Guernsey, as enabled Sir Baldwin Wake, the commandant, to hold out
against all the force of the Parliamentary power in that island, and
against all attempts by sea. Indeed this remarkable siege lasted longer
than the fabled one of Troy, and the feat, however creditable to the
handful of men by whom it was performed, and to Osborne and his
successor Wake, was only rendered possible by the constant aid of Sir
George Carteret. Most of all, however, did that energetic officer enrich
himself, laying in fact the foundation of that greatness which
afterwards culminated in his descendant, the famous Lord Granville, the
rival of Walpole. He obtained from Charles a grant of Crown lands,
including the escheated manor of Melèches. And he further appropriated
to his own use the revenues of his personal enemies, the chief of whom
were the exiled Seigneurs Dumaresq, of Samares, and Lempriere, of
Maufant. It should, however, be added that he shed no more blood. In
fact with the exception of the Bandinels and Messervy, Seigneur of Bagot
(already mentioned), no one lost life for opposition to Sir George. He
even attempted to conciliate some of his opponents, restoring Le Gallais
to his post of captain in the militia, and empowering him to offer to
Lempriere's wife the use of her house at Maufant, which he had
confiscated. But that valiant lady resolutely refused to hold or inhabit
under the favour of an usurper, and continued to occupy the lodgings on
King's Cliff, though in constant straits for want of money. Marguerite,
who, however wild and light others found her, was always faithful to her
good sister, cast in her lot with Mme. de Maufant, with the consent of
her own family at Rozel; and it was chiefly by her assistance that the
expenses were in any way met. Le Gallais also lost no opportunity of
visiting the ladies and ministering to their wants like a brother, to
the great straining of his own slender savings. He carefully forebore to
press Mlle. de St. Martin with a lover's suit, whether or no to that
young lady's complete satisfaction we are not informed. In any case, her