

 Court at a later period, who, as we have seen were the judges 

 of our early local court, we get an idea of the effect of these 

 forfeitures on its composition. 



Seigneurs owing Suit of Court. 



Bishop of Coutances. 

 Abbot of Mont St. Michel. 



„ of Marmoutier-lez-Tours. 

 „ of Blanchelande. 

 „ of La Rue Frairie (de Longues) 

 „ of La Croix St. Leufroy. 

 Abbess of La Trinite Caen. 

 Seigneur d'Anneville (lands forfeited). 

 „ de Sausmarez, St. Martin's. 

 „ des Bruniaux, St. Martin's. 

 „ des Mauxmarquis (lands forfeited). 

 „ des Bruniaux de Nermont (not yet in existence). 

 „ de Vaugrat. 

 „ des Philippes. 

 „ au Canelly. 

 „ de Fantome. 

 „ des Rohais. 



Of these seigneurs, no less than nine for certain were 

 deprived of their lands by King John. The judges of the 

 king's court were thus reduced by more than half their 

 number to seven or eight at most, that is supposing that all 

 the smaller fiefs now owing suit of court were then in 

 existence, of which we have no proof. This number would 



E 



Lands forfeited on 

 account of war. 



