104 



GUERNSEY HISTORY. 



over to look after his rebellious subjects, accompanied by 

 his lieutenant, Gerard d'Oroms, superintending in person 

 the reaping and carrying away of Thomas d'Estefeld's corn at 

 " La Ville au Roi," * which evidently was one of the lands in 

 dispute. 



The question of our privileges remained in abeyance 

 until 1331, when Edward III. appointed Robert de Scarde- 

 burgh, Robert de Norton and others as justices to hold fresh 

 assizes. The islanders were again called upon to declare by 

 what warrant they claimed their privileges, but their patience 

 was getting exhausted, and we hear of organised opposition. 

 A meeting was held in Jersey at the Priory of l'lslet early in 

 July, previous to the arrival of the justices. There Laurent 

 du Gaillard, one of the Governors, Peter de Garis and 

 Ranulph Le Gay, ex-Bailiffs, the Priors of the Vale, and of 

 St. Clement's, Jersey, and many of the principal people of the 

 islands, including Sir William de Chesney, Matthew de 

 Sausmarez, Simon and Philip de St. Martin, &c, bound 

 themselves on oath to demand the recognition of our privi- 

 leges. They presented themselves before the justices at 

 Guernsey on the 27th July, accompanied by a large crowd of 

 people, and formally protested against the pretensions of the 

 crown to meddle in their affairs, maintaining that " their 

 customs belonged to them alone, that the king had no right 

 to modify them or impose new ones, and that they were ready 

 to defend them with their lives." The justices refused to 

 listen to them, and there was a great tumult, the crowd 

 applauding the malcontents and shouting " oui, oui, oui," 

 to the injury of the lord the king, the terror of the people, 

 and the peril of the lives of the justices." When the tumult 

 was appeased, the justices ordered the Vicomte to cite before 

 them, Laurent du Gaillard and John le Viner, probably the 

 two leaders. They appealed to judgment by a jury of 

 the country, who unanimously acquitted them. The justices 

 then adjourned the proceedings against the other covenanters 

 to Jersey, where only one, Philip de St. Martin, appeared 

 and was fined twenty shillings. They then ordered the arrest 

 of the defaulters, but unfortunately we do not know what was 

 the ultimate termination of the conflict.! This scene was 

 certainly one of the most dramatic in our annals. It showed 

 the authorities that the patience of the islanders was at an end, 

 and possibly had a considerable influence in leading to the 



* Ancient Petitions, p. 33, No. 13171. Thomas d'Estefeld came to the island in 

 the service of Sir Nicholas de Chesney. and married Alice, widow of Matthew de 



Sansmarcz, senior, sister and co-heiress of the Bailiff, William de St. Remy. 

 t Dupont Hist, Cotentin et de ses lies, t. II., pp. 245-247. Second report of the 

 commissioners (1846, p. 310.) 



