# Protestant Exiles from France/Book First - Chapter 3 - Section V

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V. Refugees in the Channel Islands.
Some refugee memorabilia concerning the Channel Islands have been furnished to me by a friend. The firm establishment of the reformed faith in the Channel Islands dates from the excommunication of Queen Elizabeth by Pius V. in 1570. The Islands which, as part of the ancient Duchy of Normandy, had been under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Coutances, were transferred to the English Diocese of Winchester. An old chronicle, which appears to have been written by a member or retainer of the De Carteret family, is still extant in the original French, and the following is a translation of Chap, xxxviii., the subject of which is “How several notable persons and other good families, from France and elsewhere, transported themselves to Jersey as well to Guernsey on account of religion, and to avoid the danger of great persecutions; and on the good reception and entertainment which they have had in the said islands.”
“Scarcely had the Churches of Jersey and Guernsey been re-established and reformed (as you have just read) than the news spread and was repeated everywhere. Accordingly, many good families and notable persons transported themselves into the said islands, there to hear the Word of God purely and freely preached, and to avoid the great danger of the troubles and persecutions which were carried on in France. They were affectionately and humanely received, and are and have always been, from time to time, well entertained and protected by the captains, gentlemen, and other respectable inhabitants of the said islands. Some remained longer than others, but all enjoyed during their residence the liberty in which they were guarded and protected in complete security from danger. The following are most of the names, but specially of those persons, both ministers and others, who during the time of the troubles and persecutions, retired to Jersey:—
MINISTERS.
| Mr | De la Ripandine. | Mr | G. Alix. |
| „ | Du Val. | „ | Cosmes Brevin. |
| „ | Dangy. | „ | Olivier Mesnier. |
| „ | Pierre Henice. | „ | Marin Chestes. |
| „ | Des Travaux. | „ | Martin. |
| „ | Pinçon. | „ | Pierre Baptiste. |
| „ | Bonespoir. | „ | Nicolas Maret. |
| „ | Des Serfs. | „ | Thomas Johanne. |
| „ | Parent. | „ | Toussaint Le Bouvier. |
| „ | De Freiderne. | „ | Thomas Bertram. |
| „ | Du Perron. | „ | Julien Dolbel. |
| „ | De Chautmont. | „ | Laurens Machon. |
| „ | De Haleville. | „ | Josúe Bonhomme. |
| „ | Moulinos. | „ | Edouart Herault. |
| „ | Vincent Du Val. | „ | Nicholas Baudoin (minister both of St. Pierre-Port in Guernsey, and of St. Marie in Jersey). |
| „ | Gerin. | „ | Nicholas Baudoin (minister both of St. Pierre-Port in Guernsey, and of St. Marie in Jersey). |
| „ | Des Moulins. | „ | Nicholas Baudoin (minister both of St. Pierre-Port in Guernsey, and of St. Marie in Jersey). |
| „ | Monange (has been minister both of St. Pierre-Port in Guernsey, and of St. Helier in Jersey). | „ | Jacques Girard. |
| „ | Monange (has been minister both of St. Pierre-Port in Guernsey, and of St. Helier in Jersey). | „ | Le Churel. |
| „ | Monange (has been minister both of St. Pierre-Port in Guernsey, and of St. Helier in Jersey). | „ | G. Treffroy. |
| „ | Beny. | „ | Jean Girard. |
| „ | Nicholas Le Duc. | „ | Arthur Walke (minister of the Chasteau de Mont Orgeuil in Jersey). |
| „ | Bouillon. | „ | Arthur Walke (minister of the Chasteau de Mont Orgeuil in Jersey). |
| „ | G. Riche. | „ | Percival Wybone (minister of Chateau Cornet in Guernsey). |
| „ | Mathurin Laignaux. | „ | Percival Wybone (minister of Chateau Cornet in Guernsey). |
SEIGNEURS AND OTHER FRENCH GENTLEMEN.
| Le Comte de Montgomery, and Madame, his Comtesse. | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | Mr. | De Liage, and Madame, his wife. |
| Le Comte de Montgomery, and Madame, his Comtesse. | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | „ | Daigneux. |
| Mr. de Montmorial, and Madame, his wife. | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | „ | Des Colombiers. |
| Mr. de Montmorial, and Madame, his wife. | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | „ | Bisson. |
| Mr. the Commander of the Order of Malta. | | „ | De Moyneville. |
| Mr. Le Baron de Coulosse. | | „ | De Montfossey. |
| Madame de Laval, and her Maitre-d’ hotel, and all her suite. | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | „ | De Groneville. |
| Madame de Laval, and her Maitre-d’ hotel, and all her suite. | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | „ | De la Branche and his wife. |
| Madame, the Lady of Cardinal Castillon. | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | „ | De St. Voist. |
| Madame, the Lady of Cardinal Castillon. | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | „ | Des Granges. |
The above lists are from the old manuscript. For the following I am indebted to my correspondent. It appears that Mr. Baudoin accepted his charge in Jersey in 1585, owing to some disagreement between the French ministers and the governor of Guernsey (Sir Thomas Leighton). Before that date, Mr. Le Duc had been pastor of St. Martin’s in Guernsey. The ten parishes of Guernsey were about (or soon after) this date, however, given to French Protestant ministers, of whom the following is a list:—
| Maitre | Marin Chrestien dit Bonespoir, St. Pierre-Port. |
| „ | Pierre Le Roy dit Bouillon, St. Pierre du bois et Torteval. |
| „ | Mathurin Loulmeau dit Du Gravier, St. Martin. |
| „ | Pierre Merlin, exerçant alternativement le ministère de la parolle de Dieu en ville. |
| „ | Jacques Roullées, St. Andre. |
| „ | Jean Marchant, La Foret. |
| „ | Jean Du Quesnel, Le Catel. |
| „ | Jean De Cherpont, Le Valle. |
| „ | Noel Perruquet dit De la Mellonière, St. Samson. |
In 1589 most of these returned to France. The following names afterwards occur. Jacques Guyneau (died 1592). George Chappelain (died 1592). Dominique Sicard (1592). Jean De la Valée (1592). Samuel Loulmeau (1592). Daniel Dolbel (1596). Jeremie Valpy ​(1597). Nicolas Baudoin (recalled to Guernsey and reinstated in the Town Parish in 1599; died 1613, aged 87). Thomas Millet (1602). Samuel De la Place (1603). Pierre Painsec (1604).
* ↑ The surname of the great Dr Allix was often spelt as above.
* ↑ Grandfather of Dean Brevint.
* ↑ A family of the name of Guerin, originally of Clérac in Provence, still exists in Guernsey.
* ↑ A family surnamed Moulin, in Guernsey, is (according to tradition) descended from a refugee minister.
* ↑ A family of this name was in existence in Guernsey, in the beginning of this century.
* ↑ This was the Comtesse De Beauvais, widow of Odet de Chatillon, commonly called the Cardinal.