Fiefs and hunting
The Chief Pleas of 1680.
At the Court of Chief Pleas after MIchaelmas, held on Monday, October 4 1680, before Charles Andros, Esq.¹, Lieutenant-Bailiff (the Lieutenant for Messire Sir Edmond Andros); present Messrs Jan de Sausmarés, Daniel de Beauvoir, Elizée de Sausmarés, James de Beauvoir, Jan Bonamy, William Le Marchant, Isaac Careye, Thomas de Lisle, Jan Martin, George Andros, and Thomas de Beauvoir, Jurats.
Charles Andros Esq., Seigneur d'Anneville in right of his wife, is allowed to make public that no-one may trespass on any land belonging to the fiefs of that Seigneury in order to hunt, shoot, or catch anything, on pain of a fine of 10 livres tournois, to be paid to the said Seigneur, as per the royal permit given to his predecessors, as is granted in the Royal Charter.
It is ordered that a list be entered of the Franc-tenants who hold their fiefs en Chef to our Lord the King and Duke of Normandy by loyalty and homage, and must by this assist at his Royal Court and the three Courts of Chief Pleas, using their ancient titles, the names of whom are as follows:
The Bishop of Winchester, the Abbot of Mont St Michel, the Abbot of Noir Moustier, the Abbot Blanche Landes, the Abbot of the Rue Frairie, the Abbot of the Croix St Gifrey, the Abbess of Caen. These fiefs belong to his Majesty, except for that of Blanche Landes, which the heirs of the late Monsieur Nicolas Carey hold in fee-farm.
The Seigneur d'Anneville: Charles Andros, Esqr., by his wife's right. The Seigneur de Saumarés: Messire Edmund Andros. The Seigneur des Breneaux de St Martin: Monsieur William Le Marchant. The Seigneur des Mau-Marquis: Monsieur Pierre Careye. The Seigneur des Breneaux de Nermont: Monsieur James de Beauvoir. The Seigneur de Vaugrart: Dame Judith Le Marchant. Le Seigneur des Philippes: Monsieur Daniel de Beauvoir. The Seigneur de Canneli, the Seigneur de Fantosme: Charles Andros, Esqr., by right of his wife. The Seigneur des Rohais: heirs of Monsieur James Guille.
BORDAGES
Bordages Durant, Cornet, Laizant, Rongefer, Trousse, Geffrey, Testart, Fantosme, Saitte, Almenak, Videclin, Troussey, Edmond de la Rue.
Hunting. Certain people in the Bailiwick have taken it freely upon themselves to continue to hunt rabbits and hares, even during harvest-time, when it is forbidden to do so. This causes a great deal of damage to the countrymen and labourers of the island, because of the destruction that these people inflict with their dogs on the wheat and crops, making holes in the field banks and hedges by tearing through them and breaking them down, so that animals grazing nearby get in and ruin the crops; and this has engendered many complaints to this Court. Allowing this to continue would cause great harm to all islanders and especially to the farm workers. The COURT has considered this and expressly forbids anyone whatsoever, of whatever social rank, to hunt any rabbit or hare with dogs or ferrets, or to go shooting, during harvest-time in any cultivated land, on pain of a fine of 30 livres tournois for each offender, one-third to go to the King, one-third to the owner of the land, and one-third to the informer. And even those who have a hunting licence are to be subject to a time limit; it is forbidden to hunt from the 1st March to the 15th September. And no-one may trespass in other people's apple orchards to hunt with guns or dogs, on pain of the same fine as above. And all upstanding citizens ('honnêtes hommes') are hereby sworn to report anybody found in these circumstances to the Court. And the Constables of each Parish are ordered to destroy all hunting hounds belonging to non-licence-holders, and if the owners refuse they are to arrest them. See What's for hunting in 1610?