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248 CHANNEL i s l a n d s :
as it is said, of ten thousand men; and the landing- of
this formidable force not being opposed, he laid siege
to Mont Orgueil Castle. It is recorded, that the
greatest exertions were used on both sides; and that
prodigies of valour were performed both by the assailants,
and by the defenders of the castle. At length,
the conflicting parties, tired of the protracted struggle,
entered into a compact, that the castle should surrender,
if not relieved by succours from England, before
a certain day. Previous to the stipulated time, the
succours arrived, and the constable broke up the siege,
and withdrew his forces.
Until the reign of Henry VI., there is little to be
recorded. During the whole of Richard’s reign,
these islands were undisturbed; and during the reign
of Henry IV., although frequent descents were made
upon,Jersey, by which great devastations were committed,
no formidable attempt was made to reduce it.
During the reign too, of Henry V., the islands remained
unmolested; for the French monarch was too
fully occupied in resisting the designs of so warlike
an enemy as our fifth Henry, to find leisure, or
means, for foreign aggression. But with the reign of
Henry VI., a new chapter in the history of Jersey
opens.
It was now, as the reader knows, that England was
convulsed by the contention between the houses of
York and Lancaster ; with these disputes, as affecting
England, this sketch has no concern; but it chanced,
that Jersey also was affected by them: Margaret of
Anjou went over to France, to endeavour to obtain
assistance from Louis X I . : and this crafty prince, not
seeing it to be his interest openly to espouse her
cause, yet secretly permitted a treaty to be entered
into between the queen and one of his nobles, Pierre
de Breze, comte de Maulevrier, a powerful Norman
baron, by which he engaged to lead a body of men to
her assistance,—while she on her part, consented, that
in consideration of such aid, Jersey, and the other
islands, should be made over to him and his heirs for
ever, to be held independently of England. It is
easy to discover in this treaty, and in the part secretly
performed in it, by Louis XL, how important a possession
these islands were considered even in those
days; for it cannot of course be supposed, that the
Norman baron would have been permitted to hold his
acquisition, independent of the French crown; and
indeed, it can scarcely be doubted, but that he acted
from the beginning, under the direction, and for the
benefit of the French king.
Pierre de Breze sailed for England, with about
2000 men, and at the same time despatched one Sur-
deval, to take possession of Jersey, that his reward
might be no way contingent upon his services. The
governor of Mont Orgueil Castle, who was of the
queen’s party, had received, from her, secret instructions
to deliver it up. By a secret agreement
with him, the castle was attacked on a particular
night; and he, being,—as it was known he would be
—in bed; and the garrison unprepared for resistance,
tlie castle changed masters. Soon afterwards, Pierre
de Breze arrived from England; and took upon himself
the supreme authority,— publishing sovereign
acts, and styling himself “ Lord of the islands of
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