of horses, swords, and cuirasses, and pistols for the officers, and that, in general, all the above-mentioned shall keep their accoutrements of all sorts, with their papers and account books, without being plundered or searched for what they may carry with them."

Mutatis mutandis, or with the name of Colonel Roger Burgess instead of that of Sir Peter Osborne, whom he had succeeded, the second clause in the Guernsey article runs to the same effect. Full indemnity and pardon were granted to all concerned in the defence, from the commanding officer to the lowest private; and in each article is a special clause to the effect

"That if it should happen that any officer or private comprized in these articles should violate them in whole or in part, such violation shall not be imputed to his party, but only to the person guilty."

The sufferings, however, and privations in each island had been great; and from Guernsey, where the decided support of the Parliament had established a claim for some favor and indulgence, we have an elaborate address to the Protector, which gives us a good account of the condition of the island. The land was subject to both tithe and champart,—the latter being a payment of every twelfth sheaf of corn: a portion of which was paid to the State and a portion to individuals. The State's claim amounted to ninety-one pounds; the claims of individuals to one hundred and seventy livres, ten sous tournois. The inhabitants amounted to eight thousand, of which nineteentwentieths are described as having no substance at all; some two or three as having two hundred pounds per annum; and less than ten as being worth one hundred pounds per annum. Two-thirds of the land was out of cultivation; partly on account of the poverty of the islanders, partly on account of the heavy dues; of which the above-mentioned tithe and champart, though the chief, were not the only ones.

"Since the year 1612, a mass of evils, like a flood, have overflowed the island, and all that was left good in the condition thereof. The inhabitants, for declaring

PETITION FROM GUERNSEY.

389

themselves in favour of the parliament, and remaining faithful to it, have lost their ships, their traffic, and their trading; their harbour and port have been closed and shut up by the rebellion and revolt of Sir Peter Osborne, in the castle called Cornet. The inhabitants, during the heat and danger of war, were in continual fears, services, and watchings, commonly twice a week, sometimes thrice; they had frequent alarms from Jersey, from Castle Cornet, from Normandy, from Britany, and from the king's ships; they were always in arms, as in a garrison, a frontier place remote from England; they constructed fortifications and several other works for their defence, and were at their own charges for reducing and keeping Sark. They have paid for the maintenance of frigates to prevent relief being given to the castle, for beds, candles, fire for the soldiers, and divers other disbursements amounting to above thirty thousand pounds. But what grieved the island most, being an evil undeserved, was the filling it with soldiers, though for seven years before, by the mercy of God, and the faithful endeavours of some active inhabitants, they had preserved themselves and the island in obedience to parliament; and when the king was put to death, and his party and interests were brought low in England, there was no reason to fear for the inhabitants, who were then kept under like slaves, affronted, threatened, beaten; their orchards were robbed, their trees cut down, and their sheep stolen. The parliament promised that the soldiers should be no charge to the inhabitants, yet they took no notice that the island was almost undone and could not bear the burden. In England, soldiers pay for their bedding, fire, and candle, or else are quartered at inns and alehouses; but the soldiers extorted this entertainment from us. In this particular the island has paid, in five years, above seven thousand two hundred pounds.

"The humble desire thereupon is, that there may be some charitable and just relief, since the inhabitants are members of the commonwealth, as well as others in the great parts thereof. That the unreasonable payment of the aforesaid thirteenth be no longer paid, but remitted. That camparts, likewise, (at least those belonging to the state, amounting to about ninety-one pounds sterling per annum) be remitted and abolished. It is a small thing for the state to grant, and is of great consequence to the welfare of the island, in reference to breaking up and ploughing the land. The state will be no losers thereby, for when the people are encouraged, they will be enabled to defend the island by their own means, having provisions within themselves. And, if this exaction, nowhere practised but in Guernsey, be remitted and abolished, tithes will increase, as more land will be brought into culture when this discouragement ceases. This is the burden of which they at all times complained to Queen Elizabeth, and to the last two kings and to parliament, and of which they have been promised redress by the council of their several majesties. And this promise was one of the strongest inducements to continue them firm in their duty under their incomparable evils during the civil war; to wit, that the campart should be abolished."

Then follows a notice of the remedial measures enacted by Parliament in 1613, when the management of the insular affairs was committed to twelve men of the island itself; and, then, a protestation of their long-tried and ever-recognised loyalty to the English Crown.

A slight suspicion of self-laudation now suggests itself to the English reader and the old, old story, which may be read in the very latest local histories of what Guernsey did for Jersey, and how she relieved her sister in distress, protrudes itself.

The strong castle of Mont Orgueil, in Jersey, was taken by the French. Guernseymen recovered it. The island of Sark was twice lost. Guernseymen recovered it.

Castle Cornet is, then, considered not only as expensive, but as useless. Against the French, it is an insufficient protection; and, against the loyal islanders, it will never be needed; nor could it do much good if it were. Considering what happened during its occupation by the loyalist governors, it was not likely to find much favour in the eyes of the republicans.

To Richard Cromwell the following address was sent :

"To his most serene highness, Richard, lord protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and of the dominions which belong to it; the humble petition of the bailiff, justices, town council, and others, well-affectioned inhabitants of the island of Guernsey.

"In all humility representing that, having deeply shared the general consternation all well-affectioned persons experienced on the death of his late most renowned highness, they have also participated in the great exultation which possesses the hearts of all those who profess piety, and see your highness act in your government for God and his people. And as your humble petitioners hold nothing more precious than their fidelity to your highness, so they consider nothing so certain as the grace and bounty of your highness, which has emboldened them to prostrate themselves in all humility before your highness, most humbly supplicating that you will be pleased to confirm their privileges, franchises, and immunities which they enjoy by virtue of ancient charters; and, considering that the population of this island has so much increased, that more than six thousand persons earn their living

by making worsted stockings and other articles in wool, and that one thousand todds of wool are the least quantity necessary to keep them at work, which quantity being equally divided among the number of persons mentioned, only gives four pounds and a-half to each individual in a year; we humbly pray your highness that you may be pleased, out of your favour, to grant to the poor inhabitants of your said isle, the same indulgence and grace already bestowed on the inhabitants of Jersey, by the very noble father of your highness, of happy memory, for the sake of the cordial affection they bear to your highness. And according to their duty, they will pray God to continue his benediction on the person, posterity, and government of your highness."

To Charles II., immediately on his succession, an address, in which there is a conspicuous absence of the spirit which had been so lately displayed. But this was, to a great extent, the case with the whole English nation. The following passages, however, can scarcely be read with pleasure by any one:

"At the court of Whitehall, the 18th of August, 1660; present, the king's most excellent majesty in council.

"Upon reading the petition of Amias Andros, of Saumarez, bailiff of the island

of Guernsey, and Nathaniel Darell, both of them his majesty's servants, and deputies of the island of Guernsey, on behalf of the inhabitants of the said island, humbly acknowledging their great guilt and unfeigned grief of heart, for having, since the disorders these many years past, submitted to the usurping powers (which at last tyrannized over his majesty's subjects,) and quitted their duties of obedience to their native sovereign, for which great crimes, imploring his majesty's gracious pardon; it is ordered by this board (his majesty being present) that Mr. Attorney-General do forthwith draw up, in due manner, a full and effectual pardon for all the inhabitants of the said island of Guernsey; the said pardon to proceed in the accustomed manner to pass the great seal of England, so to remain as a monument of his majesty's most royal clemency to all in the said pardon. That Sir Henry Devic, knight and baronet, Mr. Amias Andros, of Saumarez, bailiff of the said island, Edmond Andros, son of the said Amias, Charles Andros, brother of the said Amias, and Nathaniel Darell, have, to their great honour, during the late rebellion, continued inviolably faithful to his majesty, and consequently have no need to be included in this general pardon."

Again,

"Your majesty's most gracious letters, brought unto us by Colonel Jonathan Atkyns, your majesty's commissioner in this, your poor island of Guernsey, have so revived the drooping and dejected spirits of the magistrates and people in it, and have had such an influence upon the hearts and hands of all of them, that we could wish your majesty were informed of the fruits of your own labours, and with what joy, what alacrity we received them,-what blessings, what acclamations of joy and gratitude there were expressed in all places after the reading of them, for your majesty's long life and prosperous reign, with blessings upon all your majesty's undertakings, certainly great. As condemned persons, unexpectedly hearing that joyful acclamation of pardon and liberty, cast off all remembrance of past miseries; so this jurisdiction, your majesty's most humble and faithful subjects and servants, with the rest of the inhabitants, hearing and seeing beyond expectation those gracious promises of encouragement under your majesty's own hand, and seconded from your own mouth by that worthy gentleman whom your majesty has been pleased to entrust with the government of this island, as also the assurance we had before of it by that worthy gentleman, Captain Sheldon, your majesty's deputy-governor, all this has wrought such a change in us all, when we reflect on our past conduct, that we can never sufficiently admire and acknowledge your majesty's incomparable goodness and mercy towards us, for which we bless God and your majesty, devoting ourselves, our services, the remainder of our poor estates, and all that is near and dear to us for the advancement of your majesty's service in general, or for the defence of this poor island, part of the remains of