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CHAPTER I.


The Guernsey family of BROCK is probably of English origin, but we have
been unable to ascertain the period of its first establishment in the
island. The parochial register of St. Peter-Port extends only to the
year 1563, soon after which time it contains the name of Philip Brock.
By "Robson's Armorial Bearings of the Nobility and Gentry of Great
Britain and Ireland," eight families of the name of Brock appear to bear
different arms, one of which was borne by all the Brocks of
Guernsey--viz. azure, a fleur de lis or, on a chief argent a lion pass.
guard. gu.--crest, an escallop or[2]--until the death of Sir Isaac
Brock, when new and honorary armorial bearings were granted by the
sovereign to his family. Brock is the ancient Saxon name for badger,
and as such is still retained in English dictionaries. Froissart,[3] in
his Chronicles, makes mention of Sir Hugh Brock, an English knight,
keeper of the castle of Derval, in Brittany, for his cousin Sir Robert
Knolles, who was governor of all the duchy, and resided in Brest, during
the absence of the duke in England. The French overran Brittany at this
period, and leaving 2,000 men near Brest, so as to prevent its receiving
succours, sat down with "great engines" before the castle of Derval, to
the siege of which came the constable of France, the Duke of Bourbon,
the Earls of Alençon and of Perche, and a great number of the barony and
chivalry of France. The castle being sore oppressed, Sir Hugh Brock was