THE SEIGNEURIAL TITLES OF THE NORMAN ISLANDS
OF THE CHANNEL. GUERNSEY TITLES.
(III) Feudalism in the Bailiwick of Guernsey
Feudalism in the Bailiwick of Guernsey
(Based mainly in Mr. James Marr book : “The History of Guernsey. The Bailiwick's history” The Guernsey Press Company Ltd. Braye Road Vale Guernsey. Copyright James Marr, 1982 & 2001).
(Based mainly in Mr. James Marr book : “The History of Guernsey. The Bailiwick's history” The Guernsey Press Company Ltd. Braye Road Vale Guernsey. Copyright James Marr, 1982 & 2001).
In order to attract setters
and compensate them for the pirate risks a special status was given
to the peasants. They had only minor obligations of service and modest
payments. A peculiar system of feudalism without serfdom was thus established.
The noble title of Seigneur (Feudal Lord) came at that time. In most of the cases the Norman Seigneurs were absentees. During the feudal period, the Seigneurs were the pivot of the feudal system in the different Christian kingdoms. They had the power in their fiefs, collected taxes for the King and dispensed justice, including the power to inflict death in their courts. The Seigneur on Guernsey ruled his feudal estate as chief among his principal tenants, who formed his Seigneurial Court and administered justice, within the limits of his jurisdiction under his representative, the Senechal. The Court appointed “chefs de bouvée”, who were responsible for the collections of dues in designated areas (bouvées).
Each fief produced periodically (one each generation usually) the “Livre de perchage”, a publication where the different lands were described and owners identified. The “Livres de perchage” constitute one of the most singular references in Guernsey history [A complete report of the dates of “Livres de Perchage” may be found in Appendix II of “The fiefs of the Islands of Guernsey. By A. H. Ewen. La societe Guernesiaise. Report and transactions. Offprint 1961]. This “Livre de perchage” was compiled by a “Douzaine” of (12) tenants of the fief appointed by the Seigneur and sworn in by the Royal Court. The interval between successive revisions was supposed to be 20 years although many times it was greater.
The “Livre de perchage” included properties, owners and extensions of lands (bouvées). A residual of the old uses still remains nowadays and if land or property change hands in Guernsey the conveyance must include the name of the fief where the property is located. The Seigneur was also entitled to payment for his permission (congé) when property on the Fief changed hands for payment. This payment now goes to the Crown (see above history).
The Seigneurial courts have been meeting regularly in Guernsey until the XIX century. After the turn of that century the courts nearly disappeared. At present time only the Seigneur of Fief de Blanchelande (now the Bailiff, ex-officio) and the Seigneur of Fief Le Comte continue to hold their feudal courts. It was tradition that the court and officer members were from the fief. Meetings usually took place within the fief territories.
Considering the fiefs as a whole, three phases could be considered in the evolution:
The first phase came with the original grant of the two parent fiefs about 1020 followed by grant of sub-fiefs to Norman knights.
The second phase was dominated by Geoffrey of Anjou’s ascendancy in Normandy, and the origin of new fiefs especially those created from previous waste areas of Fief du Cotentin.
The third phase started after 1204 as the result of King John's loss of Continental Normandy and the corresponding title of Duke. The lands of the Seigneurs that declared for Philip Augustus of France returned to King John and many of them were redistributed to local families.
As usual in the medieval times, the Anglo-Norman society was only interested in territorial power. To every grant of a feudum nobile, or feudum dignitatis, a jurisdiction was always annexed. The titles of nobility given at that time were the feudal titles of Lord (Seigneur). In 1265 Henry the III King of England, initiated the creation of nobles by Writ of Summons. In 1388, King Richard II introduced the creation of Barons by Letters Patent. However, as the Anglo-Norman isles of the Channel are not part of England, there are no Norman titles by Writ of Letters Patent. The only true Norman titles are the feudal titles by tenue (Seigneurs). That is not to say that a Seigneur of the island or other person from the Channel Islands could not have a title of nobility granted by an English monarch or by other foreign fount of honours; however it will never be a Norman title of nobility.
The noble title of Seigneur (Feudal Lord) came at that time. In most of the cases the Norman Seigneurs were absentees. During the feudal period, the Seigneurs were the pivot of the feudal system in the different Christian kingdoms. They had the power in their fiefs, collected taxes for the King and dispensed justice, including the power to inflict death in their courts. The Seigneur on Guernsey ruled his feudal estate as chief among his principal tenants, who formed his Seigneurial Court and administered justice, within the limits of his jurisdiction under his representative, the Senechal. The Court appointed “chefs de bouvée”, who were responsible for the collections of dues in designated areas (bouvées).
Each fief produced periodically (one each generation usually) the “Livre de perchage”, a publication where the different lands were described and owners identified. The “Livres de perchage” constitute one of the most singular references in Guernsey history [A complete report of the dates of “Livres de Perchage” may be found in Appendix II of “The fiefs of the Islands of Guernsey. By A. H. Ewen. La societe Guernesiaise. Report and transactions. Offprint 1961]. This “Livre de perchage” was compiled by a “Douzaine” of (12) tenants of the fief appointed by the Seigneur and sworn in by the Royal Court. The interval between successive revisions was supposed to be 20 years although many times it was greater.
The “Livre de perchage” included properties, owners and extensions of lands (bouvées). A residual of the old uses still remains nowadays and if land or property change hands in Guernsey the conveyance must include the name of the fief where the property is located. The Seigneur was also entitled to payment for his permission (congé) when property on the Fief changed hands for payment. This payment now goes to the Crown (see above history).
The Seigneurial courts have been meeting regularly in Guernsey until the XIX century. After the turn of that century the courts nearly disappeared. At present time only the Seigneur of Fief de Blanchelande (now the Bailiff, ex-officio) and the Seigneur of Fief Le Comte continue to hold their feudal courts. It was tradition that the court and officer members were from the fief. Meetings usually took place within the fief territories.
Considering the fiefs as a whole, three phases could be considered in the evolution:
The first phase came with the original grant of the two parent fiefs about 1020 followed by grant of sub-fiefs to Norman knights.
The second phase was dominated by Geoffrey of Anjou’s ascendancy in Normandy, and the origin of new fiefs especially those created from previous waste areas of Fief du Cotentin.
The third phase started after 1204 as the result of King John's loss of Continental Normandy and the corresponding title of Duke. The lands of the Seigneurs that declared for Philip Augustus of France returned to King John and many of them were redistributed to local families.
As usual in the medieval times, the Anglo-Norman society was only interested in territorial power. To every grant of a feudum nobile, or feudum dignitatis, a jurisdiction was always annexed. The titles of nobility given at that time were the feudal titles of Lord (Seigneur). In 1265 Henry the III King of England, initiated the creation of nobles by Writ of Summons. In 1388, King Richard II introduced the creation of Barons by Letters Patent. However, as the Anglo-Norman isles of the Channel are not part of England, there are no Norman titles by Writ of Letters Patent. The only true Norman titles are the feudal titles by tenue (Seigneurs). That is not to say that a Seigneur of the island or other person from the Channel Islands could not have a title of nobility granted by an English monarch or by other foreign fount of honours; however it will never be a Norman title of nobility.
There
where three ranks of Seigneurs. The highest rank was entitled to the
symbol of a dovecote. Next rank was allowed a “Tourelle”
and the lowest rank was symbolised by pigeon-holes cut in the gables.
A number of obligations devolved upon Seigneurs although no Guernsey
fief was large enough to impose the duty of a knight service on its
holder, all Seigneurs had to pay an annual relief and the Seigneurs
had to pay suit of service in the King’s Feudal Court. Additionally
some fiefs had some other obligations, such as keeping under strict
guard any prisoner of the King convicted of a minor offence (Anneville),
or perform the office of cup-bearer to the monarch (Sausmarez) or to
provide a pair of spurs (Eperons). Villains also had obligations such
as the payment of the Congé (when the land changed hands)
Only
two seals were in use in Guernsey: The seal of Fief Le Comte and the
seal of Fief St. Michel. H. Lenfestey, Seigneur of Fief le Comte and
former Royal Archivist. Personal communication.