Guernsey miscellanea
28th November 2019Guernsey miscellanea, a notebook by Edith Carey
A. From Le Messurier MSS
p. 5. Release of Pierre Alexandre de Vigni from Chateau Cornet. 10 November 1708.
Notes by Col. A Le Messurier on P. M. S. de Vigny's will is dated 23 November 1753. Pierre Alexandre may have been his uncle, the brother of Mr E de Vigny who married Charlotte de Sausmarez.
ACt. 10 November 1708 in the presence of the Bailiff, Eléazar Le Marchant and Messre Thomas de L'Isle, Jean Careye, Pierre Martin, Hellier Bonamy, Charles Andros, James Careye, and Jean Andros, Juratsj, ... Monsieur Pierre Alexandre de Vigni, prisoner in Castle Cornet has been freed until he is recalled before the court, after Sieurs Matthew de Saumarez son of Matthew and Pierre Coutard stood as guarantors for him, in accordance with the Act of the Royal Court of 24 April last, here copied from the registers. Under seal.
Will of Matthew Emmanuel de Vigny, 1753
In the name of God. Amen. Matthew Emmanuel de Vigny of the town and parish of St Peter Port, being weak and ill in body, but thanks be to God healthy in mind, I thought it right to make my will and to commit my final wishes, viz: First. I recommend my soul to God ... I give to Miss Rachel Roland, Madame de Louche, the widow of Sieur Guillaume Ahier junior, the wife of Sieur André Moullin, and Marguerite Grave, widow of Pierre Barbanson, each a golden guinea. Item. I give to Elizabeth le Lacheur, who was a maid at the house of Monsieur Advocate Carey, to Marie Reed the widow of Nicholas Le Cheminant, Marie Grout, the wife of Jean Touzeau, and to Marie Moullin, first cousin of Jean Moullin, each half a guinea. Item. I give to Rachel Malzear [Malzaird], widow of Matthew Emanuel Piton [Pitton] that which the said Piton owed me (and which is written in my Shop Book) when he died at sea. Item. I give to Marie Nicolle, the daughter of Marie Priaulx, that which she owes me as is written in my Shop Book. Item. I give to Janette Ronchin, nurse to my son, a golden guinea. And as for the rest of my worldly goods, whatever they maybe wnd wheresoever they may be found, I give them all to my son Matthew de Vigny when he attains his age of majority or when he marries. But if he should die before having reached the said age I in that case give my goods to my cousin Monsieur Jean Le Mesurier, son of Monsieur Abraham Le Messurier and of my aunt, Dame Rebecca de Sausmarez, who has promised me he would stand as guardian to my son without taking any payment for his guardianship other than the sum of 50 pounds sterling, and the rest of my goods I give to be shared between Mr Jean Le Messurier and his brothers equally. Item. I order that all the goods in my Shop are sold after my death to the highest bidder, except for the one-piece indiennes and silks, which Mr Jean Le Messurier may otherwise dispose of according to the instructions I will leave for him. I also order that all the furniture in my house on the day of my death be auctioned, except the silver, linen, clothes and jewellery, which I do not wish to be sold. Item. I order and desire that my son be sent immediately to Mr Dickenson's School in Newport in the Isle of Wight for a period of three years, and that he then is brought back to Guernsey to live with the said Mr Jean Le Messurier. And if I should die before the distribution of the estate of Dame Marie de Sausmarez, the late wife of Monsieur Josué Le Marchant, H M Comptroller, between myself and the said Mr Abraham Le Messurier in right of his wife Dame Rebecca de Sausmarez is complete, I desire that Monsieur Jean de Sausmarez son of Matthew is appointed my son's guardian, only in order to make these distributions. This is my will and testament ... and I nominate Mr Jean Le Messurier son of Abraham to be its executor ... 23 November 1753. Witnesses Jean Roche, Joseph Wood.
30 July 1773
List of goods belonging to Messieur Elizée and Jean Le Messurier which are inside the house that belonged to the late Mr Abraham Le Messurier their father. In the High Street of the Town.
From the consignment of Mr William de Jersey in London: 10 chairs and 2 corner chairs in mahogany; 1 dressing table; 1 table for the game of quadrille; 1 desk; 1 gold-framed mirror; 1 gold picture frame for maritime pictures.
2 mahogany tables that fit together, bought from Mr Broctor [Proctor?]; 1 dressing table, ditto, bought from De la Cour; 1 ditto; 1 stove with a shovel (?palette), tongs, poker and fender from Sr Elie Guerin; 2 skellets (sic) or saucepans in copper ; 1 ditto to melt butter; a copper coal box; 2 large copper fenders; 9 pictures consisting of prints and other pictures printed by Mr Jean Le Messurier; a round iron trivet; a quantity of china; 6 terracotta plates; a quart mug and a pint one; 2 copper candlesticks; ditto for going to bed; 4 plates, tin-lined.
I the undersigned attest that the above-mentioned goods belong to Messrs Elizée and Jean Le Mesurier and do not form part of the estate of their father, the late Abraham Le Messurier, and that they were bought out of their own money and for their use alone and that I would not have bought the said goods: Guernsey 20th July 1853. Signed: Rebecca de Saumarez.
[NOTE by Edith Carey. 'Her (Rebeccas's) sons: Elizée b. 1712, d. 1780, will dated 1777. Jean, b. 1713. Will dated 1791.']
6 May 1778
p. 25) An inventory of goods in the estate of the late Monsieur Abraham Le Messurier, of the High Street, in Town.
1. 12 carpet chairs in mahogany. 3 Tables, viz: 1 large round table, and two small ones. 4 ditto, cheap in oak and pine. 1 small lacquer table upon which to place china.
1 mirror in gold frame and three other in walnut and three other cheap ones.
2 good large clothes presses and one cheap in pine. 1 large chest in cypress wood. 1 red dowry-chest (baheur) and two old ones. An armchair. 6 cane chairs. 8 leather chairs and 2 cheap ones. 12 Southampton chairs (de Hantonne). 2 cheap chests. ['Chests.'] 1 leather stove (bucket, set of firedogs?) with a small fender, shovel, tongs and poker
4 small beds and bed-drapes and 5 feather mattresses etc. 4 quilts, and an old one.
An oak sideboard. 6 oak stools. 4 cheap kitchen chairs.
2 stock pots, a large frying pan and two old ones. 2 spits, a large one and a small one for birds and an iron for roasting rabbits.
One pint copper bottle. 1 copper pie tray. 2 Tinder boxes [Tondres Box] in copper, cheap. 2 pairs of copper candlesticks and 2 portes [pattes?] [illegible, mo[ouchettes?]] Bed-pans, pierced at the bottom.
A copper dripping-pan (leche fraye = lêche-frite)
2 fish-frying pans.
A pan and a copper fish kettle.
2 copper skimmers [DAB: dresseresses] and a spoon for skimming and an iron fork for extracting meat from the pot.
11 glass lamps and one cheap ditto of horn.
2 copper pestles (pilions). 11 chocolate pots.
1 mahogany tea caddy. 1 mahogany tea bord (tray?) (sic - EH)
12 ivory-handled knives and forks.
6 Dutch ware plates, two ditto broken, and three white plates. 6 white plates. 8 small Dutch plates.
2 small glass salt cellars and a black teapot. 1 pair of scales. 1 copper pepper pot. 1 measuring jug.
1 steak grill (1 Grill pour des Steques). An iron trivet and a pot-stand ditto. 2 andirons and an iron griddle for roasting apples.
6 pictures, viz: Abraham Le Messurier Senior; William Le Messurier, his brother; Rebecca Le Messurier; Elizee Le Messurier, Jean Le Messurier, and William Le Messurier; Jean Le Messurier and William Le Messurier. 6 more pictures, viz: a chimneypiece; The Judgment of Solomon; Dean Sausmarez; Jean Le Mesurier le Mercier; Thomas Le Messurier; his wife, Rachel de Sausmarez.
An old set of bellows.
2 guns, viz: 1 belonging to Abraham Le Messurier Senior and the other to his son William Le Messurier. An old telescope (longue veue).
A copper wash-basin.
4 dozen plus 9 china plates and a large plate ditto. A tea kettle. 1 china tea-set, viz: 2 teapots, cups and saucers etc. and in addition some coffee (coffé) cups, which are on the japanned table under the mirror in the front parlour. 2 large china bowls and one in common earthenware.
Several crystal glass bottles and Tumblers, etc.
9 embroidered tablecloths. 16 small plain tablecloths, worn. 9 dozen embroidered napkins. 2 embroidered towels. 3 ditto plain, worn. 1 new ladies' tablecloth and a piece of fabric to make a dozen napkins, and 3 worn napkins. 21 pairs of sheets, good and bad condition.
Two silver cups ('Tankars'), one marked 'N.L.M.,' and the other 'Don de De Elizabeth Le Messurier à sa nièce Elizabeth Le Messurier.' [NOTED by EC: "'The 2 Cups N.L.M. to Sylvia and Dolly [his daughters]. Elizabeth's cup is upstairs.'"] [NOTE EC:The large tankard has this inscription: 'Eliz: Le Messurier ye gift of her Aunt Eliz: Le Messurier. 1726.'] 1 small pot and a half-pint and 1 gondola, ditto. 1 coffee pot, ditto.
A pair of candelabras, 2 candle-snuffers and a candle-snuffer holder (?). Ditto.
4 large cups with feet. ditto. A large salt-cellar and 2 small ones. ditto. 1 sauce boat (sic), ditto. A large two-handled cup. Two small ones to temper(?) wine. A pepper-pot (ditto).A basin (ditto). 15 used spoons and 8 new ones, ditto. One and a half dozen forks, ditto. One old pair of children's bellows, ditto. 8 teaspoons and two sets of sugar tongs, ditto. 2 old silver watches.
P 29) Two tins, one belonging to Ab: Le Messr and the other to Wm Le Messr with knives, forks and silver spoons.
P 31) 1 Desmarez' Bible, and several old books of sermons, and other old books of little value.
2 old carpets. 32 tin plates, small and large. 4 platters, two of which are pierced, ditto. 3 dozen plates, ditto. 3 juttes and 5 quarts [measures], ditto. 1 Bed pen [pan, sic], ditto. 3 basins, ditto. 1 small copper tea kettle, for a lamp.
Several gold rings of different sorts.
The above inventory was made and presented correctly by me, Rebecca de Sausmarez, the widow and executor of the will of the above-mentioned Mr Abraham Le Messurier, my late husband, and delivered to Mr Daniel Watkins, attorney for Mr Abraham Le Messurier [in] London. May 6th 1778. Signed: Rebca de Samarez (sic) [NOTE by A Le M.: 'she signed at the age of 91, 6 years before her death'].
This is followed (p. 39) by the inventory of the estate of Miss Marguerite Le Messurier (14 October 1789).
[Trans. DAB]