nel Islands rests upon a trinity of privileges claimed and confirmed at various 
times. First, the privilege, with certain exceptions, of not being summoned 
out of the islands in judicial proceedings. 20 Secondly, the participation of the 
jurats with the itinerant justices in judicial proceedings. 21 Thirdly, the privilege 
of judgment in insular causes according to the laws and customs of the 
respective islands. 22 
The first privilege does not appear to have been scrupulously observed, for 
cases not within the exceptions are found adjourned coram rege from the 
20 The provision in the alleged charter of John 
reads: "Ipsi duodecim, in qualibet insula, in 
absentia justiciariorum, et una cum justiciariis, 
cum ad partes illas venerint, debent judicare 
de omnibus casibus in dicta Insula, qualitercunque 
emergentibus, exceptis casibus nimis 
arduis, et si quis legitime convictus fuerit a 
fidelitate domini Regis tanquam proditor recessisse, 
vel monus injecisse violentas in ministros 
Domini Regis, modo debito officium exercendo" 
(8 State Trials [n.s.], 310). For similar 
statements of privilege see Rolls of the Assizes 
held in the Channel Islands in the Second Year 
of the Reign of King Edward 11, A.D. 1309 
(Soc. Jer. Pub., 1903), 31 (hereafter cited Rolls 
of the Assizes, 1309); Havet, loc. cit., 247-48. 
But the 1441 "Precepte d'Assise" for Guernsey 
lists three categories of cases in which punishment 
was reserved to the King, although 
cognizance could be had locally, i.e., treason, 
false coining, and violence upon the person of 
the bailiff or jurats in exercise of office (Extentes 
of Guernsey, 132-33). The alleged 
charter of John also contained a provision 
"quod nullum placitum infra quamlibet dictarum 
insularam coram quibuscunque justiciariis 
inceptum, debet extra dictum insulam 
adjornari, sed ibidem omnino terminari" 
(Falle, Account of the Island of Jersey [1734], 
331; cf. Havet, loc. cit., 248). This provision 
is stated in the aforesaid "Precepte d'Assise" as 
follows: "les ditz habitanz et demouranz en la 
dicte ysle hommes liges de nostre dit Seygnour 
de Roy ne sunt tenus et auxi ne doivent estre 
constrains ou compellez par aulcun brief de 
Roy ne aultrement pour cause quiconquez de 
yssir ne aller hors de la dicte ysle si nest par 
assent des partiez," Extentes of Guernsey, 134. 
In the same vein, because the King granted the 
liberties formerly enjoyed "sans yssir ne aller 
hors de la dicte ysle par [appellation ne aultrement 
en maniere quelconque excepte pour 
prendre et avoir lours gages de nostre dit Seygnour] 
le Roy comme dessus est dit pour cause 
que ancienement les appellations [et applegements 
en la dicte duche de Normandie estoient 
et soulloient estre determines entierement a leschiquer 
a Rouan] syne voulut point soufrir 
nostre dit Seygnour le Roy [due de Normandie, 
comme dessus est dit, nostre Souverain et 
liege Seygnour que james ses diets hommes 
subjects et lieges fussent et deussent estre constraints] 
et compellez par aulcun breff de Roy, 
ne aultrement, de yssir ne aller hors de la dicte 
ysle Mes accorda et conceda iceluy noble Roy 
que tousles cas dessus ditz fussent et deussent 
estre cougneus mis affin et determines en la 
dicte ysle, par devant les Justices de nostre dit 
Souverain Seygnour le Roy yllenquez transmis 
[et mandes avec les douze Jures] de la dicte 
ysle, qui cognoissent et sayvent les accoustumancez 
et anciens usages de la dicte ysle" 
(ibid., 135; cf. ibid., 150). See also the broad 
1305 royal statement of the privilege, Doc. rel. 
aux Isles de la Manche tires des roles des Lettres 
Closes conserves au 'Public Record Office' 
a Londres, 120;—1327, 9 Soc. Jer. Pub., Part I 
(ed. W. Nicolle; 1893), 78-79. This privilege 
may also have aided the crown in preventing 
recourse to the ecclesiastical authorities at 
Coutances; see ibid., 82-83. 
21 See the provision in the putative charter of 
John, supra, n. 20; Rolls of the Assizes, 1309, 
29-30, 71; Extentes of Guernsey, 73; Havet, 
loc. cit., 247; the 1441 Guernsey Precepte 
d'Assise, Extentes of Guernsey, 133; 'Ancient 
Petitions of the Chancery and the Exchequer' 
ayant trait aux lies de la Manche conservees au 
'Public Record Office' a Londres (Soc. Jer. 
Pub., 1902), 23 (#12,999) (hereafter cited 
Ancient Petitions'). 
22 Rolls of the Assizes, 1309, 29, 69. Judicial 
commissions into the islands were usually 
ordered to judge "secundum legem et consuetudinem 
insularum illarum," or some equivalent 
phrase; see Havet, loc. cit., 205, 207, 208, 
212, 229, 239.