it referred the matter back to commissioners in Jersey or Guernsey to examine 
or determine. 139 But a hearing by the Council upon the certified proceedings 
of the insular commissioners might be provided. 140 In some cases the Council 
Table only exhorted the insular judiciary to correct their complained-of conduct 
141 Referees might be ordered to examine complaints and report to the 
sovereign. l 42 An ecclesiastical complaint might be referred to the Bishop of 
Winchester to examine and terminate. 143 
There are indications that the Board came to find the flow of petitions from 
the islands irksome 144 and that some islanders in turn thought the conciliar 
jurisdiction too extensive. 145 We have already noticed the methods used to 
discourage the presentation of unfounded petitions, viz., imprisonment 146 or 
the award of costs and damages to the aggrieved party. 147 To expedite petitionary 
matters a persistent complainant might be ordered to deposit security 
with the Council Board to substantiate his allegations. 148 On the other hand, 
the Council might order that parties complained of give bonds to appear before 
the Board 149 or that a conciliar messenger be dispatched to insure appearance 
150 
In summary, the Elizabethan period may be characterized as one in which 
conciliar appellate jurisdiction over the courts of the Channel Islands became 
firmly established, as one in which jurisdictional limitations were enunciated, 
but were immediately submerged in the omnicompetent aspects of conciliar 
jurisdiction. This was an era in which procedure was marked by lack of 
important complaints. See the 1565 complaint 
of the Guernsey inhabitants (7 APC, Dom., 
221), but cf. the later reference thereof, ibid., 
234. In 1580 conciliar hearings were held 
of more Guernsey complaints before and after 
reference to special commissioners (12 ibid., 
174). The Board also heard the matters in 
controversy between Governor Leighton of 
Guernsey and Bailiff Wigmore et al. (15 
ibid., 379). In 1597/8 Master of Requests 
Caesar and Council Clerk Beale were ordered 
to hear the complaints of three Guernsey 
jurats against Governor Leighton. Apparently 
reference was made because the Board found 
"the particularities many on both sides and 
the matters both of complaint and answere 
(being sett downe at large) to be longe and to 
have neede of some consideracion" (28 ibid., 
330). For conflict of desire to furnish relief 
to a supplicant and lack of time to entertain 
the complaint see 31 ibid., 59. 
139 For variant terms of such references, compare 
8 APC, Dom., 113; 9 ibid., 133; 11 
ibid., 387; 24 ibid., 447. The personnel of the 
commissions varied widely. Compare 8 ibid., 
113; 10 ibid., 276; 19 ibid., 250; 11 ibid., 
387; 13 ibid., 388; 16 ibid., 21; 18 ibid., 315. 
140 See 8 ibid., 113; 13 ibid., 102, 160. 
141 See 12 ibid., 130; 19 ibid., 250, 330. But 
the Board showed no hesitancy in intervening 
in lower court proceedings when public interests 
were involved. It even took the measure 
of ordering to appear before it jurats reluctant 
to convict for statements derogatory to the 
King and the kingdom (28 ibid., 26). 
142 See 12 ibid., 62. 
143 13 ibid., 104. 
144 In 1598 the Council marveled to find so 
great a number of petitioners repairing to the 
Council Board from the islands especially 
when many matters made the subject of petitions 
were petty and could well be settled 
locally (28 APC, Dom., 508-9). 
145 28 ibid., 412-13. 
146 See 14 ibid., 26; 17 ibid., 162; 28 ibid., 
420. 
147 18 ibid., 315. 
148 See 19 ibid., 137; cf. ibid., 213. 
]49 /£/ J., 383; 20 ibid., 35. 
150 Ibid., 66.