CHAPTER XVI.

LATER HISTORY CONTINUED PERIOD OF THE CIVIL WAR.

DURING the earlier years of the reign of Charles I., and at the beginning of the civil war, there was no great difference between the political feeling of the Jerseymen and Guernseymen. As events, however, went on, a great change took place, ending in the development of an antagonism, which happily ended, at the Restoration, in a common feeling of loyalty. The two islands took different sides; Jersey being loyalist, Guernsey republican-each remaining, however, thoroughly and inflexibly Protestant.

In Jersey, the influence of Sir George Carteret was inordinately great; great, though by no means unopposed. He was himself a Jersey man, and far from being the only one of his name. In a complaint against him, laid before the parliament in 1642, the very circumstance of his being an islander is made an objection. He was too much a pluralist himself, and he had too many Kinsmen for whom he found places. He was overbearing in manners, and arbitrary in his execution of the laws. was, nevertheless, strong enough to hold the king's party together; and in Jersey, this was a decided majority.

He

In Guernsey, Sir Philip Osborne was governor; but in Guernsey, the feeling beyond the walls of the castle, was republican. The chief details of the effective and successful opposition of the

island, are connected with the names of De Beauvoir, Carey and De Havilland.

Not only were the two governors in communication with one another, but, on the 2nd of February, 1612, the day of what may be called the Guernsey Rebellion, Carteret was in Castle Cornet, with the credit of having arrived from England with arms and ammunition to be employed against the islands, and of having the intention to proceed to France for the purpose of levying The meeting before which this information was laid was held at the house of Sir John Fautrart, the lieutenant-bailiff, with Peter de Beauvoir, and Thomas Carey, jurats, in attend

more.

ance.

To the presence of Carteret in the island one of the constables gave evidence. The whole movement seems to have been eminently formal and legal. Upon the constable's deposi tion, the above-named jurats and Fautrart applied to the bailiff John de Queteville, for advice; who merely replied that if he were ordered to arrest Sir G. Carteret he would do so. The two jurats then sent the sheriff to Sir P. Osborne to demand his guest, to which application no answer was vouchsafed. Further prevarication followed, until, by the 22nd of March, 1642, the Committee of Lords and Commons, appointed to watch over the safety of the kingdom, had invested the provisional government of the island in the hands of thirteen gentlemen, of whom De Beauvoir was president. Their instructions, inter alia, were as follow:

"1.-You shall seize the person of Sir Peter Osborne, knight, deputy-governor of the island of Guernsey, and the castle now in his custody; and you si all sev. him under a safe escort to the parliament, to answer such offences, contempts. ■ » other misdemeanours, as shall be objected against him.

"2.-You shall take into your custody, by inventory, all money, plate, other goods belonging to the said Sir Peter Osborne, and keep the same till further directions be given by this committee, or by parliament.

"3.-You shall appoint a captain, or commander-in-chief, and other subor·l ́að officers over all the trained bands of the said island, who shall lead, conduct, mae exercise the soldiers, according to the discipline of war.

INSTRUCTIONS FROM PARLIAMENT.

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"4-You shall, by force of arms, take possession of the said castle, and fight with, kill, and slay all who make any resistance to you in the execution of this commission, and shall keep the said castle to the use of the king and kingdom of England.

"5.-You shall oppose and suppress all forces which may arrive in the island, without authority and consent of both houses of parliament.

"6.-You shall assist all ships sent by authority of both houses of parliament for the defence of the said island, and guarding of the seas, and protection of his majesty's good subjects in those parts.

“7.—You shall seize upon the persons and estates of all such as stand in defence of the said Sir Peter Osborne, and all others that have made, or shall make, war against the parliament.

"8.-You shall seize upon all ships, barks, and all goods and provisions employed for the relief of the said castle or fort, being in actual war against the parliament, or the property of those who have in any manner aided or assisted those who were, or are, in such actual war.

"9.-You shall, from time to time, advise both houses of parliament, or this committee, of your proceedings, and execute such further instructions as you may receive from them.

"10.-You shall collect the rents and other profits belonging to the governor of the said island, and shall employ the same for the defence thereof, and other public charges.

"11.-You shall grant and dispose of all such licenses for transporting any commodities for the relief and supply of the island out of the kingdom of England, as by law are warranted, in such manner as shall stand with justice, and due respect to the good of the said island, and the inhabitants thereof."

Osborne, however, defied them, and threatened to turn his cannon on the town. Then the Commissioners wrote to the Parliament. Then Charles wrote to the Earl of Danby as if he had been actually governor. He was to promise the islanders that

"In that island, that, as we ever have had most especial care to preserve the Protestant profession of the Christian religion with your ancient government among you, your liberties, persons, and properties, as settled by the laws and customs of your island, so shall we ever preserve them from all innovations or alterations whatsoever, whereby you may enjoy the blessings of tranquillity under Ls, as heretofore under our predecessors. But in case you find any particular person, (for we have had of late too much experience of those spirits) who shall cast off this, our just command and authority, you, the bailiff and jurats, are to

apprehend and closely imprison such offenders, and proceed against them with expedition and severity, according to the laws; and upon any insurrection or other act of disloyalty, we require you, our governor and deputy, by your martial power, to subdue such persons as shall rise against our authority by any traitorous attempt; and we expect that both you, our governors, and you, our magistrates, will take such care, and give such mutual assistance to each other, as may preserve your peace and the loyalty of the island, which we have always and so mu desired, knowing how much it imports that no advantage be given to the des gus of foreigners by faction; of this we expect you will give us a speedy account, as: for so doing, these, our letters, shall be to you, or any one of you, a suflett warrant."*

The promise herein conveyed was put at what it was worth by the Guernseymen. Meanwhile, the parliamentary lieutenantgovernor was Mr. Robert Russell, under the Earl of Warwick The Parliament, however, did but little. When the spirit of the islanders waxed weak, it stimulated and upbraided them. Yet Osborne not only held out, but held as hostages three of the popular leaders. The following letter, on this point, tells part of its own story :—

To the Earl of Warwick.

"My Lord,-Our calamitous state (we having no hope of defence but under the wings of your protection) compels us to advise you that Castle Cornet bas within these last days, received supplies from France and England, a large sho having come from France, and two ships from England, one of them compard by Captain Bowden, who has revolted against the parliament. Captain Bowb arrived here from Dartmouth on Saturday last, the 22nd of this morth, ata anchored to the south of the castle, when he sent his boat on shore with Les addressed to the lieutenant-governor (Russell), and to the commissioners apporte by the parliament, requesting them to come on board his vessel to cousut wit him on matters of great importance, he feigning to be ill. Upon this mvita', a Peter De Beauvoir, James De Havilland, and Peter Carey, three of the s commissioners, went on board, when they were immediately seized and treat as prisoners. The other vessel went to Jersey on the same errand, but our -"-" general sent timely notice to that island. This circumstance induces us, with A consent of Robert Russell, Esq., your lieutenant, to write to your lords inform you that this poor and feeble state has, at present, more Leed than or

* Dated from Oxford, 9th of December, 1613.

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your aid and support; and we most humbly pray you, with all possible diligence, to send us some vessels, and all necessary ammunition, in such quantities as your prudence may think proper, to protect us against the invasion of our enemies. Signed, James Guille, Peter De Beauvoir, Michael De Saumarez, John Bonamy, Thomas Carey, John Carey."

The remainder is given in the details of the seizure of the three commissioners which, in a letter like the one before us, receives merely a short and cursory notice, and which even in a history of the islands taken generally can only claim a few lines of narrative. In a personal biography, it would expand into an account of no small interest. It is that of a foul capture, and a bold escape. The man who took them was an adventurer, to say the least. His name was Bowden. He left Guernsey with a parliamentary commission; was talked-over by Prince Maurice, whom, unless he meant to be talked-over, he had no occasion to meet. He, apparently, violated the spirit, if not the letter, of his instructions in doing so. However, he returned to Guernsey; kept up his show of parliamentary authority; inveigled them aboard his ship; took them to the governor. He was, probably, honestly surprised in finding that the governor like a cautious man, instead of allowing him to take them. across to Dartmouth, insisted on their being left with him. There was bad water in the castle, few vacant rooms, and no great amount of fresh meat. To this we must attribute some real suffering on the side of the prisoners. Yet they were not separated, and wine and beer are specially mentioned as part of their allowances. Still they suffered; yet were emboldened rather than depressed. Any man who escapes from a prison must have energy, physical courage, and perseverance. Thomas Carey, Peter de Beauvoir, and James de Havilland, full credit must be given for these high qualities. That they would have been hanged had they remained one half hour longer adds to the romance; but the evidence of this lies only in what some good authority, who had means of knowing, told some one else,

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