Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1921-08-18


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
Iy they were in effect the home of a
conqueror of Britain. They were a
part of the Duchy of Normandy from
which William the ConquerOr went
forth and to 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 a 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, but 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
wrench 1t must have been to the is
landers to be forcibly severed from
Normandy. Many of the feudal lords,
who held land both on the mainland
and in 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 a re-
| ceiver general in each bailiwick 70
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
|
of England by the treaty of West
Minister of 1259 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
great cleavage between Jersey an(
Guernsey took place.
Guernsey, impelled to the popular
cause by its more pronounced Presby
terianism, by the feeling of betraya
which the Stuart regime in that is
land had produced, and strongly in
fiuenced by three prominent islanders
Peter de BeauvOir James de Havi
Gland, and Peter Carey, declared 70
the parliament. jersey as strongl.
influenced by It's great feudal famil.
of de Carteret, remained loyal to tn
royal cause, and in 1915 the Jerse.
states proclaimed their continued ad
herence to the king.
. In the following year the prince 0
Wales afterwards Charles ID sOugh
refuge in Jersey, arriving from tn
Scilly islands; and Jersey, after tn
execution of Charles I, was the on
place in the United Kingdom to pro
claim him king of England. Short.
after his proclamation he again visite,
the island, and was supported bot
, with men and money by Sir GeOrg
, Carteret and the majority of tn
islanders.
Although 1t is nearly three hundre
years since Jersey and Guernsey wer
at open war; yet the old rancOr sti
, fingered until the World war swel
, away all smaller misunderstanding,
and all Channel islanders. with tn
: rest of Britain's sons, became brOtf
ers-in-arms.
Beauties and Artists of Jersey.
Jersey, with its wooded valleys, II
: winding lanes, overarched with fol
age; its orchards, its miles of glisteI
4 ing sand, its quaint old churches an
I picturesque granite farmhOuses, an
dominated always by the magnificer
ruins of Mont Orgueil castle, gives til
impression of unbOunded prosperit
q and fertility. Its lands having bee
owned always by a race of peasaI
proprietors, the country shows that
has been cultivated for it's own sal
by men who loved it and not by hir
lings.
e Naturally enough, so much beaut
t has bred a race of artists, the mo-