Poor Johnny Hotton
From a note in the Notebook of Elie Brevint, minister of Sark from 1612 until his death at the age of 87 in 1674. Written around 1610, this extract refers to events in his father Cosme's time as minister at the end of the 16th century. This is quoted in the Guernsey Magazine, or Monthly Illustrated Journal, for March 1875, p. 271; there is a copy in the Library.
Some English pirates coasting along the islands, during the time that Mr Aymé De Carteret was Lieutenant¹ at Sark, stole three cows from Brecqhou belonging to Guernseymen, and meeting a Sark boat returning from Guernsey they seized on John Hotton, one of the crew, and took him with them because Philip Vaudin, in order to secure his own escape, had told them that he (John) was a first-rate pilot. And although the pirates were challenged by Thomas Roo,² the trumpeter, [of the guard at Sark] to release their prisoner, they paid no attention to the summons. They also tore off a silver pin from the person of Janette du Val, and took from the boat a barrel of beer, but were at last driven away from these coasts by the fire of the cannon. Going on their way to Jersey, near the Corbière, these marauders met an Alderney boat which they boarded. Hotton took advantage of the opportunity to fling himself into this boat, which the pirates, his captors, had no time to pillage, for perceiving another vessel close at hand they sailed away. The next thing that was heard of them was that they were taken by some Bretons, and carried off to [executed in] Brittany. They had for pilot or guide, a vagabond [good-for-nothing] named Julian Hamon; but whether of Sark or elsewhere is not stated. Poor Hotton complained to Cosmé Brevint, the minister of Sark, that Vaudin had sold him, etc. He replied 'my friend, this is only a ruse de guerre, be content and thank God that at least you have managed to escape from it.'
¹ Deputy-Seigneur. The notebook or 'diary' of Elie Brevint (1586-1674), which is perhaps more of a commonplace book than a journal, was transcribed by the Reverend George Lee. It had been found in a loft in Sark and was in the keeping of the Seigneur. A copy of Lee's transcription, in 4 volumes, done in 1900 by J. H. Carteret Carey, can be consulted in the Library. Below is the text from the transcription:
Des pirates Anglois costoyans les Isles du temps que Mr Aymes esoit Lieutenant à Serk enlevèrent de Brekhou 3 vaches appartenantes a des Guerneziez, & rencontrans un bateau de Serk retournant de Guerneze prindrent Jehannet Hotton le [sen-ans? saisans] dans leur barque, par ce que P. Vaudin pour s'eschapper leur avoit dit qu'il estoit homme entendu à la marine, et quoy qu'ils fussent sommez par Th. Roo trompette de le rendre, si n'en voulurent ils rien faire [?]. Ils osterent aussi à Genette du Val une espingle d'argent &c. et enlevèrent une barrique de bière. On les chasse de cette isle avec le canon. Allans a Gerzé pres la Corbière ils rencontrèrent un bateau d'Aurigni, lequel abordans Jehannet se jetta dans le dit bateau lequel ils n'eurent loisir de piller, appercevons un autre vaisseau. Tost après ils furent pris par des Bretons & executez en Bretagne. Ils avait pour guide un vautnéant nommé Julian Hamon.
Jehannet se plaignant a Mre Cosme &c. que P. Vaudin l'avoit vendu &c. Il luy resp. C'est une ruse de guerre &c. Remerciez D[ieu] de ce que vous estes eschappé.
² 'An Englishman.' He is mentioned in the minutes of the Guernsey Colloque in 1611 onwards, as 'Thomas Row' and 'Thomas Rooley (Rowley),' elder of the church at Sark. Sark registers show that his wife, Marie Quesle, was buried there in October 1650, after 5 years of illness, the daughter of Jean Quesle, surgeon, of Meaux, and of his wife Rémie du Puits, midwife, of Paris; the parents were both Huguenot refugees.