Royal Court & States

11 September 1248, rights of islanders in the time of King John

Extracts from the bound collection of transcribed MSS known as the Nicolas Dobrėe MSS. All in beautiful copperplate, they include versions of charters and other Royal Orders and Acts, and various letters patent and so on that were obviously regarded as highly significant by the volume's owner. Followed by a transcription made in 1730 of the Constitutions of King John, from 'an old translation into French from the original in Latin ... copied from the Book of Mr H Mauger, Comptrolleur,' part of a collection of legal documents probably belonging to former Bailiff Peter de Havilland.

Chefs Plaids, Jugements, Ordonnances &c, 16-19th centuries

Bound MSS, staff E. Metal fastening engraved: 'LF 1773.' Contact the Library for further details. The material falls into several sections: the first, detailed below, is in two hands and lists in rough date order Acts of the Royal Court in which the judgment passed down is of some legal interest; the last Act noted is from 1719. Then follows an interesting set of documents covering the Civil War period and the reign of James II, some of which are Lord Hatton correspondence and may be unpublished. Finally a later hand has transcribed Acts relating to the Militia; the last of these dates from 1769. The back of the volume was reversed and charters and other early Acts and Ordonnances have been transcribed.

Notes from reports of Historical MSS Commission: II. Notes from inquisitions post mortem

Section II from the Notebook (40) XI, Staff, in the Library. MSS transcriptions: inquisitions post mortem. These lists almost certainly predate the publication by the Societe Jersiaise of the islands' royal extentes and rolls etc. in 1902-3. Additions from Edith Carey's Family notes & pedigrees which begins with a transcription of Nicolle's volume.

Bail and rents

From the Report of the Royal Commissioners deputed to the Island of Guernsey in 1815, published by J. A. Chevalier and N. Mauger in Guernsey in 1817. This investigation into Guernsey law came about after vociferous complaints to the Crown by non-native residents, or Strangers, about their lack of property and other rights in the island, especially when it came to laws concerning debtors and creditors. 

Court terms

A layman's guide to the workings of the Royal Court, from Mauger's Guernsey Almanac, 1823, including the Courts of Chief Pleas, Mobiliary, and Plaids d'Heritage.

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