The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1921-08-11


ciety. Washington, ID. CT
The Channel islands, one of the
most picturesque portions of Great
Britain, are geographically not part
of the British Isles at all, Victor HUI
| go, who wrote some Of his best-known
works in the islands, spoke OF them
as "bits of France fallen into the sea
and picked up by England" But real
~ they were in effect the home of u
conqueror of Britain. They were Il
part of the Duchy of Normandy from
which William the Conqueror went
forth and 10 which he added the Brit
ish Isles. All the remainder Of Nor
mandy finally reverted to France. but
the little Channel islands remain to-
day IA reminder that England was
conquered.
These tiny islands hug the shore of
France. Jersey is barely twenty miles
from the French coast. and 100 miles
from England. French is generally
spoken in the islands; and not English
law, hut the old Norman law, largely
! abolished on the neighboring coast of
! Normandy. governs the actions of the
| islanders.
/ Norman in race, In language. and in
laws. it can be imagined what a
! wrench 1t must have been 10 the is
| landers TO be forcibly severed from
! Normandy. Mary of the feudal lords.
who held land both on the mainland
and I'm the islands, took the side of the
| French king, and therefore their lands
! in the islands escheated to the king
| of England and formed the Fief lie
Roi, for which he still appoints re-
ceiver general I'm each bailiwick to
collect his feudal rents, and these are
still paid, either In quarters" Of corn
or their equivalent in money. for his
rents or in fowls for his "pOulage.'
But among the Norman mobiles the
| de Carterets, then among the largest
landowners In Jersey, and Pierre de
| Preaux, governor Of all the islands,
remained faithful TO England. The
latter contrived that these islands,
alone OF all King Johns continental
! possessions, should remain English,
and they were ratified 10 the crown
of England by the treaty OF West
minister of 1859. which was again CON
firmed by the treaty Of Bretigny OF
1860.
SO the Channel islands have never
passed under the crown OF France but
have been inherited continuously by
| the kings Of England as successors OF
the dukes Of Normandy. in spite Of
! continual invasions by the French.
Jersey Faithful to Charles.
In the Seventeenth century, as the
days OF the commonwealth drew near.
a great cleavage between Jersey and
Guernsey took place.
Guernsey, impelled TO the popular
cause by its more pronounced Presby-
terianism, by the feeling Of betrayal
which the Stuart regime In that is
land had produced, and strongly in
fuenced by three prominent islanders,
Peter de Beauvoir, James de Havi-
Gland, and Peter Carey, declared for
the parliament. Jersey, as strongly
Influenced by Its great feuda family
Of de Carteret. remained loyal 10 the
royal cause, and in 1915 the Jersey
states proclaimed their continued adj
herence TO the king
In the following year the prince OF
Wales afterwards Charles I'D sought
refuge In Jersey, arriving from the
Scilly islands; and Jersey, after the
execution of Charles ], was the one
place in the United Kingdom to pro-
claim him king Of England. Shortly
after his proclamation he again visited
the island, and was supported both
with men and money by Sir George
Carteret and the majority of the
islanders.
Although it is nearly three hundred
years since Jersey and Guernsey were
at open war, yet the old rancor still
fingered until the World war swept
away all smaller Misunderstanding
and all Channel islanders, with the
rest OF Brltain's sons, became broth
ers-in-arms.
Beauties and Artists Of Jersey.
Jersey, with It's wooded valleys, its
winding lanes. overarched with foil
age; Its orchards, its miles of gllsten-
ing sand Its quaint old churches and
picturesque granite farmhouses, and
dominated always by the magnificent
ruins Of Mont 0rgueil castle, gives the
impression Of unbounded prosperity
and fertility. Its lands having been
owned always by a race of peasant
proprIetors, the country shows that II
has been cultivated for its own sake
by men who loved IL and not by hire
lings
Naturally enough, so much beauty