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

Staff XI. MSS transcriptions; some in full, others only references. Historical MSS Commission. The majority concern the Civil War period.

  1. Report VI: House of Lords MSS Calendar 1644, October 12 Petition of Henry Burton. Annexed: Copy of votes of the Commons in this matter.[p. 2]
  2. 1644, October 12: Petition of Captain Thomas Seppens under sentence of death for negotiating by letter with Lieutenant Colonel Russell to deliver up the Isle of Guernsey. Prays for pardon; another similar. [p. 4]
  3. House of Lords MSS: 1645, 25 September: order for continuing the Earl of Warwick as Governor of the Islands of Guernsey and Jersey. Annexed. Petition from Robert Russell, Lieut-Gov., and other inhabitants of the Island of Guernsey, that the Earl of Warwick, who in his government of the Island has in all things considered the interest of the inhabitants, even to his own cost, may continue as Governor (French) [undated.]
  4. 1646, March. Petition of Robert Master and Peter Bonamy, of the Island of Guernsey, to be preferred in command in the shallops now making ready for the reduction of the Island.
  5. 1647, April 8. Petition of the inhabitants of the Island of Jersey. Pray for the speedy reduction of the island which is now kept by Captain Carteret, who continually relieves the Castle of Guernsey, while the barks of his island commit many robberies upon the seas and have lately taken ships going to Ireland. [p. 6]
  6. 1647, July 10. Draft order for Peter de Bevoyer des Granges to be Bailiff of the island of Guernsey. In extenso. [Beauvoir][p. 8]
  7. Marquis of Salisbury MSS. 1601, March 5. Charges for transportation of Lord Zouch in Guernsey.
  8. Duke of Argyll's MSS. 1796, March 22. As to recommendation of an officer for the Lieutenant-Govenorship of Guernsey.
  9. Appendix 7th Report Hist. MSS Comm. 1648, April 19. House of Lords MSS. Petition of John Perchard, inhabitant of the Isle of Guernsey. Some differences arising between petitioner and John Rowland concerning the succession of the petitioner's elder brother, the issue came before the Judicaturs of the Island, by whom petitioner (contrary to the laws and custom) was condemned. Thereupon he made his appeal in the form formerly used before the King and his Council, which was allowed and confirmed by the acts of the Bailiff and Jurats, but as this form of appeal is not now in use the petitioner conceives this high court to be the proper judges of appeal. He therefore prays their Lordships to hear the matter, and to order Rowland to answer, and the Bailiff and Jurats to transmit under the seal of the island all the processes, pleas be in this case. Copy of the acts of the Bailiff and Jurats referred to in the petition.
  10. 1648, August 4. Further petition & enclosures of John Perchard on the same case.
  11. 1648: October 20. Another petition of John Perchard. But in regard to the present distractions at sea, and especially about the Isle of Guernsey he as yet had no answer.[p. 10]
  12. 1648, November 11. Petition of John Perchard.
  13. 1660, August 15. Petition of Amice Andros de Sausmares and Nathaniell Darell, deputies of the Island of Guernsey, representing the inhabitans of Guernsey, to petition His Majesty and humbly beg his pardon, which is granted, pray their Lordships 'to let them enjoy the benefit of His Majesty's said particular act of grace and mercy, they relying wholly thereupon according to their immediate relation to the Crown only as remains of the ancient Dukedom of Normandy.'
  14. 1660. Papers relating to the Act for Confirmation of Judicial Proceedings. Petition of Henry earl of St Albans, Sir George Carteret Knight, Vice Chamberlain of His Majesty, and others, freeholders of the Islands of Guernsey, and Jersey, on behalf of themselves and others, the inhabitants of the said Islands. Above Act includes Guernsey & Jersey, pray that the Islands be omitted.[p. 12]
  15. Annexed. Reasons to omit the Isle of Jersey and Gernsey from the intended Acts of Indemnity and for Confirming Judicial Proceedings &c &c. Argument follows. [p. 14]
  16. Petition of divers inhabitants of the Island of Guernsey on behalf of themselves and the rest of the said Island; pray that the inhabitants of Guernsey may be comprised in the Bill of Oblivion, and the Bill for Confirming Judicial Proceedings.
  17. 1660. December 2. Petition re wool and wool fells. [p. 16]
  18. House of Lords MSS. 1648, June. Petition of Joshua Gosselin, one of the Jurats and public deputy of the Island of Guernsey; petitioner is employed to represent to Parliament what is necessary for the Island, and taking notice of an ordinance about to pass, formerly petitioned for by only a few of the inhabitants without the concurrence of the generality, he feel bound to present a remonstrance against it, and prays in the name of the inhabitants of the Island that his remonstrance may be considered before the passing of the ordinance. Annexed. The humble remonstrance of Joshua Gosselin against the ordinance about to pass, as to disabling delinquents from holding offices in the Island, it is conceived that there is no one from there who has borne arms against the Parliament, the pretence for this proposal being an insurrection some three or four years ago in the Island, not directly against the Parliament but for some grievances amongst the Islanders themselves, and the effect of questioning persons for this now may be very dangerous especially as the enemy have a castle within musket shot of the Island; as for repairing of the houses battered by the castle, it is provided for by an order of Parliament out of the sequestrated estate of Sir Peter Osborne, and it is more reasonable that his estate that did the wrong should make reparation, rather than the revenue of the Governor who protected the houses, which has many present burthens, and besides whilst the houses may be battered down again; the Commissioners proposed to be sent over are not empowered to decide matters, and there are many private differences which will necessitate the parties coming over to get them determined, and lastly Parliament in all former orders and commissions has ordered that the islanders should be preserved in their laws and customs, but there is no such excuse in the present ordinance; it is therefore on the part of the Islanders prayed that the ordinance may not pass, or that it be suspended until the castle be reduced, and fuller information obtained as to the state of the case in regard to the whole Island. [pp. 18/20]
  19. MSS Captain Harvey Sr John Mildmay RN of Hazelgrove House Somerset: 1572 'A proposition for supply of munitions for Her Highness' Castel Cornet of Guernsey.
  20. 1599-1601. 14 acquittances for supply of munitions to be sent to Dublin, Cork, Guernsey etc. [p. 20]
  21. MSS Lord Sackville. 1664, December 31. Guernsey. William Sheldon to Viscount Fitzharding. Distractions in the Island. The honest part of the clergy were disgusted and discountenancing the civil magistrates, many of the loyal party laid aside, the generality of the people in high discontent, almost beggared in a short time for want of trade. The castle altogether unprovided with provisions, not so much in it as will serve his company for one meall, nor any preparation to supply it.

Inquisitions post mortem.

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