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Cfje Msxix ^otittp

ESTABLISHED IN THE TEAE

MDCCCLYIII

VOL. XXV.

DOUGLAS, ISLE OF MAN
FEINTED FOR THE MANX SOCIETY

UDCCCLXXVI

Sec. ^^tL. V 'H

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N,B, — ^Members at a distance are requested to acknowledge their
copies to the Honorary Secretary, Mr. John Goldsmith, 7 Fed Boad,
DonglaSi to whom also their Subscriptions may be remitted.

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His EXOELLENOY the LIEUTBNANT-GOVEBNOE.

The Hon. and Right Rev. Horace, Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man.

The Honourahle Charles Hope,

James Gell, H.M.'s Attorney-General of the Isle of Man.

HiDGWAY Harrison, Receiver-General, "Water-Bailiff, and Seneschal.

The Venerable Joseph C. Moore, Archdeacon.

J. S. GoLDiE Taubman, Speaker of the House of Keys.

Cottntil

Henry Cadman, Howstrake.

T. C. Callow, Douglas.

John F. Crellin, Orrysdale.

Geo. W. Dumbell, H.K., Belmont.

Edward Curphey Farrant, H.K., Ballakillinghan.

P. L. Garrett, Douglas.

William Gell, Douglas.

Henry Goldsmith, Ramsey.

Samuel Harris, High Bailiff of Douglas.

William Harrison, Rock Mount.

Rev. Wm. M. Hutton, Yicar of Lezayre.

John M. Jeffcott, H.K., High Bailiff of Castletown.

Rev. Joshua Jones, D.C.L., Principal of King William's College.

Rev. Wm. Kermodb, Yicar of Maughold.

Robert J. Moore, H.K., High Bailiff of Peel.

William Fine Moore, Cronkboume.

H. B. Noble, Yilla Marina, Douglas.

Richard Sherwood, H.K., Douglas.

Rev. Theophilus Talbot, Douglas.

P. L. Garrett, Douglas.

f^om Sectetatg^

John Goldsmith, 7 Peel Road, Douglas.

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HISTOET OF THE ISLE OF MAN

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A HISTORY

THE ISLE OF MAN

WRITTEN BY

WILLIAM BLUNDELL, Esq.

OP OBOSBT, 00. LANCASTER

1648-1656

PRINTED FROM A MANUSCRIPT IN THE POSSESSION
OF THE MANX SOCIETY

EDITED BY

WILLIAM HARRISON

VOL I.

DOUGLAS, ISLE OF MAN
PRINTED FOR THE MANX SOCIETY

MDCCCLXXVI

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Printed by R'. & R. Clark, Edinburgh,

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CONTENTS OF VOL. I.

Introddctory Notice by the Editor
Author's Preface .

FAGOE

xiii

THE FiEST BOOK

CHAPTER L
Of the Island of Man in General .... 1

CHAPTER n.

Of several Names imposed by ancient writers npon y® Island of

Man ....... 18

CHAPTER IIL
Of the Length, Breadth, and Situation of y® Island of Man 21

CHAPTER IV.
Of the Island of Man in Particular. ' How the Island is divided 28

CHAPTER V.
Of certain Islands appertaining unto the Isle of Man .

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X CONTENTS.

CHAPTER VL

PAOS

Of the Air, y« SoQ, the Sea, and Commodities of the Isle of

Man ....... 38

CHAPTER Vn.

«
Of the Manksmen, the Inhabitants and Natives of the Isle of

Man in General ..... 63

CHAPTER VIIL
Of y« Towns of the Island of Man in General , . 65

CHAPTER rX.

Of y® Towns in Particular, their Scituation, Manner of Govern-
ment, and of y® Inhabitants therein . . .74

CHAPTER X.

Of their Fishing for Herrings in the Me of Man, their custom

and form observed therein . . . .85

CHAPTER XL
Of the Havens, Castles, and Fortresses, within the Me of Man 88

CHAPTER XII.

Of the Continual Watch kept in the Me of Man, and their

Customary Laws concerning the same . . .95

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CONTENTS.

THE SECOND BOOK

Treateth of the Political Gfovenmient of the Isle of Man^ and of
their Laws and CuBtoms ....

FAGB

CHAPTER I.

Divided into Three Sections.

Section I. — Of the little Kingdom of Man in General . 100

Section IL — Concerning the Antiquity of the Kings of Man . 103
Section IH. — ^Whether the Kings of Man were Absolute

Kings or not . . . . . « 106

CHAPTER IL

Of the Kings of Man in General, and of the Extent of their
Power and Dominion of the Western Islands, called
Hebrides . . . . . .112

CHAPTER m.

The Cronocle of the Me of Man^ taken out of Mr. Cambden of

the'British Isles • «. . . 118

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INTRODUCTORY NOTICE BY THE EDITOR.

BLUNDELL op CROSBY, Co. LANCASTER.

Arms — Sable, 10 billets, 4, 3, 2, and 1, argent.
Crest — ^A demi Lion, sable — A cross tau-fitchy, argent.

The Blundells of Crosby have been seated there prior
to the time of Edward I.^

The father of the historian of the Isle of Man was
Nicholas Blundell, who married Jane, daughter of Sir
Roger Bradshaigh of Haigh, Co. Lancaster. ' He died
18th June 1631, leaving two sons and six daughters.
His eldest son, William of Crosby, born 15th July
1620, married Anne, second daughter of Sir Thomas
Haggerston, Co. Northumberland, first Baronet of
Haggerston, by Alice, his wife, only daughter of
Henry Banaster of Bank, by whom he had four sons
and ten daughters. This William Blundell, the his-
torian, had his thigh broken at the siege of Lathom
House, fighting on the Eoyal side. His name does
not appear in the Journal of the Siege of Lathom
House, 1644 : London, 1823. The editor is unable
to give the date of Mr. Blundell's decease or place of

1 A pedigree of this house is given in Baines*s Lancashire, 1836,
vol. iv. p. 218.

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XIV INTRODUCTORY NOTICE BY THE EDITOR.

sepulture, having written to the present possessor of
Crosby Hall for that purpose, but has not received
any reply to his application.

From the foregoing statement it will be seen that
the author of this MS. History of the Isle of Man,
which we are about to print for the first time, and
which subseqiient writers have so frequently made
use of, was descended from an honourable and long-
standing Lancashire family, whose descendants are
still residing on their old paternal estate.

It appears Mr. Blundell came to the Island in
1648, as he informs us in his preface, "wearied with
being so often wakened at midnight to fly from the
King's and Parliament's troops, both equally feared,
because equally plundering;" and in the eleventh
chapter of the first book he informs us he retired out
of it the same year. During his residence here he
employed his leisure time in collecting the materials
for his future History, which he embodied in the folio
manuscripts that have come down to us. It may be
regarded as the oldest general History of the Island,
made from personal observation on the spot, — for
Camden and other writers, had never visited the
Island, and Chaloner had not at that time been ap-
pointed one of Lord Fairfax's Commissioners.

In December 1651, Thomas, Lord Fairfax, having
been, by Act of Parliament of the 29th September
1649, invested with the government of the Island,
appointed, August l7th, 1652, James Chaloner, with
two others. Commissioners to enquire into his estate
in the Island, with the yearly value thereof. Chaloner

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INTRODUCTORY NOTICE BY THE EDITOR. XV

was Governor from 1658 to 1660. In 1653 he wrote
his SJiort Treatise of the Isle of Man, first published
in King's Yale Royal, 1656, being the first published
connected account of the Island, from materials ob-
tained on the spot. This has been reprinted in the
tenth volume of the Manx Society's series. Mr.
Blundell subsequently made use of some of Chaloner's
statements in writing out his History ; and SachevereU,
in his Account, in 1703, as well as later writers, have
made use of both.
yf Seacome,^ in the introduction to his Account of

the Isle of Man, appended to his History of the House
of Stanley, the first edition of which was printed in
Liverpool, 1736, thus alludes to Mr. Blundell's MSS. :
" This Island appears but little or hardly known to
the ancients, and amongst all our modern historians
and geographers there is not one has given any toler-
able account of it before Mr. James Chaloner, Gover-
nor for the Lord Fairfax, and the great and learned
Mr. Blundell of Crosby, who prudently retired thither
during the usurpation, whereby he preserved his
person in peace and security, and his estate from all
manner of depredation.^ This gentleman, being a
person of polite, learning, employed his leisure hours
in collecting the History and Antiquities of the Isle
of Man, and by his manuscripts, which I have seen,

^ Jolm Seacome was house-steward to William, ninth Earl of
Derby.

^ This does not appear to have been the case from the statement
made by Mr. Blundell in his preface, as well as in his letter to Mr.
Warmer, under date 2d May 1687, hereafter given.

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XVI INTRODUCTORY NOTICE BY THE EDITOR.

gave posterity the clearest and most correct account
of it."

Seacome, in compiling his History, had access to
the manuscripts in the Knowsley Library, amongst
which was that of Mr. Blundell of Crosby, whom, as
we have before observed, he styles "the great and
learned." An extract from this MS. is given in the
Appendix of the Stanley Papers, part iii. p. ccclxxiv.,
Chetham Society, vol. Ixvii., 1867. This is most pro-
bably Mr. Blundell's original manuscript, from which
various transcripts have been taken. One is in the
possession of G. E. Wicksted, Esq., of Shakenhurst,
Bewdley, in the County of Worcester, but wanting the
title. ^ This is the copy mentioned by Townley in his
Journaly 1789-90, vol. ii. p. 226. Another transcript
is in the possession of M. H. Quayle, Esq., of Castle-
town, Isle of Man, which the Rev. Mr. Cumming con-
sidered as the original, and the one made use of both
by Sacheverell and Seacome ; but there is little doubt
the latter gentleman took his extracts from the Know-
sley MS. Another copy, now belonging to the Manx
Society, but in an imperfect state, formerly belonged
to Mr. Edmund Moore, of Douglas, 1760. In making
up this copy from that of Mr. Quayle, for the pur-
pose of rendering it complete for the press, it was
found to agree so minutely in each page, that they
appear to have been transcribed by the same person
from one copy, probably from that at Knowsley.

^ Application was made to Mr. Wicksted in 1871 from the Manx
Society for pennission to take a copy of the portion defective in their
MS., which Mr. Wicksted declined to aUow.

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INTRODUOTOEY NOTICE BY THE EDITOR. xvii

Mr. Townley, in his Journal^ gives a wrong title to
tliis MS., which he supposes was written by a Welsh
justice. He has given copious extracts from it in his
second volume. The MS., he states, then belonged
to Mr. James Gates of Douglas. Feltham, in 1798,
mentions the one in the possession of Mr. Moore of
Douglas, being the one from which the present edition
is for the first time printed*

From the manner in which the MS. has been pre-
pared, it was evidently the intention of the author to
have it printed, and it is to be regretted this was not
done in his lifetime, while it could have had the
benefit of his revising pen. Probably the unsettled
state of the times when he wrote the account may be
one reason, and on the Restoration, society being so
unhinged that it behoved every one to look after the
remnant of property that had been left to him.

There is little doubt Mr. Blundell suffered in his
estate like the rest of the Lancashire gentry who sup-
ported the cause of their king ; and the mere fact of
professing the Eoman Catholic religion subjected " the
delinquent" to forfeit two parts out of three of his
whole estate, and two parts of his goods. What was
the extent of Mr. Blundell's contributions I have not
been able to learn. That his suffering in the Royal
cause, and the exactions from his estate for the use of
the Commonwealth, must have been very great, and
left him in comparative indigence, with a large family
to provide for, will be seen from the following inter-
esting extract from a letter (when he was about sixty-

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XVm INTRODUCTOBY NOTICE BY THE EDITOR.

seven years of age), addressed to Mr. John Warmer,
dated Crosby Hall, 2d of May 1687 :—

" The importunity of friends, and my own slendrc
fortune, w*^ y® great number of children dependent on
my family, do incline me to petition y® king for som
small advantagious employment upon a civil account.
And tho' I cannot pretend to any great degree of merit,
yet it is my opinion y* there are few alive at y® pre-
sent of thos that served y® king at y® beginning of our
civil warrs in 1642 that suflfer'd so much for the
crown, and acted so little for it, as I have don. I de-
signed to have acted more ; I sot up my rest upon it,
and ventured my all. My equipage then for the warre
was far above my fortune. But in y® first day of my
services, before I had mustered y® 100 dragoons w''^
I was, by commission, raising, I lost the use of my
limbs by a shot, and could never recover them since
to make them sufficiently able for y® fatigue of war.
Upon this there followed y® plunder of almost all my
goods, and the sequestration of my la'lids, w®^ was con-
tinued for ten years. My lands were then sold by aii
Act of Parliament 1 yet were they happily bought by
my friends w*^ money provided by me, for my behouf.
After I was lamed in y® war, tho' I could not use a
sword, I was 4 times made a prisoner, and payd my
ransom twice : and my estate being bought as above-
said, I paid y® 10*^ part of y® revenue by an arbitrary
law of Cromwell's for sundry years." ^ (Signed) " W. B."
Mr. Blundell had studied the law at Lincoln's Inn,

^ Baines's Lancashire, 1836, vol. iv. pp. 216-17.

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INTRODUCTOEY NOTICE BY THE IDITOR. XIX

but did not prosecute it in after life, preferring literary-
pursuits, as may be inferred from the learning and re-
search displayed in the compilation of the History now
before us. Being severely wounded early in the Ee-
bellion, having espoused the royal cause, we are most
probably indebted to that for turning his attention to
the Isle of Man (the then residence of so many Lan-
cashire gentry, and under the governorship of John
Greenhalgh, also a Lancashire man), and writing its
History. Its compilation was almost complete when
the publication of that of Chaloner appeared in 1656,
from which Mr. Blundell thought it advisable to make
several extracts, in order to render his own account
more perfect; these he has noted in their several
places.

In the various notes appended, as to the authori-
ties quoted, Mr. Blundell has omitted to give the
dates of the various editions ; but of course these
would be prior to the time of his writing.

The Council of the Manx Society, considering this
History of sufficient interest to form one of their
series, have placed their copy of Mr. Blundell's papers
in the Editor s hands, for the purpose of passing them
through the press. It has been considered advisable
to adhere to the diction as well as the mode of spell-
ing proper names as there given, and the literary
peculiarities of Mr. Blundell have been retained,
which, quaint as they may appear at the present day,
add an interest to his account of the manners and cus-
toms of the people at the time he wrote, which, as time
rolled on, have fallen into disuse, or been blended into

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XX INTEODUCTORT NOTICE BY THE EDITOR,

other customs and laws ; yet these statements will be
found highly instructive as to what were the customs
of the Island more than two hundred years ago.

It has been considered unnecessary to add to the
text notes which have so amply been heretofore given
in the Society's Series by the Eev, Mr. Gumming, in
his reprints of Chaloner and Sacheverell, embracing
the same period of time as the present History, and to
which the reader is referred.

This edition of the work in its entirety, as left by
the author, will, it is hoped, be acceptable to the
Members of the Manx Society, as well as a valuable
contribution to the History of the Isle of Man.

WILLIAM HAEEISON.

RocKMOUNT, 12th Augu9t 187.6.

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EXACT CHRONOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL

DISCOVERY

OF THE HITHERTO UNKNOWN

ISLE OF MAN

CONTAINING

A TRUE AND PERFECT DESCRIPTION OF THIS ISLAND AT LARGE;

THE HISTORY OF THEIR ANTIENT KINGS, LATE LORDS, AND

BISHOPS OF Yfi ISLAND ; THE CEREMONIES OF THEIR

INAUGURATIONS AND INSTALLMENTS ;

TOGETHER WITH

THE POLITICAL GOVERNMENT THERE PRACTISED ;

AND THEIR COURTS OF JUSTICE, AND STRANGE MANNER OF THEIR
CITATIONS AND FORMS OF PLEADINGS IN Yb ISLAND.

AS ALSO DISCOVERING

ALL THEIR LAWS AND CUSTOMS

AS WELL POLITICAL, LEGAL, OR ECCLESIASTICAL, BOTH ANTIENT
OR MODERN.

WHEREIN LIKEWISE

ARE LAID OPEN AND RECTIFIED THE MANY ABUSIVE, ERRONEOUS, AND

MISINFORMED RELATIONS OF HECTOR BOETIUS, AND OF ALL THOSE

THAT HAVE HITHERTO WRITTEN OF THIS ISLAND.

NEVER HITHERTO DISCOVERED OR PUBLISHED BY ANY.

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THE AUTHOR TO THE READER.

In the year 1648, which threatned so fatally and climateri-
caUy the period of y® Monarchy of England, Scotland, and
Ireland, wearied with being so often wakened at midnight to
fly from the King's and Parliaments troops (both equally
feared, because equally plundering), and finding no shelter
under the Snodon hiUs, which Cambden caUeth the Alps of
Brittanny, where y® antient Britains found security (whilst
y® woods were unwasted, and Camarvenshire kept the name
of Snodon Forrest) ; but being now laid open both by y® view
and access of an invader, from these men I resolve to banish
myself voluntarily for a time in the Island of Man, where
divers of y® Nobility had been banished by divers of our
Kings. And altho' I had then many giantlike difficulties to
deterr me, as y* it had y® reports of a barren Island, my small
means left after for my plundering and late sequestration.
Besides unknown of any the accompanied and only y® weaker
(and in Josephus's phrase) of the worser sex, yet a few slight
motives were sufficiently powerful to invite me whither (as I
conceived) necessity compelled me.

For, first, y® Island being but as a little molehill moted
about with y® main sea, and removed from England, I fancied
it as a place freed from our Island, so likewise freed from our
fears and troubles, and therefore probably I cou'd not meet
with any nightmares in Man to molest me. Moreover, y*

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XXIV THE AUTHOR TO THE BEADEB.

small means might issue in a more penurious place, and be-
sides all these, it may be I might have some little tittillation
of curiosity by this occasion to see what there was to be seen,
and to observe whether there were any thing wo'th y® obser-
vation in a place remote, neglected, and seldom frequented,
except by such as were meeriy necessitated. But being now
engaged, and under sail, I found y* true which almost all do
experiment, y* our greatest fears are not always y® greatest
things to be feared (y® particulars thereof doth little concern
y® reader on this my present engagement), but I render most
humble acknowledgments to y® Div. Disposer of all things
here on earth, y* hath so graciously ordained y* no misery
should be imortal to a mortal man.

Whilst I was rocked in y® floating craddle of my little
skiflT (but I had much more leisure, being landed), contem-
plating y®- Island, and reflecting upon its name, there occurred
to my memory Moses's expression and . interpretation of y®
word Man, in y® sacred text of its original language, import-
ing as much as to say what is this, for the text saith, " they
wist not what it was,"^ which name may still (not unfitly) be
given to this Island, for notwithstanding all y* any have
written thereof, we are still put to ask what is this Island ?
How is it governed ? With what laws, political or ecclesias-
tical ? The power, antiquity, and succession of y® Kings and
Lords of Man ?

Of their Bishops, and many other particulars most im-
portant and requisitely necessary for the compleating of an
History, Mr. James Chaloner^ only, and y* very lately, when
I had almost ended this work of mine, in a little Treatise of
y® legal Goverment, and y® practick part hereof, he hath so
exactly discovered unto us, as none as yet had done, so none
could do but he and Mr. Tinsley, the Lord Fairfax, his Attor-
ney for y* Island, and let this part be ascribed to their honour

^ Exodus xvi. 15. ^ Discription of ye Isle of Man. (1666.)

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THE AUTHOB TO THE BEADEB. XXV

only. As for Julius Cesar, Ptolomy, Dion Cassius, Tacitus,
Beotius, and some other, their contemporans, they are well
observed by one of our curious teachers^ of antiquity to have
left unto us, nil nisi Tumor; and although Caesar says y*
many had written of this Island, yet I find one only, Demetrius,
a Briton, to be named, and he, by Plutarch, who is said to have
written an exact Treatise of y® Brittish Isles, y® loss of which
work is not a little to be lamented, because now no where
extant ; yet Mr. Cambden calleth it a fabulous narration.

But y® sullen silence of y® age succeede at is by none
much admired, y* neither Guildas, Kinius, V. Bede, Gefifrey
Monmouth, Guiraldus Cambrenses, have not vouchsafed to
discover to posterity any y® least particular Treatise apart
concerning this Island of Man ; wherein they seem by their
silence to verify the Manks men's Traditions, y* their Island
was not discovered till of late years. That for divers ages
before, especially during y® raynd of Mana-Man-Mac-Lea, y®
necromancier, it had been invisible and unaccessable. The
same is s^ to have been practised by Nictobanus, King of
Egypt, and y® like hereof is at this day confidently related^ of
y* as yet unknown Island, not far from the north-west part of
Ireland, and by them O'BraziUe, which Island in one place
there, northward betwixt two rocks (but by any man at a
great distance at sea), is plainly to be seen and di&cemed, yet
not to be discovered by any approach, which was experi-
mented by S' Eich^ Buckley of Anglisey, where was fruit-
lessly endeavoured y® discovery thereof, by twice manning
out a ship of his own from Beaumaris.

And what more have Ealph Higdon, Walsingham, Leland,
Polydore Virgil, or any of our Chronoclers added, except .
only y® names of some havens, creeks, and such like ? Will™

* Humphrey Lord, Epist ad Artelium.

" Vincent le Blane, in his Travailer, Ist. 8 C. 2, saith, yt from Mount
Thencriffe is discovered on Island, but go to it and you find nothing. To
it is given 3 names — y^ fortunate, the inchanted, and ye not to be found.

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XXVI THE AUTHOB TO THE BEADEB.

Harrison hath, indeed, in one leaf in folio, written more than
all, and had much merited if he had writ as truly as he did
confidently ; but having almost as many lies as lines (as I
shall demonstrate in y® sequel in their several places), having
nothing of his own, but taken upon trust, I cordially wish he
had been silent. From geographers (even y® latest), amongst
whom they have best deserved, and by me best respected, is
Mercator and M' Hely (our compatriot) ; for these, indeed,
endeavoured to publish truth as near as they could ; but
from Maginus, Alfonso Testatius, Joh. Bellandom, Andrew
de Chesme (y® King of France's geographer). Ph. Cluverius,
y® Hollander, or such, I expected little or no adjovancy at all,
for these geographers seem to me to resemble Cartaphilus, or
rather Josephus (it being his Christian, and therefore his
better name), but coifionly known, and called and known by
y® name of y® Wandering Jew, whom Mathew Paris relateth
had peragrated all y® Universe over, but made no stay in any
place, until his pilgrimage performed by land, he now resideth
in Armenia, where y® ruins of Koah's Ark resteth also after
its voyage by water, so these geographers, wandering thus,
concisely and cursorily run over aU places and countries, but
never intended to make it their design to particularize aU y®
parts of any particular part of y® world. It pitied me much,
therefore, to look upon these geographers, their laconical de-
scriptions of this my little Man, and to observe how they
have made him in effect a diminutive dwar£

Notwithstanding, we find a few others, in these our times,
y* have contributed their endeavours to y® utmost of their
power towards our satisfaction ; for y® indefatigable Bishop
of Armagh^ (a learned Antiquary) hath much satisfied me in
my discovery of divers Bishops of Man, and his disavowing
of Hector Boetis and his Vermundus, and of both their
forged Ampeibatus ; but he wittily waveth all discourse of

^ James Usser de primordiis Celest. Brit.

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THE AUTHOR TO THE READER. XXVU

y® Island itself. S^ Edw Cook,^ in less than one sheet of
paper, hath divulged 3 records concerning this Island, and
therein hath much merited of Man, and nice and truly, so
long as he employed his talents in his own element as a law-
yer and a great reader of records. None, therefore, hath ex-
ceeded him ; but in y® rest of y* chapter, being transumpted
from others, by adhering to them hath detracted from himself.

A' little before these 2 last there were sent unto M^ Camb-
den, by one D^ John Merrick, then Bishop of Man, certain
Collections concerning this Isle of Man, which are now
extant, in the end of his matchless Brittannia,^ in his
Treatise de Insulis Britanniae, the whole containing four only
sheets of paper in folio, whereof the 3 first was the work
written by y® Monks of y® Abbey of Eussin, in Man, wherein
is a Catalogue of y® Kings of Man, whom the Manksmen at
this day, but ignorantly, call the Orry's, their succession and
civil dissension amongst themselves, and nothing else ; yet
this is entituled and passeth for a Chronicle of Man. I pro-
bably presume this was not the only work y® Monks writ
concerning this Island, but rather that their endeavours have
proved as mortal as their monasteries, and probably both
perished together. In the other sheet are such Observations
as Bishop Merrick cou'd procure or learn of y® Manksmen,
concerning the Island itself.

I cannot but admire how it was possible, but y* a Bishop
of Man, resident in Man, cou'd by any man (in so little an
Island) be so much misled as to inform M^ Cambden of such
gross absurdities and visible untruths as these : —

1. That y® women of this Island, whithersoever they went
out of doors, did gird themselves about with the winding-
sheet y* they purpose to be buried in, to show themselves
mindful of their mortality.

1 Institute, pt 4, c. 69.

^ [A copy of the Edition of 1586, of that portion relating to the Isle of
Man, is printed in the Manx Society's Series, Vol. XVIII. — Editor.]

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XXVIU THE AUTHOR TO THE SEADEB.

2. That there are but 12 Keys of y® Island.

3. That such women as are condemned to die are sowed
in a sack, and flung from a rock into the sea.

4. That there are no beggars within the Island.

5. That none in y® Island are inclined to robbing or
thieving.

Far be it from me here to glance at y® least thought of
accusation, or to lay y® least aspersion to M^ Cambden him-
self, whose labours have perennized his honour with an
eternal lawrel to all posterity, for he was only guilty of too
much credulity, and confiding overmuch in his friend's mis-
taking and information. John Speed, that writ after him, as
a meer exscriptor, without y® addition of one syllable of his
own, either in y® Abredgment of this Chronocle, or in his
Treatise of y^ Monarchy of Great Brittain. Had either
Cambden or Speed, both deservedly accounted and acknow-
ledged our ablest and best geographer, who, with so great
pains and expences, visited aU the parts of every shire in
England and Wales, had they, I say, undergone but half a
day^s voyage into this Isle of Man, and made one month's
only perambulation therein, they wou'd have found themselves
to become a Samaratan rather then believing themselves than
any others' relations, and much less their information, and
might have gathered thence solid observation for an ample
Treatise, and have eased me of much labour and time, which,
it might be, might have been better employed upon a better
subject. What deterred or diverted them from writing more
is not easily to be conjectured, unless, undervaluing its worth
and ignorant of its merit, they presumed, in a prejudicated
opinion, y* y® discovery thereof wou'd not be suflSciently
satisfactory to compensate y® loss of time and e^jipences requi-
site to perform y® same ; but therefore it was never held
strange y* y® uncouth'd shou'd be unkind, and the unprov'd
unprais'd.

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T^E AUTHOR TO THE READER. XXIX

The omission of both these (by whom this work might
have been by many degrees better performed), as being a
subject best befitting either of them, it so nearly approximat-
ing y® meridian of Great Britain, was y® only motive that
promoted the divulgation of these my Collections, gathered
from ocular observations, and not taken from any misinformed
relations of others, and therefore no man can justly censure
me y* I do, actum agere, having not dispossessed any man of
any part y* was prepossessed before me.

Notwithstanding I have been herein enabled to discover
more than any have or cou'd do, yet I have reason to vale
thus low, and y* most willingly to acknowledge y*, tho' this
be all y* I as yet do know, yet is it not y^ all y* may be
known of this Isle, myself being conscious of some few defects
and omissions, by reason my return was necessitated thence
before I could satisfy myself in some particulars, which yet
are neither many nor of the most concernment.

At my being there I observed the best decorum I could,
not to wade too deep to dive into secrets, for in such petty
States it was very requisite to be circumspect where it was
dangerous to be inquisitively curious ; for such curiosity ex-
citeth jealousy. I found the Earle of Darby's chief officer too
wise to prostitute the Island arcana, and to press them had
savoured of incivility. I then made my addresses to those
that were of a lower class, who I know would sooner, and
could better satisfy my curiosity, and so amongst the four-
and-twenty, I prevailed with one to make use of his key to
open his cabinet ; therein I found not only what I so much
desired, but I found so much favour and freedom was allowed
me to coppy thence what I pleased. Whatsoever weakness
of defects of the Island was obvious to my observations, they
are best known to myself, and I hold it most unworthy and
much below me to divulge them of y* place where I was
both civilly received and hospitably entertained ; but as con-

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XXX THE AUTHOR TO THE READER.

ceming myself in this discovery of the Island, I acknowledge
myself as obliged to y® same laws as of an historian — " Ne
quid falsi audeat dicere nee quid veri non audeat," as saith
Polibius ; and I shall therefore punctually observe both with
aU sincerity and integrity. Spe metua procuL

After this Preface to the Eeader place the Mapp^ of the
Island of Man, described by Tho^ Durham, A.D. 1595, and is
set forth by John Speed in his Theatre of y® Empire of Great
Brittain.

1 [A reduced copy of this map is given in the Manx Society's Series, Vol.
XVIII., with "Speed's History.''— Editor.]

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■^^^'Q

?®S^

vj ]r^x/sL4^ Jj

f^^

^^^

THE FIEST BOOK,

CHAPTEE I,

OF THE ISLAND OF MAN 11$ GPNERAJU

Those islands and petty provinces are justly acfjouftted un-
fortunate y* are overpowered and overawed by the most
potent princes and states y* near adjoin unto them. Such
hath been the state of Salamina,^ in old times the Athenians
and Magarians ; so was y® Island of Sicily^ afjberwards
thp Grecians and Eomans ; and almost in our days, the
kingdom of Naples hath suffered by y® Spaniards, French-
men, and Venetians. This Island of Man is so unfortunately
scituate as to be the object of the ambition of the kings of its
neighbouring nations,^ for the Irish, British, English, Scots,
Danes, and Norwegians have every one of them in their
several turns possessed it ; yea, the greatest ^nd most glorious
of our monarchs have not only aflFected the conquest, but
gloried in its subjection. But all these things seem to me
reaUy to resemble falkiners and huntsmen y* took more plea-
sure in the pursuit and chase of their game, than in taking or
killing of the bird or beast they pursued. For though the
island was ever accounted an ancient and absolute kingdom,*
vet none of those* kings held it any augmentation of their

* An Isle of Cyprus, now called Constantia.

' Kings Arthur, Edgar, and Edwin.

' Cook's Reports, Calvin's Case.

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2 OF THE ISLAND OF MAN IN GENERAL.

honour to urgent their titles by y® addition of King of Man,
preferring it, as it seems, as a favour for a favour, for all our
kings themselves have so disesteemed this title as that, it
hath been observed, it was always conveyed in all letters
patents by the name of an island, but never of a kingdom.-^
I confess this island is of no great dimension, and there-
fore of no extraordinary great concernment. Yet I shall de-
monstrate that it neither is nor ever was reputed to be ignoble
much less despicable. For of all y® islands y* yidd homage
to the monarchy of Great Britain (Ireland only excepted),
Man is not only the greatest, but hath ever been the most
famed and the most respectively honoured above them alL
There are but two which, to some, may stand in competition
with it, which are the islands of White and Anglisey, but
neither of these have anything whereinto they can glory but
only of their fertility.

Wherein the latter far exceedeth the former, and is con-
fessed in that to come short of either. For Anglisey was
(and worthily) much esteemed by the Eomans in times past
for breeding of cattle. Insomuch as Columella did not only
comend it, but preferred before those of liguria. Tea, the
emperors themselves caused their provision to be for note out
of Anglisey to feed upon at their own tables as of the most
excellent beet

Concerning the greatness of these islands, Man for mag-
nitude exceedeth them both.^ For if Mr. Harrison may be
credited, he will tell you that Man is by a third part greater
than Anglisey, and the Isle of Wight to be of the same mag-
nitude with Anglisey, To him John Speed seems to assent,
saying the Isle of Wight is in its circumference 60 miles and
Anglisey to be 70 miles ;^ but the Isle of Man is 82 miles.

1 Cook's Institutes, part 4, chap. 69, p. 283.— [Edn. 1671.— Editor.]
' Capton, Desc of England, chap. 6, saith they are all 3 almost of a like
bigness. ^ Desert.- of Briton, lib. 1, chap. 8, p. 16.

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OF THE ISLAND OF MAN IN GENERAL. 3»

Arthur Hopton saith the circumference of the Isle of Wight
is 57 miles, of Anglisey 85, but of Man 91 miles, so as it
is easy to observe y* though these three several writers (all
English) have their several opinions differing one from an-
other, yet all consent in one to give the greatest magnitude
to y® Isle of Man. But neither of these in their greatest
lustre did ever at any time come near to the glory of the Isle
of Man either in the spirituality or temporality.

For y® Island of Anglisey (the greater of the two) never
had the honour to have a bishop, or any spiritual jurisdiction
within itself, but in aU spiritual cases hath ever been under
the Bishop of Bangor. As concerning the temporality, it
belongeth, saith Humphrey Loid, even from all antiquity,
unto the kingdom of Guinheath, y* is North Wales, whose
residence was commonly on the south-west of the Island of
Anglisey, at a place call'd Aberfraw, which gave occasion for
a long time to stile the kings of North Wales, kings of Aber-
fraw ; as the kings, by the Welch, were named Kings of
London, tiU better instruction, saith Harrison, did bring them
to better knowledge.

The Island of Wight hath had kings heretofore (at least
so were they called) before Vespasian (the first of the Eomans
y* conquered it), y® last king it had, who was called Arvald,
or Arvand as some do write him, being vanquished and killed
by Ceadwalla, King of the West Saxons.^ He adjoined the
island unto his own dominion, and since it had never any
king ; only in y® 23 year of the reign of King Henry y® 6th,
Henry Beauchamp had an ambition to wear a crown and bear
the title of King of Wight ;^ but he enjoy'd it not long, for
the next year he deposed himself,^ and chose rather to bear the
title of the first Earle of England than to be King of Wight.
As for the spirituality, the Island of Wight hath ever been

1 About anno 680. ^ Qamb. Brit, p. 276. ^ stow's Cron., p. 382.

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4 OP THE ISLAND OF MAN IN GENERAL.

under the Bishop of Winchester, and did yield obedience to
y® See of Chichester, whereof it is a deanry only.

But y® Island of Man far surpasseth both these in spiri-
tuality and temporality. It hath had (without any interrup-
tion) a succession of famous bishops (some of them canonised
saints ever since their conversion) for about 1400 years to-
gether.

St. Maughauld, the fourth Bishop of Man, of whom you
may read more in y® 3d book of this history, c. 3d, y® renown
of his sanctity was so great, y* it was divulged of him as y*
y® famous St. Bridget, one of y® 3 patrons of Ireland, left
her native country of Ireland,^ then comonly called the
Island of Saints, yet was she not veiled by St. Patrick, altho'
very familiar with him, and made the shroud wherein he
died, but it may be by his comand y* she came into the
Island of Man,^ with 3 virgins more in her company, all
which received the white veil of virginity at y® hands of y®
venerable Bishop St Maughauld,® as her own nephew, Cogi-
tosus (who lived in her time and wrote her life), and after it
seems she wou'd not part from y* house wherein so holy a
man lived, and he had given her such satisfaction and
builded a monastery there for herself and y® 3 virgins y*
accompanied her in this Isle of Man. And there lived, died,
and was buried, and after was translated into Duno in Ire-
land, to be put into y® same tomb where was buried St.
Patrick and St Columbus. St. Lawrence, Archbishop of
Canterbury, and y® successor of St Augustin, the Apostle of
England,* held this island as the first place to hold a council
in both with the Scottish and Irish divines y* were entangled
with the British errors. But, moreover after their kings had
conquered, as it seemeth, most of the islands, their bishop's
jurisdiction was much enlarged, for all the islands were called

1 Joselinus, chap. 62. ■ The Eng. Martirologue, printed 1608.

» John Capgrave in her Life. * Ecc. Hist of Great Britain, chap. 4, p. 28.

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OF THE ISLAND OF MAN IN GENERAL. 5

Insulffi Eubonie, of the name of the Island of Man, which was
then called Eubonia, as I shall after shew. Yea after y*,
about y® year 1099, the Bishoprick of Sodor was joined unto
the Bishop of Man, and the Bishop of Man bore the title
both of Sodor and Man, at which time, for the space of 235
years, y® Bishop of Man had entire jurisdiction of all y®
Western Isles, being almost 300 in number, and aU the
islands, Man being included, were called at y* time Insulse
Sodorences. — See lib. 3, c. 6.

Now, concerning the temporality, the Island of Man hath
ever been accounted for an ancient and absolute kingdom,
as I have shewed you before, and for such acknowledged by
all writers, not one opposing, which neither to the islands
of Wight or Anglisey was ever conceded, yea, it was so
adjudged in Trin. 40 Queen Eliz.^

Besides, the kings of Man are very antient, their succes-
sion for about 1400 years, as I shall demonstrate unto you here-
after in y® 2d part of this history, and who can doubt, much
less deny it y* hath read of St. Joseph of Arimathea, who
not long after his arrival in England, he fell in some trouble,
and was imprisoned in Venedotia^ (now North Wales), but
was delivered and set at liberty by the power and means of
one Mordraius, a king of Man whom he had converted, and
dwelt in a city of Man called Saracta. And, in all ages,
their kings were never accounted of the inferior classis, or of
mean repute, for I truly may say, in the words of y« royal
prophet, God hath prevented the kings of Man with his bless-
ings, and hath set a crown of gold upon their heads, yea, the
Island of Man is enobled with one royal prerogative not given
or granted to any other, y* we hear of, y* whosoever is but
L^ of Man of right, saith Walsingham, one of our best Chrono-
clers (and out of him y®- Lord Cook), may not only call himself

^ Cook, Instit. pt. 4.
' Antiq. of Glastonbuiy, cited in ye £cc Hist, of Great Britain, cap. 25.

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6 OF THE ISLAND OF MAN IN GENERAL.

king, but may cause himself to be crown'd with a crown of
gold.

Besides, antiquity hath honoured the Isle of Man with a
rich coat of arms, as I shall shew you hereafter, which was
never permitted to the isle of Wight or Anglisey.

Now, to shew you in what esteem the kings of Man were
reputed by the neighbouring kings and princes, observe, first,
how they renown'd King Arthur (accounted one of the nine
worthy, and of the Christian Triplicity y® Prince Person)
after the Conquest of the Isle of Man were admitted into the
society and fellowship of the Knights of his Eound Table. ^

Our glorious King Edgar,^ who styled himself Omnium
Eegnum Insularum circumjacentium Imperator et Dom.,
yet admitted none of the kings of the islands into that royal
boat wherein eight kings rowed and himseK steered the helm
(to express the supremacy he had over them), ipwed in this
manner to shew himself to be rex soli and sali But he saith
out of Malmsbury,^ there were only 5 kings y* rowed, but
only Macon, king of Man, whom King Edgar preferred to
y® 3d oar, and therefore he gave him precedency over 5 of the
other kings.

But you may observe in S^ H. Spelman another note of
the great respect this King Edgar shewed unto this Macon,
King of Man, whom S^ H. Spelman, turning his name into
Latin, calleth him Macusius, and in some places Macuti, for
in the famous charter King Edgar made unto the Abbey of
Glassenbuiy, in y® 12th year of his reign,* there subscribed
after the king the queen and her son, then the king of Scots,
next to him King Macon, after him the archbishop of Can-

1 About anno 620. Hardinge Chron. chap. 72, p. 64.

* The Charter of yo Abbey of Malmsbury, Camden, page 605.

* But Sr. H. Spelman out of Wm. of Malmsbury, saith he was Orbis
Britanii Dominus. This was, saith Cambden, about the year 960.

* Anno 971.

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OF THE ISLAND OF MAN IN GENERAL. 7

terbury and York, and after them 21 bishops, abbots, dukes,
etc.

But King Macon received yet a greater honour from King
Edgar, for King Edgar had 3600 ships of war to sail round
every year about this whole island, and to free every part of
his dominions from rovers and pirates. Of aU these King
Edgar made King Macon his admiral; and therefore, in
y® charter above mentioned, and wheresoever S^ H. Spelman
hath in any place made mention of him, he giveth him the
title of Archiperata to King Edgar ; but let not the reader
be. abused by the ignorance of Eider, who maketh the word
Archiperata to signify an arch-pirate, for he was the persecutor
of pirates. But S^ H. Spelman more truly and more particu-
larly saith, it signifieth a Prince of Seamen,^ and one that is
perfect of all the sea, and therefore it may be Macon was the
first king of Man y* bear in a shield of gold a ship in her
ruff-sables, the antient arms of the Isle of Man, to express his
employment as Admiral at Sea for King Edgar. Mr. Cambden
saith, he hath seen a seal of King of Man, which was a ship
with sails hoised up, and this title in y® circumference, Eex
Maniae et Insularum.^ Wherefore, in every respect this seal
was the seal of Macon, for, saith Stow, and others also,
y* Macon was not only King of Man, but of many other
islands also ; and so saith Cambden, Britannia, p. 605. About
y® 24th year of our king Henry y® 2d, Pope Alexander y® 3d,
who succeeded Pope Adrian the fourth, an English man,
whose name was Shakespear and not Breakspeare (as John Speed
writeth), s^it y® Cardinal Vivianus, cardinal of St. Stephen,
in Mount Calius, his legate a latere, iato Scotland, and thence
taking his journey into Ireland, he landed in the Isle of Man,
where he was honourably entertained by Guthred, King of Man.

1 Princeps Nautamm JIarium prefectus.

■ [A copy of the seal of Harald, King of Man, 1245, with this bearing, ia
given in Oswald's ** Vestigia," Manx Society, Vol. v. — Editor.]

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8 OF THE ISLAND OF MAN IN GENEEAL.

Yea, saith J. Brompton, most honourably of the King,
Clergy, and People of Man, and abode there from the nativity
of our Saviour untill after his Epiphany.

Neither did the neighbouring kings or princes disdain
their alliance, for y® aforesaid Godred, whom Eoger Hoveden
called Guthred, the son of Olave, married Phingola, the
daughter of Maclothen, the son of Macartac, King of Ireland,
and a daughter of his called Africa was married to y® re-
nowned John Cursy, Earle of Ulster, that Sampson of Ireland,
of whose stupendous and valorous acts the histories of Ireland
do make ample relations.

Harrold, King of Man, the grandchild of the s^ Guthred,
anno 1242, as saith the Chronocle of MaUy but more truly
saith Holinghead, ano 1247, married the daughter of Hacco,
King of Norway, for he stayed only two years with y® king ;
and in ano 1249, Harrold and his wife with others were un-
fortunately shipwrack'd and drown'd upon the coast of Scot-
land in their return homewards. All antiquity speak hon-
ourably of this island and testify their valour, and therefore
Mercator and Philip Cluverius had good warrant to say y*
Man was Incolis quondam validessima, and for the repute of
their prowess they have been always respected and courted
by all y® adjacent neighbourhood. Vaodicia (by Dion Cas-
sius called Bundusia or Bonducia, and by some Branducia, by
Tacitus Boaditia), daughter to the famous Arviragus (a mas-
culine virgin), to return her deflaration by the Eomans being
overpowered by them. In Britanny she recruited herself
•with soldiers in the Isle of Man,^ and by their assistance
took and burnt Epiake in Galloway, and had like to have
routed Petilius and his Eoman legions by night.

They assisted Corbred arid y® Picts against the Eomans
under Ostorius. So did they assist the widow of Prasitagus,
king of y® Icons, and Brennius, whom Buchanan calleth Brem,

1 Hect. Boetius, History of Scot., 4, p. 69.

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OF THE ISLAND OF MAN IN GENERAL. 9

and saith he was Eegulus Eubonise,^ the' Hector Boethis^
pleaseth only to call him Thane of Man.

With a band of soldiers out of the Isle of Man, assisted
Aydan, King of Scotland, against King Bmde and his Picts,
altho' himself was killed in the battle, yet Aydan, the King
of Scotland, got y® victory of the Picts. The aforenamed
Guthred, King of Man, in the 3d year of his reign, was
crowned king in Dublinj and overthrew Osibeley, the half-
brother to Murcard, King of Ireland, with his 3000 men, and
they also subdued a great pjui; of Leinster.

The same Guthred was likewise sent fer by Lawrence,* the
Archbishop of Dublin, and Kodorick, King of Conaught, to
assist 'em against the Earl of Pembroke and y® English men
who besieged them, unto whose aid he brought 30 ships fuU
of fraught, saith Stanihurst, With warlike soldiers, and blocked
up the haven of Dublin. I shoud t^ much press upon the
reader's patience to speak of their acts in Anglisey,* against
the King of North Wales, or their conquests^ of their con-
quests of their neighbouring islands called Hebrides or Wes-
tern Islands,^ and y* long before y® coming of the North-
wegians, and therefore I remit you to read them in their
several places in y® 2^^ Book of this History.

Yea, y* regard of this island's situation hath only been y®
object of y® enemies and y® solicitous care of one of our
greatest and politest kings. For Don John de Austria had
y® Isle of Man, if it were surprised, the fittest place from
thence to invade y® west and south borders of Scotland, yea,
into England, to make inroads either into Cumberland, Lan-
cashire, Cheshire, or any part of North Wales. As also the
north-east parts of Ireland, and Terrerius Pedemontanus

^ About anno 610. * Hect. Boet, 1. 4, p. 50.

* About the year 1171. * About anno 1677.

<^ The Hist of y« Death of Mary, Queen of Scotland, by Mr. Strangnage.

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10 OF THE ISLAND OF MAN IN GENERAL.

apprehended strongly in his appendix to the History of Scot-
land, p. 394

Which our king, Henry y® 8th, seriously and with great
jealousy reflected upon, for in y® League^ he made with Charles
y* 5th, in y® 7th Article agreed upon, both parts hath these
words, y* if y® enemy, the French king, should fall on any of
his islands, or ye Isle of Man in particular, etc., the Emperor
shall send aid for such a number of foot as can be paid for
700 crowns a day.^ This setteth forth the constant loyalty
of the Manksmen in an eminent degree, y* we read not in
any age that ever they attempted to infest or to make any
depredations upon any pjui; of England. Yea, their loyalty
hath much demonstrated itself in its dutiful perseverance to
the late King Charles 1st, for when all his three kingdoms of
England, Scotland, and Ireland had cast off their allegiance
and openly rebelled against him, this Island of Man not only
persisted in its obedience unto him, but, with its loyal lord in
person, assisted his son, our now sacred Sovereign, with a
considerable supply.

This Island of Man as it hath been observed to have as-
sisted, so have they, in like maimer, sheltered, fostered, and
courteously entertained both kings and princes from all
neighbouring parts y* were distressed or any way necessi-
tated, yet never were they found to betray or faulter in the
trust y* any of them had reposed in them. Octavius,' y®
son of Octavius, King of y® Britons, being driven out by y®
Romans, fled into y® Isle of Man, and remained concealed by
them certain years ; from thence he was conveyed into
France,* and after returned into Britany, and was by y®
Britons received for their king.

After y® death of Fethelmacus, King of Scotland, Eomacus
succeeded. He had an intention to make away Eugenius and

1 Anno 1641. • History of King Henry VIII., p. 491.

, ' Holinshead's Cron. of Scotland, p. 85, c 93. ^ H. Boetius, 1. 6, lOa

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OF THE ISLAND OF MAN IN GENERAL. 11

Ethodius (some write him Euodius), the sons of Fincormacus,
being the right heirs to the crown. Some of their trusty
friends secretly conve/d them into Westmoreland, and from
thence into the Isle of Man, where they remained (expecting
better times) for the space of nine years during y® reigns of
3 kings — Eomacus, Augustianus, Fethelmacus. After the
death of these,^ the nobles and comons of the Scotish nation
sent into the Isle of Man for Eugenius, and they crownd him
king. But y* learning and liberal arts were there professed
and taught, and which from all antiquity have there emin-
ently flourished, no man can deny. Hector Boetius saith
" Man was the fountain of all honesty, erudition, and learning ;"
others of the Scotish nation held it the mansion of y® muses,
and y® royal academy for the bringing up of the heirs appa-
rent of the Scottish Crown (as I shall shew presently), and let
not seem to any to be hyperbolically spoken.

To me they seem to be irrational, y* yield not their
assent, for not sceptically but confidently I hold it, not as a
verisimilitude only, but for an absolute verity, that these
famous learned Druids were here from the same antiquity,
and as numerous as ever they were in Anglisey, the distance
betwixt this and y* Island being only at y* day but half a
day's sailing by sea, but if you have faith enough to believe
Polydore Virgil in those days, you needed not say above
half an hour, as I shall shew you in the sequel; but, besides,
Man being the more remote Island of the two, was much
more solitary seated, and therefore was much more fit for
such contemplatives. Modem writers,^ therefore, style it
Insula Druidum and Sedes Druidum, not that they had no
other residence in any other part elsewhere as our Vitru-
vius misconstrued. Hector Boetius averreth y* Man was
the principal Mansion Seat of y® Druids, where their chief
Bishop had his residence, and had his Ball of Fire there

^ About anno 857. ' Sir Inigo Jones his Stoneheng restored, p. 6.

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12 OF THE ISLAND OF MAN IN GENERAL.

carried before him ; and Cambden calleth it y® Most Noble
and Antient Seat of y® Druids ; whom Harrison saith it
was y® prime Seat of y® Druids ; Eaphael Holinshead aflirmeth
the Druids to have been in Man even from y® beginning.
The Ecclesiastical History of Great Britain saith it was
y® chief seat of y® Druids. Let not the reader figure to
himself y* y® Learned Druids were only and meerly divines ;
Pliny, and our grand Architect^ do stile them y® Bishops
and Clergy of y* Age, for they not only exerted themselves
but taught others both Divine and human Learning, yea even
all Arts and Sciences ; they acknowledged and adored one
God in a Tri-Unity, altho' mixt with many superstitions.
By the names of Tautates, Hesus, and Tamires, they held
the soul of man to be immortal ; but, besides configurations
of the planets, and by consequence of whatsoever belonged to
any part of astronomy, Cicero and Tacitus tell us that they
likewise taught the proprieties and natures of things, which
includeth animals, vegetables, and minerals, and therefore what-
soever also belonging is unto natural magick. But, moreover,
these Druids were practised in civil government, executed
judicature, decided controversies, interdicting persons and cor-
porations, y* wou'd not acquiesce in any sentence they gave,
etc., as shall be farther insisted on hereafter. What marvel,
then, if to such gifted men, and their scholars after them,
were sent y® sons of y® neighbouring Nations to be brought
up both in Eeligion and all Arts and Sciences, and not only
before our Bless'd Sav'^'^ Incarnation, but for many ages after.
But before I demonstrate this, I desire y® reader not to be
misled by the Scottish writers, for it is a meer fiction y*
Finanus, their 10th King of Scotland, should send these
Druids into y® Island of Man, which Bucanon doth not
acknowledge, and therefore with reason he taxeth Hector
Boetius for his much credulity in reciting many stories out of

1 Sir Inigo Jones, Descr. of Stoneheng, p. 8.

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OF THE ISLAND OF MAN IN GENEKAL. 13

incredulous authors, but more absurdly in y® incogitancy and
assertion of Ealph Holinshead, who will needs give y® honour
to this Finanus, to have sent these Druids at first into
Anglisey, whereas all antiquity acknowledgeth them to have
been in both y® Islands long before — ^yea, himself confessed
in another place y* they had been in Man from y® beginning,
as I noted before. Moreover this Finanus, y® Son of Josina,
reigned in Scotland Anno Mundi 3834, and before our
Saviour's Birth 137 years. But the Druids' institution we
are showed by Privitus was about An. Mun. 3322, full
four hundred and twelve years before Finanus began to
reign.^

Now these Druids were so antiently seated in Brittany, as
Cesar and Bucanan say it is doubted whether the Gauls had
their Instructions from y® Druids in Britain or y® Britons from
y® Gauls, but Vitus is confident that the Gauls were fought by
the Britons, and so doth Rhelin in y® history of the World.
Now to demonstrate y® great repute this Island had but their
Learning and Discipline to be esteemed by the Scottish Kings
in aU ages (as I observed before), I shall here insert some few
of many particulars, least this chapter grow too great, which I
have collected out of their own historgraphers both before
and since our Saviour's Birth. GiUus Hespurius,^ son of
Eumus, y® first usurping y* crown, having, by treachery,
caused the two sons of Durstius (being twins and contending
w^^ of 'em shou'd reign), the one to kill y® other,^ but not
conceiving himself to be safe so long as y® three sons of
Dothan (one of the twins were living), and ab y* time, saith
Hector Boetius, residing in y® Isle of Man, to be brought up
and taught there. GiUus himself, therefore, undertook a
voyage thither, feigning affection, and pretending their more

^ Hist. Brit. Insul., nota 21, anno Christi 1018. See ye Ecclesiastical
Hist of Great Britain, Age 1, c. 12, 11, 1, p. 241, who afl5rmeth y« same.
' Bucanan de Bebos Scoticis, 1 4, p. 107. ' Anno ante Christum 79.

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14 OF THE ISLAND OF MAN IN GENERAL

court-like education. By these means he got Lismore, the
eldest, being but twelve years of age, and Cormacus, two
years younger, into his hands. Ederus, the youngest, being
sick, and but seven years old, escaped. The two eldest^ in
Scotland, were murthered in their tutor's armes. Ederus, the
youngest, was after crownd king of Scotland. Dardanus,
for his tall stature called y® Great (nephew to King Mecel-
Ian), for three years had y® repute of a good king, after
became odious for his tyranny. He sent a servant of his,
called Carmonach, to murther the three sons of Corbredus
(Corbaid, Tulcan, and Breck), remaining in y® Isle of Man
under discipline. Corbaid was after crowned king, and sur-
named Gald,^ because he had been brought up with Voada,
the .Queen of y® Britons, for, saith Hector, y® Scots unto this
day give y* name of Qald unto those of their own Country %/'
ham travailed and learned many languages, and courtliness,
and the manners of other countries. Eugenius y® 4th, the
son of Aydanus sent three of his own sons, Fergard or Fer-
card, Fiacre, and Donald, into y® Isle of Man, to be brought
up by Conanus, Bishop of Man, whom y® Scottish historio-
graphers and our Holinshead ignorantly stUe Bishop of Sodor.
Two of these, Fergard and Donald, were crowned kings, one
succeeding the other; but Fiacre refused the crown, and
became an ermit.^

Conranus (of some called Gonranus)^ took order y* y^ 3
sonns of his brother Congal (Eugenius y® 3d, Congallus y® 2d,
and Kennacelus y® first) should be brought up in the Isle of
Man (saith Hector) under y® governance of certain wise in-
stnictors and schoolmasters, to be trained in learning and
virtuous discipline, according to an antient ordinance thereof
made and enacted : of these let this suffice.

^ Cor. Tacitus calleth him Galgacus. See ye Additions of Polycron.
c. 26, yt Grald came of Gacels, yt spake many languages.

» Hect Boet, L 9, p. 173. » Anno 501, Hect Boet 515, R. Holinshead.

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OF THE ISLAND Off UMX HT CETTERAL. 15

Wherefore, let not this sister of ours be esteemed because
she is Kttle, in est sua gratia parvis, yea, so antiently ours,
so often purchased by us, and so caressed by our kings, as a
kingdom immediate spectans ad coronam Anglise, as saith one
of our best historians,-^ and therefore, as he much resented it,
conceiVd it as an injury offered unto this Island by King
Edward y® 2d in undervaluing it so much as to pass it by
letters-patents as a lordship only (it being an antient king-
dom), and to be conferred upon so mean a man as Piers
Gaveston to be. But ours he is, tho* not as a part of the
body of England, because separated by y® sea, and is a king-
dom of itself, and the king's writ ^ runs not thither, to speak in
our law language, yet is it ours in y® same manner as was Nor-
mand, y® Gascoigne, Anjou, etc., which were as a part of the
realm by tenure, yea, parcel of y® demesnes of the Crown of
England, so as howsoever the Manksmen be born in another
climate and kingdom, yet are they natural subjects born
within the sea of England, and for y* cause it is adjudged by
our laws y* they are capable and inheritable of lands in England
as freely as ourselves,* for by the statute 24th of King Edw^
y® 3d, comonly called the Statute de natis ultra mare, a man
bom out of England, so as it be within the limits of y® king's
obedience beyond y® seas, is no alien in account, but a subject
to the king.

Wherefore, let me intreat and impetrate thus much favour
of these y* have not seen, yet censured this Island, y* they
wou'd vouchsafe the perusal of y* which is here written of
it, whereby their own judgment, I doubt not, will be enabled
to take y® true altitude and degree of this Island's merits and
worth, and then I perceive they will soon recant, and acknow-
ledge the errors and misconceit which ignorance, as a prejudi-
cate opinion, had begotten in them, and at length approve of

1 Walsingham, p. 360. " Calvin's Case, Cook's Reports.

> Holin. Hist of Scot, p. 80.

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16 OF THE ISLAND OF MAN IN GENERAL.

Magnus, king of Norwa/s judgment, who, being threatened
by a vision of St. Olave, relinquished his kingdom and betook
himself to a sea voyage ; and having conquered the Orcades-'^
and Hebrides, at last arrived in y® worst (being so much north-
ward) part of Man, called the Island of St. Patrick, which to
him seemed so goodly and beautiful, y* disesteeming all
y® rest in regard of that, he there seated himself, and builded
divers fortresses, and compelled the neighbouring Galloways
to cut down wood to furnish him with materials for the build-
ing of them, which the monks of Eussin say did bear his name
to their times.

What I have hitherto said of this Island hath been only
in general ; there are other particulars much more taking, and
do set her forth to be more considerable and deserving, and which
invited all y® neighbouring kings, besides her title, to court her.

1. For abounding in cattle, fish, and com,^ her soil is not
surcharged, is suflBciently enabled to afford her inhabitants
all what is requisitely necessary for the maintenance of man,
within Man itself, either for meat, drink, or clothing ; yea, if
Wm. Harrison's testimony^ may be credited, Man is very
near equal to Anglisey in aU comodities.

2. It is so strongly fortified, both by nature, art politick,
vigilancy, as y* I am persuaded, if y* son* and sun of Man
had not set so soon, or had been there in person to oppose,
I say, had not y^ Fall of the great Oak incussed a precedent
Terror, which caus'd y® under shrubs to tremble, the then
state of y® Coifion Wealth of England had not entered this
Island so calmly, and easily possessed it, without noisa

3. It hath divers havens, situated commodiously on both
sides of the Island, for trade and traffick.

4. It hath a most civil government, with speedy justice
without delay, or any, the least expense.

^ Cron. of Man, p. 84. " Holinshead's History of y« World, p. 316.

• Description of Brit, p. i c 8, p. 16.
^ James, Earl of Derby, late Lord of Man.

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j OF THE ISLAND OF MAN IN GENERAL. l7

5. Besides, it hath most laudable Laws and Customs,^ yea

I such as our best and greatest Justinian of our times hath

publicly given this encomium of them, y* the Island of Man

hath such laws, y® like whereof are not to be found in any

^ other places.

^ Cook's Institute, part iy. c. 69, p. 284«

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18 SEVERAL NAMES OF THE ISLAND OF MAN.

CHAPTEE II.

OF SEVERAL NAMES IMPOSED BY ANTIENT WRITERS UPON
Y* ISLAND OF MAN.

Divers names by divers authors have been given to this
island, but if well observed the later are obserVd to be de-
rived from the more antient Julius Caesar, and y® Eomans
after him called it Mona, and some corruptly writ it Monna ;
yet as I conjecture neither Julius Caesar nor any of y® Komans
originally gave y* name unto this island, but rather re-
ceived it from y® Gauls and Britons, and was at first im-
posed by some more antient Greeks y* might pass out of
Ireland by it into y® northern part of Britony, now called
Scotland, and they might call it Mona of novos solus, as
being a little island seated solitary in the midst betwixt y®
4 neighbouring nations, as I shall demonstrate in the sequel
Cornelius Tacitus/ and after him Hector Boetius,^ Bucanon,
Philip Cluvemis, ascribe the name of Mona unto the Island
of Anglisey, being misled by the British name of Anglisey,
which is Mon and Yermon (y® Island of Mon), and thence
y® Saxons called y* Island Monea, but Camden, Bishop
Usher, Humphrey Loyd, Harrison, Polycronicon, Mercator,
P. Holins, Speed, and all leajned and late writers, unani-
mously assent in one y* Mona Caesarie is properly the Isle of
Man. But Mona Taciti belongeth to Anglisey. Ptolemy,
more to purpose and to distinguish Mon from Mona, calleth
the Island of Man Moncida,^ or Monaida, or Monada, as one
1 Anals. L 14. ^ Hect. Boet. Hist Scot. 1. 1, de rebus Scoticis.

» British Isles, p. 203, 1. 4, c. 16.

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SEYEBAL NAMES OF THE ISLAND OF MAN. 19

wou'd say (by Mr. Cambden's interpretation) Moneitha, y* is
the more remoted Mona.

Of Mona and Moneitha^ by corruption in Pliny his time
it came to be called Monaibia.

Prom Monaibia in Orosins and V. Bede's age it was called
Monavia, which name was also given to y® Island of Anglisey,
therefore V. Bede, to distinguish the one from the other,
calleth Anglisey Monavia Prior, and this Island of Man
Monavia Secunda, so as this Island of Man in former ages
hath ever retained a proximity of name, as weU as of situa-
tion, with Anglisey. The name is written amiss, and called
Menavia, see Cam. Brit. p. 203. Moreover, besides all these,
this island, even from aU antiquity, hath had y® name of
Eubonia^ given unto it, for so was it called by y® old Britons,
and by Ninius y* goeth under y® name of Guildas, as also
when King Edwin conquered it, yea and retained y® name
very long, even to y® reign of King Eichard y® 2d, for in y®
I7th year of his reign ^ saith Walsingham it was sold by W™*»
the son of W™*' Earl of Salisbury y* had conquered it from
the Scots, unto W™- le Scroop, Earle of Wiltshire, and
Treasurer of England, by the name of Eubonia. Moreover,
when y® Island of Man was called Eubonia, all y'
Western Isles were called Eubonia, as I shall shew you
hereafter.

The last and longest name, and which continueth unto
this day is Mannia, which I find to be very antient, even
above 300 years ago, before either Guildas or any other
British writers before him, and tho' our Walsingham, who
wrote in TTing Eic^ y® 2d's reign,® as above do call it by the
name of Eubonia, yet I find y* 145 years before y*» in y® 34
year of King Henry y® 3d,* sent letters patents to Arrold or
rather Harrold, whom he stileth King of Man, licensing him to

^ See Bede, de rebus Scoticis, 1. 1, p. 25. " Anno Dom. 1398.

» About Anno 1249. * Cook's Inst, part 14, c. 69, p. 284.

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20 SEVERAL NAMES OF THE ISLAND OF MAN.

come into England, etc., where it had y® name of Man divers,
opine diversely. The Manksmen have a tradition y* at their
coming of their apostle St. Patrick,^ they had a king whom
they call Manna-Man-Maclea, him they held to have been
the first y* did conquer them, and y* y® Island of him took
y® name of Man, and hath ever since retained it unto this
day. Polydore Virgil supposeth the name of this Man, of
the word Mona (Mutatione unius literse manam vocant).

If it were lawful for me to take y® same liberty to myself,
I should suppose y® Man might come of Maune,^ which was
one of St. Patrick's names, before he took upon him the name
of Patricius, for I do not find the name of Man given to the
Island but at his being there j and Joselinus, in the life of
St. Patrickj (Jh. 92, gives it the name of Eubonia and of Man,
but I had rather vaile to the Manksmen's tradition than to
be censured as obstinata For in some kind a tradition may
challenge y® title of an authority, whereas a mere conjecture
may well gain y® repute of a substity, but is not always
enabled to enforce a solid assent as unto a verity.

Howsoever, this island at this day is in Latin called
Mannia, by the Islanders Manning, by the Englishmen Man.
The inhabitants by us are called Manksmen, in y® British
language is eaUed Menaw by Guildas and Ninius Manan,

1 Anno Chr. 447.
^ Sr. Heniy Spelman, p. 50, salth his name was Maun.

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LENGTH, BREADTH, AND SITUATION OF ISLAND OF MAN. 21

CHAPTEE IIL

OF THE LENGTH, BREADTH, AND SITUATION OF y"
ISLAND OF MAN.

There are many much mistaken herein ; some seem to con-
tract it too much; some extend it too long; but I find
none to have erred so much as the Scots,^ from whom, in all
probability, we have reason to have expected the truest in-
formation, but they say the Island of Man is but only 24
miles long and 18 miles broad, and are mistaken in both, for
there"by they should make within a fourth part the Island to
be as broad as it is long. Whereas later dimensions have
found it to be far otherwise, for y® length exceedeth 3 times
y® breadth, aU agreeing the form of the Island to be long and
narrow. Those y* have best informed us are Cambden, P.
Helens, Arthur Hopton, John Sp^ed,^ for they found y*
Manksmen's relation to agree with theirs y* from Cransten
Village in y® north, unto y® Mull HiUs in the south, it strik-
eth itself in length above 28 or 29, if not 30 miles ; y® breadth
from Douglas Point unto Peeltown the distance is scarce 9
miles ; for y® Manksmen account y® distance between these
2 towns, Douglas and Peel, to be only 8 miles. It is true y*
more northward the Island is somewhat broader, yet not
ftilly of Mr. Cambden's account, who will have y® Island
here 15 miles broad ; and much more is Mr. Maxwel mistaken,
who maketh the Island to be 18 miles broad. Now, suppose
a medium be chosen : If the middle betwixt 8, which is y^
least breadth of the Island, and 18 y® greatest, whereof I

1 Buchanan de rebus Scotidi, 1. 1, p. 26. ' Abr. c. 48, British Isles, p. 203.

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22 LENGTH, BREADTH, AND SITUATION

will take as little as cannot be denied, which is 12, now mul-^
tiply 29, w*^^ is agreed upon by all to be the length, by 12,
which I suppose is y® breadth, and they make only 87 square
miles in the Island*

The whole circumference by John Speed is 82 miles, by
Arthur Hopton 91 miles. I will not contend with either, as
little concordance do I find amongst geographers as historio-
graphers.

Touching y® elevation of y® Pole -} John Speed not men-
tioning anything* at alL Mercator, in his Atlas, saith the
Island of Man standeth in 15 degrees of longitude, and 55 or
66 degrees of latitude. Mr. Harrison gives 16 degrees of
longitude, and 40 minutes, in latitude 53 degrees and 30
minutes. Hector Boetius, omitting y® longitude, saith y* in
latitude it standeth in about 57 degrees minutes. John
Tapin his Seaman's Calender, and Thos. Sterne's correction,
placeth Man in 19 degrees of England, and in 34 degrees and
51 minutes of latitude. The former counting every degree 60
miles, altho' y* Hector Boetius reckoneth to every degree 62
miles and one hal£

Concerning y® scituation of Man, I have not faith enough
to assent to Polydore Virgil, who aflirmeth for truth a strange
wonder, so saith he what time can do, this Island of Man is
now remoted from land 25 miles space, which in old time
was scarce one ndle distant from Anglisey, and joined unto
Wales ; but I observe as great, if not a greater absurdity, in
Hector Boetius, who, in his History of Scotland, maketh no
distinction Q,t all betwixt y® 2 Islands of Man and Anglisey,
but seemeth to seat them, not only to be contiguous, but also
to be continuous y® one unto y® other ; for in all his history
being misled by Tacitus, as I suppose, nameth them both by
the only name of Mona, not once naming Anglisey alone, by
einy namo in any part of y* work ; and whatsoever Paulus

1 B. Lyon's History of y« Barbadoes, p. 62,.

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OF THE ISLAND OF MAN, 23

Suetonius, in y® reign of Nero, Aulus Plantius, and Julius
Agricola, in the time of Vespasian, or any of the Bomans,
acted in Anglisey, he confidently occurreth to be done in his
Mona, which he always calleth Man. Paulus Jovius sup-
poseth these two Islands to have been joind together, and
so to the Continent of England,^ but cut off by the working
of y® waves of y® ocean, as Cisely,^ and some suppose betwixt
Dover and Calais, etc. Howsoever, at this day it is far seated
in the main sea, at least 25 mUes from any part of England
or Wales.

Eanolf, Monk of Chester (out of Quildas), saith neatly, y*
it is seated in y® navel of the sea, and standeth in the very
midst, as if it were the center of aU the great kings of Great
Britain do comand, as y® heart of a man is seated in y® midst
of his body, the comparison will hold very fitly, for the heart
of a man is encompassed round about in a bag of water, which
bag is called y® pericardium, and therefore the heart of man
may truly be called the Isle of Man. This liquid humour the
naturalists and anatomists do say y* God did place about
y® heart to y® end it might temper y® excessive heat of
y® heart, which otiierwise it wou'd acquire by reason of its
perpetual motion ; and one of the eminent anatomists saith
he hath observed y* this liquid humour is to be found both
in the living and in y® dead, which y* eagle-eyed Evangelist
St. John curiously observed, when our Bles^ Saviour's side
was opened by Longinus, or as others name him Legorius.

His spear, after his Passion, there issued out water and
blood, thereby to demonstrate y* he was truly dead, for the
pericardium yielded the water, and the heart being pierced,
streamed out y® blood. St. Cyprian saith his heart was
wounded y* he might let out all his moisture in his body, and
all his blood residing in his heart, and reserve nothing to
himself.

^ See Camb. Br. pp. 346, 847. ^ So Sicely from Valy, as saith Seneca.

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24 LENGTH, BREADTH, AND SITUATION

This Island of Man T)eing thus as the center point of
a circle is coifiodiously seated for the venting, if it were
stored, as it might be, of all sorts of manufactories and mer-
chandizes to every part of its circumference, for it stand-
eth in St. George's Channel, equally distant on the north
from Galloway in Scotland; from the province of Ulster
in Ireland on the east ; from the south of Cumberland and
the north part of Lancashire, on the south from the Island
of Anglisey. Neither is y® voyage long or far to France
or Spain itself.

But yet Mathew Paris saith it is placed nearer England
than any other, altho' Guiraldus Cambrensis saith, Man was
so equally distant from England and Ireland, as y* there arose
a controversy in old times ^ whether of the 2 countries it shou'd
appertain unto, and the controversy was thus taken up, for-
asmuch as this Island of Man fostered venomous toads and
other worms, brought over thither for trial, it was adjudged
by a coifion censure and doom to belong unto Britain.

Hereby it is inferred y* if the Isle of Man had not fos-
tered them it had belonged unto Ireland, the censure therefore
was doomgd of the dipendancy of the Isle of Man (unto
whether continent), not by the proximity but by the im-
munity. So large a latitude of reputation had the Irish
sanctified soil acquired in those days, as y* even Islands far
more remote than Man, if they enjoyed y* privilege, were
held obliged to acknowledge their homage unto it, for Hector
Boetius saith the Orkney freed Islands because from venomous
worms was therefore appendant unto Ireland. I wonder no
Irish writers lay claim to y® Island of Guernsey, which braggs
of the same immunity, and probably was endowed therewith
by the prayers of St. Patrick ; for Probus, saith St Patrick,
was coifianded by Pope Celestin the First to preach in Nor-
mandy as he- went into Ireland, unto whose continent the

J Anno 1151.

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OF THE ISLAND OF MAN. 25

Island of Guernsey, w*^ Jarsey, are nearly contiguous and
conterminate. I shall, if Spain will assert they shall lay
claim to y® Balcares Islands, now called Majorca and Minorca,
yea, and to their neighbouring Ebasus, Creek, or any other,
so they lay no claim to our Barbadoes ^ and MeHta, now Malta,
for Tertullian seemeth to insinuate y* it had the iiTiunity
from St. Paul ever since he shook of y® viper into y® fire that
had fastened itself upon his hand. But Sylvester Geraldus
(a fisherman), I say, an Irishman of the family of the
Geraldines, but being born in Wales, which is called Cambria,
he was thence called Cftmbrencis, is noted of many not to
omit any occasion offered to elevate y® honour of the Irish,
and y* his own country, yet here he seemeth not to be clear
sighted for himself, for y® doom he produceth tacitly doth
confess that there were no toads or venomous worms in Man
before, and therefore some were brought to make y® trial ;
but, besides, I observe that those y* were brought in did not
leave any of their breed behind them, for the Manksmen
glory even at this day with Ireland in y® immunity not only
from toads, snakes, and other venomous creatures, but also
from aU noxious and poison beasts. Here I hold myself
obliged to testify a truth, y* during my abode in y® Island,
I did neither hear nor see any to be in any part of the Island,
excepting only spiders, which Ireland also hath, but without
venom, and whether those of Man were of the same quality
innoxious or no, I made no experiment. Besides, Joselinus,^
who lived in the same time with Giraldus, testifieth the
Manksmen's immunity to be the same with y* of Ireland ; for,
saith he, after St. Patrick had precipitated all y® venomous
beasts in Ireland from a high rock into y® sea, he turned his
face towards the Island of Man, and all y® other Islands

^ Lyon's Histoiy of ye Barbadoes, p. 62.
" In vita Patricii, c. 170. Flor. saith St Hillarius, in y« Island GaUniijiin,
ye Sea of Toscana, prepipated^ y« serpents there from a high rock into ye sea.

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26 LENGTH, BREADTH, AND SITUATION

which had been converted by him, he blessed and prayed
for them, and freed them from all venomous and creeping
creatures. But, moreover, if these toads which were im-
ported thither for the trial had sympathisd with the soil,
y® toads are known to be creatures not suddenly or easily
exterminated, for out of the corruption of one dead and
putrified another toad will be generated ; yea, some curious
naturalists have observed y* tho' you bum a toad to ashes,
not only one, but, as another saith, a multiparous production
of y® same species will be produced if it be exposed subio to
the wind and weather for a convenient time ; and why not,
seeing experience attesteth in y® putrifaction of one serpent
many hundred serpents will breed out thence, and every one
will be as big as y® first ;^ yet, with my peruser^s permission, I
wou'd willingly insert one more remarkable note, out of y®
antient writer Joselinus, y* certain inhabitants of some
Islands converted by St. Patrick's preaching, having forsaken
the Law of God, left unto them by him, were alienated from
the faith, backsliding, and therefore unto this day are de-
prived of this prerogative and special gift of God, which other
places which persevered do still enjoy thro' his prayers ;
verily it is much to be feared, lest not only the Isle of Man,^
but Ireland also, being both of them fallen from y* Faith
which St Patrick preached, lose not at last this excellent
iifiunity, seeing in our days never there known before the
plague y® most contagious poyson hath for many years
prevailed in many places of y* Island, to the almost depopu-
lating not only of Limerick, but of Dublin itself ; and a great
toad is acknowledged to have been seen in their metropolitan
city not many years since, a prodrome premonstrating and
presaging much more ominous calamities than did that frog
found in y® meadows of Waterford in our King Henry

1 John French, of ye Art of Distillation, 1. 6, p. 121. « Anno 1661.

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OF THE ISLAND OF MAN. 27

ye 2^*8 reign, which the Irish writers say foreshowed their
following fate to be conquered by the English.-^

But more strange effects have followed the toad's appari-
tion — ^viz., the entire conquest of the whole Island, and their
transplantation by Oliver Cromwel, and may it end here, but
more and worse may be still feared ; even in time an extir-
pation; for their Apostle's praying may seem to prophecy
when he besought God with whom he was powerful, y* no
Irish man might be then living when Antichrist should come.
This was long since published by EanuK,^ Monk of Chester,
and since by one * of y® Island itself.

^ Stanihnrst. Desertation of Ireland, c. 2, p. 41.
■ PolycTon, L 6, c. 4. • Fitsimons of y« West, p. 5, c. 4, p. 110.

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28 OF THE ISLAJJD OF MAN IN PARTICULAR.

CHAPTEE IV.

OF THE ISLAND OF MAN IN PARTICULAR. HOW THE ISLAND
IS DIVIDED.

For several respects the Island of Man hath several divisions,
which I shall divide into several partitions, which is 3 for
the reader's better understanding. 1. The general division of
y® whole Island. 2. The subdivision of the general division,
w^^ concerns the civil or political government thereof. 3. I
call this the legal division, as only concerning the Deemsters
y® Judges in the Isle. Concerning the division of the Island
in general, y® whole Island is divided into 17 parts. W™*
Harison herein is much amiss informed, who nominates 19.
Yea, you may observe that he makes Man to have near as
many parts as they then had towns. But when and by
whom this division was so made, neither cou'd the Manks-
men or their papers inform me, nor can I the reader ; where-
fore I am compelled to rove conjecturally (yet with great
probability), and to believe y* St. Patrick, their apostle,
returning out of England towards Ireland (and taking this
Island of Man amongst the rest in his way) having 30 learned
and grave priests with him, whereof Germanus was one,
whom St. Patrick made Bishop of Man, and under him he
might place 16 other clergymen, who might divide the Island
into as many parts or parcels, each one in his part to teach,
preach, and instruct these new converts in y® Christian
religion. But whosoever he was y* settled this division, I
confidently am persuaded (yet my opinion shall vail to any
y* shall produce better demonstration) y* he was some Bishop

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HOW THE ISLAND IS DIVIDED. 29

or of y® Clergy in those days who had the sole govemment of
the whole Island.

If we may give credit to the Manksmen's tradition, y*
cantonized it into 17 shares, which they did not call shires as
we do, but they called them Kirks as the Scots do their
churches and chapels, which indeed was a denomination
befitting a clergyman, and MF' Chaloner seems to side with
me, saying there were antiently a multiplicity of chapels in
this Island, which generally in all other places as well as here
were the original of parish churches. But at y® first the
word Kirk persuaded me to incline to conceive he might be
some Scotch clergyman y* made this division ; but I was
quickly extricated out of this doubt ; when I overlooked y®
names of these 17 Kirks, I found not one Scotch saint (only
S*- Andrew). But y® generality inclines to S*- Patrick, who
hath 2 Kirks ; Germanus the Bishop, who was instituted by
him ; S** Maughald, y* succeeded after Concha, S** Patrick's
mother, and Bridget, etc. Howsoever at this day they retain
y® old name of the first division, and are called the 17 parish
churches, every church or parish bearing the additional name
of y® saint to whom y® parish church or chapel in old time was
dedicated, except one of them only, namely, Ballalough, etc.

And thus they ordered them : —

1. Kirk Christ of Eushia 10. Kirk Christ of Ayre.

2. Kirk Arbery or Har- 11. Kirk Bridgt or Bridget.

berey. 12. Kirk Andrew or Andres.

3. Kirk Melve or Malev. 13. Kirk Jorby or S*- Patrick
4 Kirk Santon or St. Ann. of Jorby.

5. Kirk Bradon or Bradan. 14. Kirk Ballaugh, or S** Mary's

6. Kirk Marcom or Mortoun. of Ball or BaUaugh.

7. Kirk Concan or Onken. 15. Kirk Michael

8. Kirk Konnon or Lannon. 16. Kirk Jerman or German.

9. Kirk Maghauld. 17. Kirk Patrick of PeeL

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OF THE ISLAND OF MAN IN PARTICULAR.

W™- Harrison addeth two more, Bark Lovel and Elirk Mary,
which I found not in any Manks Key which I used, and there-
fore I omit them.

The 2d Division political concerning the Government
IN the Island.

As England generally is divided into shires, and every
shire subdivided into hundreds, etc., so these 17 Kirks or
parishes are subdivided into 6 parts, which in y® Manks speech
are called Sheedings, and to every Sheeding they allot to
comprehend 3 Kirks or parishes, only one Sheeding must
have but two (for 6 times 3 makes 18), but because there are
but 17 parishes, therefore 1 Sheeding cannot have power but
in two parishes only, which is in the Sheeding of Glanfaba.

The 6 Sheedings are thus named : —

1. Bushin.

2. Glanfaba.

3. The Middle Sheeding.

1. Eushin in y® parishes of

2. Glanfaba hath

3. Middle Sheeding hath

4 Kirk Michael hath

5. Garse hath

• {

4 Kirk Michael

5. Garse.

6. Ayre.

Kirk Malev.
Arbery.

Kirk Christ of Eushin.
Kirk Patrick of PeeL
Kirk German.
Kirk Bradan.
Kirk Santon.
Kirk Maron.
Kirk Michael
Kirk Patrick, Jorby.
. Kirk Mary, Ballaugh.

Kirk Maghauld.
Kirk Lonan.
Kirk Concan.

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HOW THE ISLAND IS DIVIDED. 31

Kirk Christ of Ayre.
6. Ayre hath . . . - Kirk Bride.

^ Kirk Andrew.

To every Sheeding there belongeth an officer coiTionly
called y® Crowner or Coroner, but in the Manks language is
called Annas. They are six in number, according to the
number of the Sheedings, of whom I shall speak hereafter.

But not y* tho' y® Sheeding of Eushin be ever first named
and accounted for the principle Coroner, and in divers places
hath y® coiTiand of the other Crowners, and of the Moors also,
in these Sheedings, and in every parish also, there is another
officer called the Moor, of whom in y® 2 books following.
Besides the Court for the Sheeding is first kept twice in the
year at May and Michaelmas in Peeltown.

The 3d Division of the Island.

The last (which I call the legal) division concerneth their
Justices or Judges only, who there are called Deemsters, of
whom I shall show you more in the 2d book hereafter. These
judges are not many, for two only are sufficient to hear,
determine, and end all causes, controversies, and cases in law
which concerneth any man in any part of the Islsmd. This
Island being long and narrow, they therefore part into the
north and south (in the midst overthward y® Island). The
one Deemster hath jurisdiction from the midst northward,
the other from the midst southward, so all controversies are
presently ended in whatsoever part of the Island they
happen.

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32 OF CEBTAIN ISLANDS

CHAPTE-E V.

OF CERTAIN ISLANDS APPERTAINING UNTO THE ISLE OF MAN.

There are 3 islands (so called, but indeed are islets and but
little ones), which do belong and are adjacent unto the Isle of
Man, yet the least, tho' very little, is of greatest concernment
and consequence, and is called Peel or Pile, wherein is a
castle. This island is situated on y® west side of the island,
about the midst thereof. This island (as I conceive by many,
but amiss), called S** Patrick's Island. Of this Island I shall
have occasion to speak at large in y® 2^ book of this history,
when I shall treat of y® fortifications of Man. There is another
islet, which they call S*- Michael's Island, and lieth in the
south-east part of Man, which they call the longnouse. It
containeth not above 2 acres of ground, yet it hath a hand-
some church, with a spire steeple, which some told me was
dedicated to S** Patrick, but I rather presume it was dedicated
to S** Michael, of whom the islet doth bear its name ; there
are a few houses, or rather cottages. I can give you no other
account concerning any particulars of this islet as yet, and I
believe little more is to be expected concerning it, only I
wou'd here disabuse you if you mistake this island of S*-
Michael's for y* parish church (which is one of the 17 before
named), and is called Kirk S** Michael, for y* parish is within
Man itseli^ on the west side thereof, and inclining some-
what northward, and is of larger extent than this islet.
Anno 1350, W°^- Eussel, Bishop of Man,^ held a synod in S**
Michael's Church, but whether in this or in the other of Kirk

^ See Monast. AngL, p. 716.

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APPERTAINING UNTO THE ISLE OF MAN. 33

S^ Michael, which I rather now believe you may know more
assuredly hereafter. The 3d island and y® greatest of y® 3
is called the Calf of Man ; it stretcheth itself under the Isle
of Man on the south thereof, pointing westward, and lieth
about y® parallel of Drogida, vulgarly called Tredagh, in
Ireland, altho* John Speed, in his treatise of the Empire of
Great Britain, placeth it over against Dublin. John Tap, in
his Seaman's Calendar, saith y* y® Mould of Cralve and y®
Calf of Man lie south-south-east, and north-north-west, and are
distant ten leagues. Here altho' the soil be in many places
heathy, and some hills are in the west end thereof pointing
towards Ireland, yet is their good pasturage, and not only the
best beef and mutton, but also great store of hares and rabbits
of both sorts, fat and sweet, from hence have the islanders,
I mean y® Manksmen, their puffins, which are here as numer-
ous as in the Island of Bardsey, in the west point of Anglesey.
Concerning those puffins, Mr. Chaloner hath made so perfect,
exact, and excellent an observation of whatsoever concerneth
them, that I cannot omit to impart it to my reader, for his
recreation as weU as mine, seeing his book of y® description
of y® Isle of Man is scarce visible, but overshadowed by y*
great volume of The Vale Eoyal of England, or the County
Palatine of Chester, unto which it is annexed, and 1 wiU only
use his own words, y* it may be acknowledged.^ " There is in
the Calf of Man a sort of sea-fowl called puffins of a very
unctions constitution, which breed in y® coney holes (y®
coneys leaving their coney holes for a time, and are never
seen with their young but either very early in the morning,
or late in the evening), nourishing (as is conceived) their
young with oil which, drawn from their own constitution, is
dropped into their mouths, for y* being opened there is found
in their crops no other sustenance but a single sorrel leaf,
which the old give their young for digestion sake (as is con-

^ And therefore not obvious to every one for his and not mine.
D

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34 OF CEBTAIN ISLAimS

jectured). The flesh of these birds is not pleasant fresh, be-
cause of their rank and fish-like taste ; but pickled or salted
they may be ranked with anchovies, caviare, or the like, but
profitable they are in their feathers and oyle, of which they
make great use about their wooL**^ Here are also those
sea fowles geese, which most will have to be generated of
putrified wood, which by them are called barnacles, but by
the Scots claik geese and soland geese, but I suppose they
may breed of a shellfish y* groweth on the rocks, and is called
by those of Guernsey and Jersey and (is no stranger in Corn-
wall) called a lampet.

At my being in Man, they told me there was but one
house in aU the island, and only 2 or 3 servants y* did live
in it ; it is invironed with rocks, and there is but 1 entrance
into it It is not full 2 miles in compass, and is now in the
possession of the Earl of Darby ; formerly it was the inheri-
tance of the Stephensons of Baladowle. All Man much
glorieth in its Calf, and do still retain the memory of that
vast wit for inventions,^ where he late had an hermitical life
in y® cave of a hollow rock in this island, and do still talk of
his pendant bed ' and strange diet, but because neither himself
is truly understood, nor his diet related by y® Manksmen, I
shall here take y® boldness to insert his own relation of his
residence there, which I found set down in his mineral over-
ture to the parliament, thus expressing himself: " The embrions
of his mines proving abortive by the sudden fall and death of
my late Lord Chancelour Bacon, in King James's reign, were
the motives which persuaded my pensive retirements to a 3
years' unsociable solitude in y® desolated isle called the Calf
of Man, where in obedience to my dead lord philosophical
advice, I resolved to make a perfect experiment upon myself,

1 [See Chaloner's •* Treatise of the Isle of Man, " p. 7. Manx Society, VoL
X. 1863.— Editor.] « Mr- Tho"- Bushel.

' Such as the hammocks in ships.

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APPKKTAINING UNTO THE ISLE OF MAN. 35

for the obtaining of a long and healthy life, most necessary
for such a repentance as my former debauchedness required
by a parsimonious diet of herbs, oil, mustard, and honey, with
water sufl&cient, most like to y* our long liv'd fathers before
the flood, as was conceived by y* lord, which I most strictly
observed, as if obliged by a religious vow, till divine p'^ called
me to a more active life," etc.

In y® perusing of the Monks' papers they never made
any mention of any Island in Man but of these 3 only, yet
here is another place in the Island (which, I suppose, by
reason of 2 rivulets y* run out of 2 loughs into the sea,
enclosing y® north and south parts thereof, and y® sea itself
washing it on y® west, so y* 3 parts thereof is moistened and
enclosed with water), whereby almost, for the space of 1200
years, it hath been called an Island (altho* it merit not to
be accepted for a peninsula).-^ However^ S** Patrick arriving
(at his .first landing in the Isle of Man) at this promontory,
called Jorby Point, and making some small stay there, hath
ever since been called S*- Patrick's Island, and here he placed
his bishop's seat, which continued there, it may not be long
after S*- Patrick's death, howsoever, for a time, but now it
hath lost the name of an island, and is now called Kirk
Patrick of Jorby, which still retaineth the name of S*- Patrick,
and acknowledgeth thereby his landing there. Mr. Chaloner
seemeth to hold y* there was no other place called St.
Patrick's Island but y® Island of Peel ; but Joselinus con-
firmeth me y* it must be Jorby, for there is no other pro*
montory noted in the Island of Man, but that to satisfy this
doubt you need only find out a place called Stantway, near
S** Patrick's Island, where, anno 1098, a great battle was
fought between the northern and southern men, for y®
Cronicle of Man saith in the same year King Magnus arriVd
in Man and landed. He came to S*- Patrick's Island to see

1 Joselin, in Vita Patricii.

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36 OF CERTAIN ISLANDS

the place wherein the battle had been fought a little before
between the Manksmen, because many of y® bodies y* were
slain lay yet there unburied. Now, Peel Island being so
little, I conceive, an unfit place for such a multitude of men
to fight in.

Yet note y® one thing, that this name of S*- Patrick's Isle
held y® name from y® year 447, untill the coming of Magnus,
King of Norway, an. 1098, which is full 651 years, yea and
for some years after, for Wimundus, the first Bishop after the
union of the 2 bishopricks, and John, his successor, were
Olave, the son of Godred, King of Man, died in S*- Patrick's
Isle, tho* buried in the Abbey of Eushin, both buried in
this Isle of S*- Patrick, as saith Mathew Paris ; yet I
incline to confide yt very shortly after, at least within
some 79 years ^ y® bishop's seat might be removed to
Peel, but whether to the Island or town of Peel I make a
question, which may easily be decided by a church builded to
S*- German, their first bishop, and began to be builded (as
saith the Bishops of Armagh), by Simon, Bishop of Sodor,
about anno 1247, in S*- Patrick's Isle, for still it kept the
name. You may, peradventure, marvel why I named the
town of Peel, seeing it was not fitly called an island neither
of S*- Patrick or any other. But in reading of Monasticon
Anglicanum, y* there is a church dedicated to S** German
y® first bishop of y® island in Holm Sodor, alias Peel (which
Mr. Chaloner caUeth HoUam Town), which it seemeth was the
antient name of Peel Town. Now I must tell y* to call
Holms Sodor, as much as to say the Island of Sodor, for
holms'^ in y® Scottish language signifieth a little island, for so
I find it in Maxwell's Abridgment in the Scottish Chronocle,
speaking of the Orcades, he hath these words : " Northward
from Strom lieth south Eamasa, five miles long, with two

^ See in Cambden's Brittania Norfolk, p. 478, wherein he useth ye word
holm to signify an island.

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APPERTAINING UNTO THE ISLE OF MAN. 37

little isloDds or holms, good for pasturage ;** yet I was not
fully satisfied with this till I remembred the Lord Cook
saith, y* hulmus is interpreted insula, an isle.

Let the reader make what use of this he pleaseth, but y®
bishop's seat was removed again to a village called Balacurri,
but why or when I cannot inform you, at which place
y® last bishop died, who was called Dr. E^- Parr.

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38 OF THE AIR, THE SOIL, THE SEA, AND

CHAPTER VI.

OF THE AIR, Y* SOIL, THE SEA, AND COMMODITIES OF THE
ISLE OF MAN.

The air of this island is both sharp and cold in the winter
months, yet I observed it to be much more mild than in
Wales, which verifieth the opinion of some y* hold islands
to be less cold than y® continents ; and they have reason,
for, as Cicero saith, islands are warmed with the environing
seas, which have a heat enclosed, and the tides being in con-
tinual agitation, their motion must necessarily produce heat,
according to Aristotle's axiom ; and without heat there can
be no motion at all, as Alphidus, the Chimic philosopher,
truly observes; besides misty vapours there abounding are
distilled and descend in showers of rain, which much miti-
gates the cold, as is observed in Ireland. But y® foggs and
mists of this Island of Man, tho* frequent, yet neither do
nor can corrupt the air, for that is cleansed as with brecons
on the billows y* ever work from her environing seas, whereby
the air becomes more pure and subtil, and therefore very
healthful, tho' with-all piercing and sharp, as some ^ have ob-
served in Normandy and the air of France. The islandera
showed me divers observations of theirs demonstrating the
island to be exceeding wholesome to live in, y* no damps or
any venomous vapours have been seen to arise out of the
earth in any part of the island at any time. The plague was
never known to have been there in any of their ancestors'
memory ; the inhabitants there are long liv'd, even of both
^ Clement Edmound, L 5, c. 5.

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COMMODITIES OF THE ISLE OF MAN. 39

sexes ; most of them ordinarily do live unto 80, many unto
an 100 years and upwards ; their women are very fruitful
Lastly, all observe what one delivereth as a maxim — y^ hat-
ful, fecond, fertile soil yield commonly the worst, the barron
the best air. For tho' some mistaking have amiss informed
us y* this island's soil is almost equal with Anglisey in fer*
tility, for we acknowledge this island's northern part to be
for the most healthy and gravelly groimd, much resembling
the mountainous parts of Wales ; the southern is acknow-
ledged to have good meadow and pasture ground. All parts
of the Island,^ as well the north as the south, yieldeth store of
all sorts of grain,^ both barley, wheat, rye, and oats (yet of
y® last the most), but not only of each satisfying the inhabit-
ants* necessity, but also affording an overplus for exportation
unto other parts ; and y® corn of this Island is so purely
good as y* you shall not find, no not in England, either
better bread or better beer than is there commonly to be sold*
It is a strange assertion (or a mistake of his sense of me)
y* Josephus shou'd conceive y* no com did grow in any
islands, for whereas King Hiram required and King Solomon
did furnish him with com, Josephus saith he stood in need
thereof, because he inhabited an island. It may be in Tyrus '
there was none or not suflScient, for it is a rocky island ; and
even in these westem islands of Scotland, antiently called
Hebrides and Ebude because they yielded no com, for the
inhabitants lived upon fish and milk, saith Solinus> and y®
old Britons called them Ed-eid, y* is without com, by Camb-
den's interpretation, yet y® island of Sicily hath always been
reputed the granary of Italy, and Anglisey, of minor circum-
ference than the Isle of Man, is known to be the granary of
North Wales,* for wheat groweth in such abundance there, as
Mr. Gerald Cambrensis in his time, y* island was very pro-

1 Polycron, L. 1, c 44. « V. Bede, Hist, of Eng., 1. 2, c 9.

• Sand's Travails, L 4, p. 246. * Abridg. c. 15 of Eng.

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40 OF THB AIB, THE SOIL, THE SEA, AND

verbially called Mon Mam Combrey, or, as some write it,
Gumry, which is as much as to say Mon (y* is Anglisey) is
the mother of Wales, for, as Polycron Mercator and John
Speed write, when the provision in the other shires of Wales
were either spent or their harvest failed, Anglisey alone, like
a full-breasted mother, was always to sustain the rest ; and
it is expected y* y® soU here will be much improved, and y®
island much enabled to yield much more quantity of corn, by
the late governor's practice (both for his own and y® islanders'
profit), for they now marie their arable ground with lime, which
was never there put in practice before ; but in my opinion
the expectation would be far greater if the natives knew the
preparation of the sea-weed,^ whereof they have great plenty
cast up daily upon the shore by the flowing of the sea, and
"were taught the use and practice of it, as we have in England,
where our allom mines are there were no marie comparable
to it ; and it might easily be prepared within the island itseK,
without either much labour or almost any charge. Myself
am able to discover much which I shall willingly do if they
desire it, and y* freely.

This island, besides com of all sorts, yieldeth good store
of flax and hemp, neither is this little bee an idle droan, but
affordeth both honey and wax, not only for the use of the in-
habitants, but for exportation also, for it employed the same
heretofore to further and lighten the antient Christians in
their synaxes, but is now employed for their patrons' uses to
exchange for other necessaries with the shopkeepers which
are wanting in the island. There is not much pasture ground,
the most and best is in the Earl of Darby's possession, lying
in the south part of the Island, near unto his castle of Eushin,
and in the castle of Man, etc. Their neat,^ therefore, in gene-
ral are, by consequence, little, low, small, and poor (but not
in any extremity), resembling those of Ireland, but nothing
^ Alge, whereof the kelp is made. * Their cattle.

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COMMODITIES OF THE ISLE OF MAN. 41

near our breed of England, and no marvel, for they feed
for the most part in heathy ground, lying continually in the
open fields both winter and summer, never housed ; neither
is any hay or fodder given them, but are enforced to feed on
what they find, those y* graze by y® sea shore or near thereto
are observed every day of themselves to go down in com-
panies (nature and necessity only guiding) and there will
they expect the ebbing of the water to have y® benefit to eat
of y® sea tangle,^ y* is those weeds which the sea, at the com-
ing in of the tides, casteth upon the land, and ebbing, leaving
them in great heaps. The cattle do more willingly, yea, I
may truly say more greedily, feed on those weeds than upon
grass or hay. And it is there observed y* those cows y* feed
on them are far fairer, bigger-bodyed, fatter, and yield more
jnilk than those of the inland y* have not the same coifiodity
for their saturation, sustentation, and nourishment. You
need not to question whether amongst British animals, in
every species, there be not some, as well as amongst men,
which may be reputed not only in y® natura brevium, but
meerly of the Pigmean races. For example, in horses in Eng-
land, we shall have those we call titts, the Irish their hobbys,
the Scotch their Galloway naggs y* run wild all the summer
on the moimtains in Wales.^ But S'^- Evan Loyd's bred of the
little dainty diminutive merlins do far exceed all the rest in
a small, neat, curious composure, as if cast in a mold, but
these are all of the Gentilesso. The Manks breed are low
and little, equal with the least of these above named (except
the merlin), and withal frightfully poor, and the most un-
sightly that may any where be found.^ As the Orcades
horses are said to resemble y® French asses, so these do not
differ either in height or shape from those, for you are scarce
able to discover any head for hair,* which is of a sooty black

1 Alga. « At Gale in Denbyshire. * Hect. Boet, Descr. 16, 1, 9.

^ Wm. Haiison's Descr. of Scot, Ch. 12.

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42 OF THE AIB, THE SOIL, THE SEA, AND

colour ; I cou'd not discern any of them y* had so much ad
one white spot in foot or face, nor other colour but the chimeria
black in any part of their body.

This long scaring stragling hair hangs dangling down al-
most 2 or 3 handfuls beneath the whole length of their bellies,
their excoriated hides are not (by the bye) to be distinguished
from a bear's skin. A reasonable tall man need no stirrups to
ascend him, but being mounted, no man need to desire a better
travailing beast ; they will plod on freely and willingly with a
soft and round amble, setting as easy as your Irish hobbies ;
you have no need of spurs or switch. In enduring labour and
hardness they exceed others, they will travail the whole day
and night also, if they be put to it, without either meat or
drink. Their sheep, therefore, thrive best in this Island ; they
are as fat and their flesh as well tasted as our mutton, but
generally they are not so great of body; we cannot but admire
y* some should relate all they do hear or read of all countries
but seek not truth. W™* Harrison here deserves the whet-
stone, who seems to equal the sheep of this Island, with the
weathers of Africa, described by Leo Africanus, whose tails
outweigh the body of a calf, for he hath printed that the
sheep of y® Island of Man are exceeding huge, well wooled,
and their tails of such greatness as is almost incredible. Be^
sides I am to inform my readto that they be not misled by
what either Cambden or Speed (both being misinformed by
Bishop Merrick's relation) have showed us, that there are in
this Island of Man mighty flocks of sheep and of other cattle,
for it is not so in either of them ; there is sufficient store not
only to nourish the natives, but some also may be allowed for
transportation, but neither of beef or sheep, or any thing else
which the Island yieldeth, is there any excessive or superabun-
dant number. Whatsoever the Island yieldeth is for quality
very good, but this good falleth only short in quantity, for we
observe to some countries nature seems to have showed her-

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COMMODITIES OF THB ISLB OF MAN. 43

self more liberal, yea, to some in somethings as seeming pro-
digal, to this Island it hath given the mean ; it neither abounds
in superfluities nor is defective in necessaries. Before the
Lord of Darby's residence in the Island, flying from the troubles
then in Lancashire, it abounded plentifully with all necessaries.

The wool of their sheep is very good, but not to be com-
pared to our Cotswold or Leicester, yet have they a little and
but a little of a certain wool which I attempt one of the rari-
ties of the island, and far exceeds their other wool in fineness.
This sort of wool they call Laughton wool; and y® sheep y*
beareth y* coloured wool, the Manksmen call y® grayish co-
loured Laughton in their language, howbeit this coloured
wool to me seemed rather to resemble the dear colour, in-
clining to fevill mort, and near but not so high tincted as y®
hair colour. Mr. Chaloner calleth it a sand colour and not
unfitly ; but the rarity of this wool is very remarkable, for it
is no certain place to be found in all the island. It is a
monady, for one only sheep of the whole flock will have this
coloured wool in any part of the Island, and they are ob-
served not to impart that colour to their lambs. Wherefore
there is not much of it to be had thro'out the whole Island.
Yet I did see the late Lord of Man, James, Earl of Darby, to
wear an entire suit made of y* wooL

It is strange y* no enquiries have been made as yet to
explore the true causes of this efiect, whether this Laughton
colour proceed from some vertue or propriety either of the
soil or any spring or water of this island, for some soils and
some waters have such a propriety as Dubartas, thus ren-
dered by Sylvester, confirmeth —

Cerona Zanthe Cephisus do make ^
The 30 flocks y^ of them do water take.
Black red and white, and near the crimson,
Th' Arabian fountain maketh crimson sheep.

^ In tlie 3d of the Ist week.

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44 OF THE AIB, THE SOIL, THE SEA, AND

Pliny^ saith y® waters of Busentor hath a propriety to
dy the hair black, the river Crathis to tinct it yellow.

Ciathis ad hinc Sybans nostris conterminus oris,
Electro similes faciunt auroque capillas.

Or from the occult propriety of some herbs (not obvious in
all places), which being by any sheep encoimtered and cropt,
have any such secret quality to produce such an effect, my
assent inclineth to this last, for if it had proceeded from any
vertue, or quality of any spil, spring, or water there, all the
flock (probably) drinking and eating thereof and therein would
all have been clothed with y* coloured wooL

Cambden^ and Speed say y* y® red soil of Eutlandshire
dieth the wool of y® sheep red, but seeing there is but one only
sheep (y* feedeth in the same field with 50 or 100 more) y*
hath accidentally acquired this coloured wool, in all probability
this solitary herb or tree must needs have the honour to pro-
duce this tincted colour, for casually being eaten up by this
one sheep the other sheep could find no more individumens
of y® same species to- feed upon, until y® next spring y* it
doth again sprout out leaves out of the same root. Let not
this seem strange, for both herbs and trees have the same
propriety to work the same effect, as Virgil testifieth of y®
tamarisk.

Ipse sed in pralis aries jam suave rubenti,

Murice jam croceo mutabit vellera luto.

But I have not read of a more strong strange effect in any
place than in Gauth^ (west of Baugvan in Scotland), where
is a hill called Doundee, y* is y® Golden Mountain, for the
sheep y* feed therein are yellow and their teeth of the same
colour, their flesh and wool red as tinctured with saffron.
But I cannot forbear to acquaint you with what Augustin
Etzlinus saith y* if a sheep by any accident do become co-

1 Nat Hist., 1. 3. ' Camb.' Rutlandshire, p. 616, abr. in Rutland.

• Hector B., Scotio Regni Descriptio, p. 9.

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COMMODITIES OF THE ISLE OF MAN. 45

loured with any usual colour, it portends the happy aflBuence
of all good things. Here I wou'd with y* Mr. James Cha-
loner advise (from the Lords of Man) were put in practice
for y® profit of the islanders, by a manufactory of y® wools of
y® island, in imitation of the island Jarsey y* hath no wool
in it considerable or equal to Man, yet it maintaineth a great
trade with the wools there wrought and brought out of other
countries. In this island there are store of hoggs of an ordi-
nary grandure, but I neither hear nor see of any in any part
of the island of such a magnitude as were in a manner mon-
strous. As Wm. Harrison relateth all swine of what age so-
ever (of delinquents) are y® lords, and all goats of what age
soever are the queen's of Man, rabbits and alL Poultry are
here sold at very small rates — a goose for a groat, ducks, hens,
etc., in the like maimer, and 10 or 12 eggs are ordinarily
sold for a peny, there are, moreover, for y' recreation otters,
badgers, foxes, hares, and coneys of all-sufficient store, but I
cordially cou'd wish their hares were much more numerous in
this island, but not so many as might super multiply, as once
they did in the Balcares Islands, whose inhabitants, says
Pliny, were informed to crave the assistance of a Eoman
regiment to destroy them, not y* more here were desired for
the pleasure and recreation in hunting *em, for there are suf-
ficient store, as I said before, but for a rarity, which the hares
here in the Isle of Man are famed for, which is another rarity.
I observe there, which is found but in few if in any other
countries, and y* is y* the hares there are very fat, their fat
being an ingredient so much desired and admired both by the
later and antient physicians for its many and rare vertues and
propriety in healing many diseases in many bodies both in-
wardly and outwardly.

Tuto cito et jucnnde.
There are some deer in the mountains, but those belong

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46 OF THE AIB, THE SOIL, THE SEA, AND

to the Lord of Man, and therefore you must have his licence
to hunt, or otherwise forfeit a fine of 3 pounds, besides im-
prisonment during his pleasure ; this is one of their customary
laws. You may there find a few ayries of excellent hawks,
which are accounted to equal if not to exceed those of Ireland,
and therefore our King Henry y® 4^ in his Letters Patent ^
of y® grant of y® Island to S' John Stanley, y® first king of
Man of y* name and race, obliged him in lieu of aU other
gifts upon tlie day of his and his successor's coronation, y* he
present him with a cast of hawks.

Hems also for your sport with the lord's leave, otherwise
you are to pay the fine aforesaid, but you are to take any
other fowls, either wild ducks, cranes, bittern, widgeans, or
teal, etc. But neither patriges nor farkers wiU live there,
altho' imported, as was experienced by James, late Lord of
Man, who of purpose brought over thither some out of Eng-
land, but they cou'd no more thrive there than hares can
live in his Island of Ithaca,^ or owles in the Island of Greet, or
mice in the Island of Arren (by Ireland), or dogs in Sigaron,
an island in Arabia Felix, whither voluntarily they will not
enter, and if brought in they will not cease their running
until they have run out their life, but of all fowles there the
puflSns are most numerous, but of them and of the barnacles,
I have already made mention in the Calf of Man. John
Speed wou'd persuade you that there are some woods in the
Isle of Man ; but Cambden denies it, for he saith, y* this
Island is Sylvis indig : the natives, and truly told me there
were none, which our law-books and S'' Edward Cook seem to
confirm, for he citeth a law-case as a customary law in the
Isle of Man, y* stealing of an ox or an horse is no felony why
the law-book saith they cannot hide them as having no woods.
This case was argued in y® 12*^ year of the reign of King
Henry y® 8*^ There hath been no woods in Man this 140

* See ye Letters Patents, 1. 2, c 4. « Pliny, L 6, c. 28.

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OOMMODinES OP THE ISLE OP MAN. 47

years past, and I do not remember to have seen any one hedge
y* parted either field or pastures, but all were either of turfs
or of earth stones or of both ; and therefore of this Island is
the old observation verified y* woods are in no place more
decayed than where they have most decayed. I say abounded,
yea I cou'd not observe one tree to be in any place but what
grew in gardens — there is so great scarcity even of birch, as
y* y« mercers in Man, whom they call shopkeepers, when
they come into England for other coifiodities, they buy up
our birch brooms, and of them they make rods and sell them
to parents to correct their children, and schoolmen to dis-
cipline their schollars.

Yet none can deny but that there have been great store
of woods there,^ seeing it is by all acknowledged to have been
the prime seat of y® Druids, who never inhabited any place
which was not stored with oakes. Polydore Virgil, in the
time of Agricola his being in England, saith that Paulinus
cofhanded that their woods should be cut down because they
were superstitiously abused by the Druids, yea Julius
Agricola himseK might give such a coifiandment, for Cooper
saith he was himself in Man, and had conquered it after he
iad conquered Anglisey. But aU the woods were not rooted
up by either of them, for I read of this island long after the
Druids,^ even above 1000 y^ars after their extirpation in
y® time of our W™* the First, coifionly called the Conqueror,
y* there were great woods still in Man, especially in the
north, as his history evinceth, which is taken out of their own
chronocle written by y® Monks of Eushen, and copied out
of them by Cambden, and J. Speed out of him.

There is one of y® 17 kirks or parishes of Man is called
Kirkarberry because formerly it was surrounded with trees,
arbolick. Godred Conan, the son of Harrold y® Black of
Island (after y® death of Syrrick, king of Man), ano. 1066 or

^ Hist Anglisey, LI. ' De InsnL Britannico, ab., c. 44.

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48 OF THE AIR, THE SOIL, THE SEA, AND

1067, invaded tlie Isle of Man with a great fleet, and having
been twice repulsed by the Islanders, at y® 3d attempt he
attained y* by policy which he cou'd not obtain by force for
entering the Bay of Eamsey with his fleet ; he had 300 men
in a wood, whUe the battle standing in doubtful suspense,
y® 300 men in ambush violently rushed out and forced the
Manksmen to fly. Since the woods were destroyed and no sea
cole is as yet discovered in the Island, there is no want of
any necessary thing for y® Island so much as fuelling, yet are
they not much necessitated, and y* very seldom or never ex-
pect when it is overcharged, as it was during y® late troubles
in England. In the want thereof they have sufficient store
of sea cole imported thither at very easy rates both from
Whitehaven in Cumber^ and Weirwater and Liverpool in
Lancashire, or from Bagot Moston, and y® north parts of
Camarvenshire and Flintshire in Wales.

The only fuelling which y® Island naturally produceth is
gorse and heath, which they call ling; of these they have
abundance, as also of broom, of turf y* is good they have
some, but not in quantity, but they have great store of a
courser, clammy, and more earthly turf where the poor make
their fire, but the better sort do only make use thereof to mix
w*^ their sea coal to make it bum the better.

You would admire to see this course turf sold here in the
market; y® constant price of 12 loads is 10 pence, which any
might presume were a cheap bargain. But their panniers
are so little which they put upon those pygmean horses, as
y* you shall be enforced to put upon your grate 3 horse
loads at least to make one reasonable fire. Concerning
quarries of stone one may suppose this Island to have suf-
fered a greater scattering and cleaving of stone and y® rocks
by that stupendous subterranean earthquake at our B^
Saviour's death, than any other. I call it subterranean,
because it seemeth it showed not its efiects in any part of

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COMMODITIES OF THE ISLAND OF MiLN. 49

the superfices of the eaxth, for neither the sacred text, nor
Josephus, nor any history, maketh mention y* any of y®
towers of Jerusalem, or so much as a chimney, was shattered
down either there or anywhere ; but some conceived to have
been imiversal, but more in Man than any other place (y*
I have seen but only in North Wales). EanuK of Chester
saith, before our B^ S'^ death all quarries were of one entire
stone, but here and in Wales they are so extreamly broken,
as if they were only piles of slates heaped one upon another.
There hath not been discovered any mines of minerals of
metals. Mr. Chaloner telleth us of one of lead near y® sea
cragg called Mine hough, which was experienced by Cap^
Edw^ Christian to hold much silver. No quarries of free-
stone yet found, but upon the sea-side near Baladowle ; but
it is very difficult to be polished in regard to the hardness
thereof, of which stone y® Castle of Eushin is built, and it
may be the Abbey of Eushin also by Bala Sala. The minerals
I make no doubt, but y* sea-coal, vitriol, and allom, might
as well be found there (if sought) as well as in Wales ; and
if M?"- Tho®- Bushel's melancholy would have permitted him
to have left the Calf to have surveyed the Man itself, he
should have found (I presume) more hopefuU encouragements
there then since he hath yet found in y® mountains of Talibunt
Eeginian, y® Darcenbroom Loyd, Comerion Comsomlock, or
in any other part of South Wales. Yet if a mine royal should
at any time be discovered, it is to be feared least Man be-
coming rich the Manksmen become not miserable as y®
Mexicans in America. Howsoever, I confide y* it will be
experienced hereafter y* Man is far richer under ground than
it is abova I find some heretofore y* had a mill, but none y*
did attempt the search to make a real discovery. For Tho^ Earl
of Darby, and King of Man, by a deed,^ bearing date at his
^ See Monasticon Anglicanmn. Part of y« 3d, where yon may read the deed
itself at large. [Printed in Oliver's " Monnmenta," voL iii. pp. 27-31. Manx
Society, VoL IX. 1862.— Editor.]

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60 OP THE AIE, THE SOIL, THE SEA, AND

house in Lathom anno 1505, granted to Huan, Bishop of
Sodor, all the mines of lead and iron he could find ; but
it seemeth he found none, nor any other have discovered
any since, but of limestones, tiU of late, as I mentioned
above.

It is conceived y* 2 parts of 3 are mountains in this
Island, w*^^ from the eastern to the western do cross this
Isle, and especially towards the midst of this Isle seems to
swell into hiUs and mountains poorly clad with any verdure,
but aU usefull there to supply the place of watch-towers, y*
whereon S*- Mathew, as in y® north part of y® Isle, and a
part thereof runneth flat south toward the south, inclining
west. I find y® Warehills, which extend themselves from
the west coast even imto y® east, even to y® Bume Stream.
I take these to be y® same y* y® Cronocle of Man calleth y®
Watchful HiUis, where Eichard de Mandevil, with his Irish,
fought a battle with the Manksmen, and overcame them, and
plundered the island.^

In Kirk Michael, on the hill Bevemshing, was a court
holden An. 1242. More elevated than these are Maroun and
Colgreve, but the most eminent and conspicuous for altitude
is Seeaful (W- Chaloner liameth it Snawfel), wherein you
may, in calm and serene weather, recreate yourself with y®
prospect of 3 Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland,
yea of North Wales also. Under the hollow of this hOl did
Godred Crovan conceal his ambush of 300 men (as I showed
you before), when y® 3^ time he fought with the Manksmen,
and obtained the Kingdom. Upon this hill is y^ principal
beacon of y® whole Island, always ready, and accomodated
with a watch both day and night, winter and summer, as I
shall more amply show you in y® 12*^ Chap, of this Book.

In these mountains are those deer which are in the Island,
for there are no chases, forrests, or parks, or any inclosures

1 Anno 1316.

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COMMODITIES OF THE ISLAND OF MAN. 51

for venery ; here also (on the few trees left) are some ayres
of excellent hawks. What treasures are within these moun-
tains inclosed, Time may discover to recompence the coiTion
want of wood. God hath gratified the islands with excellent
fresh water, so pure and pleasant to y® taste of necessitated
passengers, as y* I have heard them protest y* in their opinion
there was not anything in this Island y* equalled y® goodness
of their water, yet in the whole Isle there is not one deserving
the name of a river, and not above 4 or 5 standing pools
or loughs, which are especially northward. Both in the east
and west, notwithstanding, the Island aboundeth with many
currents of fresh water, which we may rather caU rills and
rivulets than rivers or floods, as being grandeured by the de-
scending springs and showers of rain from y® adjacent hiUs
and mountains. Neither are they great, long, or navigable,
but most places terminated not much above the flowing, or,
as we call it, the high water mark, whereof those are the
principal — y^ Neb, entering the sea of Peel Town, Clawnebey
river ly in Kirk Kirkby, Solbe Flood on the north of y® haven
of Ramsey, Colby Bourn in y® south, y* which runneth into
Laxy Bay, y® Black and White Water y* meet at Douglas
salmon river, with y* w®^ runneth imder the castle walls of
BushiQ.

Eanulf, Monk of Chester,^ and out of him W"** Harrison
(but both misunderstanding of Ven Bede) aver that there are
2 rivers in this island, whose heads do join so near, y* they
seem to part y® island into 2 parts, as it were into 2 islands.
The first southward, this had better com land, and contained
900. V. Bede and Winken de Word in his addition to Poli-
cronicon saith 960 householders. That northward 300 or
more, as men guess, but y® mistaking is scarce excusable, for
Ven Bede there wrote of King Edwin's conquest of y® Western
Islands, in one of which he saith 900 families, English, might

^ Policron, 1. 1, c. 44.

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52 OF THE AIR, SOIL, SEA, AND COMMODITIES OF MAN.

inhabit in the other 300 speaking of several islands and not
of several parts of any one island, either of Man or any other.

The sea feedeth more of the Manksmen than of the soil,
as I demonstrate in y® sequeL It yieldeth to the islanders
presently of divers sorts of fish, but of no one sort so much as
of herrings in their season, of which more hereafter.^ There are
great store of salmons, codds, haddocks, macarels, rayes, place,
thombecks, and more than I can name to you. They have
also a small sort of ling, which they do commonly eat, being
taken as other fish boiled, tho* some they salt in barrels to selL

They have one sort of fish, and is only to be found in y*
island. It is red of colour, and to look upon you may mis-
take it for flesh ; but when you cut it is solid nor firm, yet it
is savoury.

Their codds, thombecks, and places, etc., they hang them
upon. the wall to dry them in the sun, which gives the taste
of stockfish; but being dressed, minced, and mixed with
butter, they do yield the taste of ling or haberdine.

There are few or no oysters or muscles ; but of crabbs,
lobsters, and cockles, abundance in their seasons.

These, and whatsoever fish they take in th^ island, you
may buy at very easy and cheap rates.

An expert lapidary or druggist at the ebbing of y® seatides
may be here Uauch recreated to survey w* y® flowing of the
sea had cast up and left on the shore (being retired), for every
day he shall find new discoveries, and sometimes rich com-
modities not understood by the natives.

This is demonstrated y* tho' this Isle of Man hath no
manna in it, nor any delicacies of dainty, superfluities to
nourish vice, vanity, and riot, yet hath this Man everything
fit for man ; nothing is there wanting to sustain the natives,
seeing of itself in itseK it is sufl&ciently furnished if not sur-
charged for strangers.

1 Chap. X.

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OF THE MAl^ESMEN IN GENEBAL. 53

CHAPTEE VIL

OF THE MANKSMEN, THE INHABITANTS AND NATIVES OF THE
ISLE OF MAN IN GENERAL.

Vain, verily, and fruitless, are their endeavours of such as
seek to find out the first aborigines of any country or island,^
for, as Bucanan speaks rationally, how shall we be able to dis-
cover y® origin and first plantation of any place, by reading
of other^s writings, when as there were then no books written
in those times I he therefore shall best satisfy the best under-
standings y* can produce y® most probable conjecture. The
same Bucanan satisfieth no more than any other y* y® first
inhabitants y* came out of Spain, into Ireland being numerous,
did go to inhabit the little and adjacent isles, so saith Policron
who voucheth Beda. The Island of Man is one of the nearest
and greatest of all those islands,^ those Irish in those times
were called Scots, and Ireland itself was called Scotia major,^
y® greater Scotland, and it was these Scots y* did inhabit
Man; in y® reigns of Arcadius and Honorius, Cambden
saith, truly, but presently after these Scots were driven out of
all Brittagh countries and islands by Cuneda, y® grandfather
of Maglocunus, whom Guildas, for y® havock he made in
those islands, termeth him the Dragon of the Isles ; after
this came our King Arthur, and after him Edwin,* king of
Northumbers, both which reduc'd all the islands into their

^ Excepting, as Cambden saith, those yt have their original ayouched
unto them out of Holy Scrip. — Brit. p. 4. * Descr. of Scot. 1. 1, p. 41.
' Mercator's Atlas, p. 98. * Anno 407 and 411.

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54 OF THE lONESMEN, THE INHABITANTS AND

subjection, and in them planted British inhabitants, with
great reason, therefore, may we receive the testimony of
Joselinus : y* at y® conversion of the Island of Man by St.
Patrick it was Britania subjecta — a British Isle.

The Island of Man is at this day in a mean populous ; it
neither wanteth nor aboimdeth, much less is it overburthened
by its natives ; all confess it^ to have been in antient days and
times much more populous, and more fully inhabited, but
neither now nor at any time heretofore, was this island famed
to abound with numerous natives ; their kings were truly
called kings of Man but not kings of Men, for if a body of 6
or 7000 here upon urgent or necessitous occasion to be tran-
sported out of the island, it wou'd, as I conceive, be so dis-
peopled as y* their women would be compel'd to practise to
become Amazons, and to pray to God for his assistance, for
as we might say with David, vain wou'd be the help or hope
of Man, for an enemy will not fear what man then could do
unto them, for it is true y* both Godred and Olave equipped
many ships, and in them they brought great numbers of men
from Ireland. But it was not y ® Island of Man alone y* assisted
them with so many, the islands of the Hebrides, whereof they
then were lords, being, as Bucanan, Munro, and others, say,
are 300 in number, out of these were brought the greatest
bulk. Now concerning the inhabitants, as y® Isle of Man
resembleth the mountaueous parts of Wales, in the soil, so is
there little difference in the seating of the inhabitants, I say
of their habitations in the country, for in travailing from one
town to another you discover their country Tiouses, or rather
hovels, almost at y® end of every other acre of ground, solely
seated and dispersed, yet scarce 2 flightshot distant the one
from the other, for as I may say of them, as Piso in Strabo,
which resembled the torrid parts of Africk to a Libbard's skin,

1 Speed Theat p. 91. [Speed's " Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine"
was published in 1611, 1614, and 1627. Folio.— Editor.]

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NATIVES OF THB ISLE OF MAN IN GENERAL, 55

the distance of whose spots represented here and there the
dispeasdence of their habitations.

Being now to give y® reader the character of y® inhabit-
ants of this Island, and in this chapter of such as live in y®
country in particular, I hold it requisite to observe decorum
to distinguish and to give precedency to y® gentry from and
before the helotts and peasants, for there is as great a disparity
betwixt them in their dispositions as there is in their qualities.
For their gentry are truly gentle, courteous, affable, and more
willingly will discourse with you in the English than in their
own language, whom I observed even of all them, not only
to speak true English, but to pronounce so naturally as y* I
cou'd not observe any different tone in their pronunciation of
our English as is coiTionly noted, both in the Irish, Scots,
and Welsh, and in all strangers, neither any of these to be
distinguished from our English, either by the countenance,
carriage, apparel, diet, or housekeeping, but in most ipiitating,
as Speed well observed, y® Lancashire gentry, as haying had
so long converse with the house of Darby theijiselves and all
their officers and retinue being all Lancashira men.

There is not one of these y* beareth y® title of a gentle-
man in y® Isle of Man, y* doth pride it to live in ^y of y®
townes or villages, but have their mansion houses built up-
on their own lands in the country,^ and these for the major
part have high handsome well-built houses, after the English
fashion, altho' but few, for you cannot expect the number of
y® gentry here to be many in so small and poor a plott of
earth, these have good tho* not great estates, the greatest that I
cou*d be informed of exceeded not £600 or £700 p. annum, the
rest some have 5, 4, 3, or under. They told me there were
not above six families of note in all the Island, yet some of
these are of great antiquity, especially those y* bear y® surnames

^ In France and Italy their gentry for the most part live in cities and
towns ; onr English in villages build their houses.

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56 OF THE MANKSMSN, THE INHABITANTS KSD

of Christian and CanelL .These 2 and worthy are of the
greatest repute amongst them at this day ; the other seem to
be of a lower class, for out of these 2 families their Deemsters,
who are their judges to decide law causes and controversies
(as I shall show you in the 2^ Book of this History), have
long been, and at my being there, were chosen out of these,
yet I find one Edward Cockil to be one of the Deemsters, in
the time of Edward, Earl of Darby ; and Eobert Colcoats was
receiver of y* Castle of Man. The peasants of y® island y*
reside in the country are the true Manks breed and home-
bred natives of Man ; these for the generality are tall of
stature and of a strenuous bulk, but boorish as y® Beotian,
having their wits as gross as their ayre. I cannot paralel
these people with any so well and so fitly as the Hollanders,
I mean as they were in the reign of our Queen Elizabeth,^ for
since they have much refined their spirits so as now they
confide not only to outwit us in negotiations and treaties, but
to overmaster us at sea and navigation, but it were fit they
would still retain a grateful acknowledgment unto England,
y* first infused y* spirit into them which they have since
so much improved, therefore I will not nor I do not
paralell these Manksmen with y® hogan mogan Hollanders,
but with those of theirs which themselves call water
Sanders, with whom these men seem to sympathise in many
particulars.

Wherefore his character here shall be the same as w* Mr
Isaac Howel gives to his Hollander.*

They are heavy and homely, surly, respectless, yea, griping
extorters of strangers, for, upon the arrival of any ship of
any part of y® Island, they presently pretend a dearth and
scarcity there, by making their dissembled wants the means
to procure better rates for what they are disposed to vent or
sell unto them. These men's habitations are mere hovels,

1 About Anno Ch. 1622. « Fam. Ep., yoL 2d, Ep. 12, p. 20.

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NATIVES OF THE ISLE OF MAN IN GENERAL. 5*7

compacted of stones and clay for the walls, thatch'd with
broom, most commonly containing one room only. Very few
have 2 rooms, have no upper rooms, — such as in their towns
they call lofts, — ^nor any ceiling but the thatch itself, with
the rafters, yet in this smoking hut, like y® wild Irish, of
whom many opine them to be antiently descended, doth the
man, his wife, and children, cohabit, and in many places
with y® geese and ducks under y® bed, the cocks and hens
over his head, the cow and calf at the bed's feet, so as Justus
lipsius, if he had travelled hither, he might have found the
same entertainment here which he found in Westphalia.^
These are a strange sort breed of men y* do want nothing
because they frame themselves to want all things. In their
diet they are parsilnonious and abstemious, almost to admira-
tion, for they seem to emulate (but not to imitate), herein to
rival, if not to outdo, the strictest austerities, y® strictest in
religion. Their constant diet is only salt butter, herrings, and
oat cakes, here made almost as thin as a paper leaf, yet as
broad and large (if not exceeding) those in Wales. Their
drink is either simple water, or water mixt with milk (which
y® Welch call glare dower) or at best butter milk ; as for
beer or ale there is none brewed by them except by some
prime person among them, for this liquor they forbear to drink
tiU they meet at markets, where they will as familiarly, and
with as much facility, drive it down their throats, as any do
in Duckland, for in their natures they are much given to
compotations, and therein to exceed. This abstemious diet is
more strictly observed by their hired servants and day
labourers. The hired servant's allowance at one meal is 2
boiled herrings, one entire oaten cake to eat, butter, witt
milk, or milk and water, to drink. The painfullest plowman
there neither desireth nor expecteth either other or more food
than this proportion at one meal ; but they will exact so much
^ Epis. de Westphalia.

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58 OF THE BCANESMEN, THE INHABITANTS AND

whether they eat it or not, having gotten meat otherwise,
either to sell or give away.

Their servants they there hire in markets, as we also have
y® same custom in many parts of Englani In Berkshire it
is called a fea-fare, at Henly, in "Warwickshire, they call it a
mapp, and in divers places it is called by divers other names,
but all importing a market where men and maids in some
towns are to be hired every year. The same hiring and
changing of servants they have in Man, but differently, for
we change but once in the year, they, in the Island of Man
twice. If I mistake not, the maids are hired in the spring,
the men at the fall of the leaf. But it were fit the reader
shou'd be rectified concerning these Manksmen's parsimonious
diet, lest they and myself shou'd be mistaken, for it is not
penury y* compels them, but covetousness y* invites them
to be thus contented and satisfied, not caring for gaiety of
cloths or superfluities of viands, for they have store of bacon,
fresh butter, geese, ducks, hens, capons, eggs, piggs, etc., to
feed upon ; but these, together with their yam and Sax, and
hemp, and honey, wax, etc., they make spare of both to make
money thereof at their faires and markets, as also to exchange
with their shopkeepers in the town for iron, starch, sope,
candles, pitch, tarr, and with other commodities they want.
But before I am disposed to proceed farther, I am disposed to
shew you some other particulars concerning these Manks-
men's dispositions, some y* would seem statesmen^ y* do
hold y* Islanders y* have y® air and waters so diversly
moving about them, neither peace nor war can long be weU-
come to their humours, and therefore must be governed by
the active yet steddy hand of authority. To this Bucanan^
seems to assent. Yet this general observation cannot be
demonstrated in Man, for they are a people (tho' acknow-

1 Sir Faulk Grevil, in ye Life of Philip Sidney, p. 62.
> De rebus Soot, 1. 1, p. 209.

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NATIVES OF THE ISLE OF MAN IN GENERAL. 59

ledged to be full of metal) yet not apt or prompt suddenly
to be set on fire, not prompt to complain of pressures or desire
innovations, for during the reign of former kings they had
many provocations, yet only once or twice avenged themselves
of strangers and tyrants. Dunold, the son of Tade, a tyrant,
sent by Muccard O'Brian, King of Ireland, to govern during
the minority of Olave, they expulsed him in y® 3d year of his
reignment. This was a stranger who abused both the young
king and them. I find not any one king by them deposed, or
once opposed by them in the Island. Godred, the son of
Olave, reigning peaceably, enjoyed peace, but returning victo-
rious out of Ireland, elated with pride, in y® puflf and heat of
his jollity began to tyrannize, yet the Island of Man did not
offer to resist by rebelling, but Thirstin only, the most potent,
being the son of Otter, in the Isle of Man, raised up an enemy
against him in y* Western Islands, one Dongdal, the son of
Somerled, whereby he lost the kingdom of the Isles, and by
him was driven out of the Island into Norway. These are a
people sooner to be drawn by the ears than dragg'd by the
cloths (easily persuaded, but with difi&culty compelled), and
therefore for above 240 years have they persevered in their
loyalty, and have been constant idolaters of y* Stanleys, who
never forced, but rather courted their consent to any new
laws and impositions. They never mutinied, never rebelled.
Whensoever any levies or seizures are laid upon them, or dis-
tresses made, by any of the coroners or moors for the Ld's
rents, duties, amercements, forfeitures, etc., or y* his caterers
do take upon any poultry or other provision for the Loixl's
table or houshold, at the Lord's price or rate, not a man in
Man will so much as necessitate. Wherefore y* character
y* was given (and is related by Plutarch) of Marius, his
moyles, may fitly be applied unto these Manksmen, a people
painful and willing to do whatsoever their Lords shall com-
mand, without grudging or reluctances.

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60 OF THE MANKSMEN, THE INHABITANTS AND

These, in old times, were innocent from avarice, seeking
only after necessaries, not superfluities, and might truly be (as
the Christians in the primitive times were called Anargirii)
men without money, for untill our late, king's reign they
neither had nor desired the use of money, for they mer-
chandised as in the Satumical age, by racking, exchanging,
and bartering of commodities, for in those dayes neither their
king nor lords expected from them either money or rents, but
services only, as I shall shew hereafter ; but now they seem
to be somewhat a little sublimed in their understandings,
since these our late troubles, our many refuged and fugitives
flying thither have so plentifully furnished them, as y* many
of them are now enabled to take leases of their houses, and
to pay their rents and duties in money, which before they
paid in sheep, hoggs, or other cattle and poultry.

The coin current in this island is almost all English ; yet
the Scottish 13Jd., and their twopence, and their 5 shilling
pieces minted at Dublin, do freely pass there. They have no
proper coin. The Island never had any such, altho' the king
of France's geographer,^ abused by Dr. Merrick's relation in
Cambden, saith that there had been particular species of
money in this Isle, but now not used, for they neither have
at present, nor ever had, any mint to coin money within y*
Island, whereof I am confident, and not without strong in-
ducements.

The Lord Cook and Cambden say y* in the Island of
Man, as they have peculiar lawes, so they have a peculiar
language. " Mon." Chesme saith the same ; Humphrey
Loyd and Cambden, y* they speak Scottish and Irish ; Mr.
Heelin, y* they speak half Irish and half Norwegian, all
amiss, for with Lord Cook their language may well be called
a peculiar speech, for it is not understood by any other
though the nearest neighbours, as being a meer mixture of

^ Andrew D. Chesme, Hist de Angliser, etc, anno 1684.

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NATIVES OF THE ISLE OF MAN IN GENERAL. 61

the 4 bordering Bations language compounded together. It
hath most of the Irish, much of the Welch, but of Scots and
Engliish very little or none. The Manksmen do not acknow-
ledge that the Northweigans have added any words to their
language, and probably say aright, for tho' the Kings of
Norway had y® islands (but in possession of the Kings of
Man) and held them in subjection many years, yet after King
Magnus, who first conquered this Island, none of his suc-
cessors, nor any of Norway, ever resided in this Island. As
for their understanding and speaking of English, very few
but understand our English, especially all the gentry, all in
the towns, and such of the country as frequent their town,
market, and fairs, but these speak it as a foreign and
different language from their own, or as the vulgar "Welsh speak
English. But it is fit I shou'd remind my promise made in the
preface of this work to verify my reader in divers particulars
wherein Dr. Merrick, Bishop of Man, being himself as it
seemeth, misinformed, misrelated them ; so Mr. Cambden,
and by y* treatise of his of the British Isles, all since have
been misled, to believe many strange unia^ths concerning
this Island, y* fault lieth only in the first relator, and I cannot
impute any fault in Cambden, for who would not give credit
to a bishop's relation of things in and concerning his own
diocese.

Some untruths I have shewed before ;^ 3 more I shall
handle here ; the rest hereafter in their proper places.

First, y* y® women of the Island of Man going abroad
they gird themselves about with their winding sheet y* they
purpose to be buried in, to shew themselves to be mindful of
their mortality.* I met many so clothed in the Island I con-
fess, and I questioned many of them to know the reason why
they did wear them ; all answered me that they had no other
intention but to keep themselves from the cold and from the

1 C. 6. p. 42. * Camb. Brit Isles, p. 205. Bp. Merrick's relation.

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62 OF THK BfANKSMEK, THE INHABITANTS AND

bleake and boisterous weather and winds which indeed do
much molest them all the winter months.

But Bishop Merrick's relation needs no other eviction
than these 3 demonstrations. First, in the Island they are
called neither sheets nor shrouds, but are called blankets.

2dly. These blanketts there worn are as well of woolen as
of linen cloth (yea y® better sort of them in the country have
one blanket for Sundays, another for working days, but all
shrouds are of linnen).

3^y- To take away all scruples and foreign conjectures
(least it might be thought that these sheets might be in former
times intended to make them their shrowds when they died),
I will here satisfy you and demonstratively prove that these
women never had nor cou'd have at any time any such in-
tention, for I find among other their ancient and accustomed
laws y^ &om all antiquity it hath been there agreed upon for
a law y* Sunday blankets shall not be taken for Corbes (y*
is it shall not be issued amongst the mortuary goods), but
y* it shall go to the next child.^ By this law it appeareth y*
from all antiquity neither the better nor the worser sort of
these sheets or blankets (we wiU not differ upon the name)
were at any time used or intended to be used for winding-
sheets for the better sort, y* is y® Sunday blankets were to be
given to the next child ; the worser sort for the week day
were taken for corbs, y* is to be sold with the other goods of
the deceased to pay debts and to be distributed where legacies
were given.

I confidently believe the Manks women took up this
custom of wearing blankets from the Irish, their old ancestors
and near neighbours, who ever did and do wear mantles for
warmth, and not from any relative conceit to make them their
winding-sheet ; and such a custom also in Wales have the
poorer sort of women there to wear in winter men's short

1 See L 2, c 25.

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NATIVES OF THE ISLE OF MAN IN GENERAL. 63

cloaks for the same reason, but observe this withal concerning
these blankets, that they are only worn and used by the female
peasantry of the country inhabitants of the Island of Man, for
in the towns you shall not see any one woman (poor or rich)
y* do wear any at any time ; yet myself being there all the
winter season, I did not see so much as any one y* did wear
them, so likewise in Wales they are the minor and meaner
sort of women that wear men's clokes, the better sort never.

The other 2 untruths so confidently averred, wherein so
many (whose easiness to give credit to so grave a relator)
have been abused, are y* those of Man are free fix)m (yea de-
test both theft and begging), yea, Mercator addeth, fix)m
lying also. Concerning theft, there is no robbing in the high-
ways. You may travail there securely in any part of the
Island. Those y* are good are a law to themselves, but if
the Manks people were all such none of them wou'd attempt
any such sin, for presently upon the attempt, there being
no woods to shelter, and y® cottages so contiguous, a little
only remoted the one from the other, the thief is not sooner
discovered, but may be pursued by y® view ; only so as fear
of discovery, apprehension, and punishment following, I pre-
sume may deter many of them from such open violence. But
they of this Island (as we in our Island) are not impeccant, but
men, and subject to the same infirmities ; for the poorer sort,
there were of both sexes, are extremely given to pilfering,
which manifestly appeareth by their extreme severe lawes
made against stealing of ling, gorse, hay, geese, ducks, hens«
robbing of gardens, cutting of beehives or of horse tails, as I
shall shew you more at large in the last chapter of the 2^
Book of this history, where I shall treat of their customary
laws.

Wherein it had been requisite y* D''- Merrick should have
better inform'd himself before he had informed M'- Cambden,
who, relying upon his relation, maketh strange impressions in

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64 OF THE MANKSMEN IN GENERAL.

all his readers.^ But of all others I most admire the too
credulous the Lord Cook, y* he in this particular shou'd be
misled, for questionless he could not be ignorant of a statute,
tho' now expired, in Queen Elizabeth's reign,^ himself being
then a student in the Temple, y^ no person shou'd bring over
any rogues otU of Ireland or y* Isle of Man, This statute
evinceth that there were in this Island of Man vagabond
rogues, thieves, and beggars, before Queen Eliz*- reign, and we
were annoyed by them being brought hither from thence.
Now/<w beggars at Douglas I found divers both of the natives
and of the Irish; y* nMives of this Island were somewhat more
civil, the Irish more clamorous, but both bold, for the natives
will not cry and beg at doors, but without knocking ; if the
doors be shut, they wiU draw y® latchet, or if they find it
open they will enter in, take a stool, and sit down before the
midst of the fire, and then demand an alms. And let not
this seem strange to any, seing our B^ Saviour himself hath
told us y* y® poor shall always be with us, and amongst so
many poor as be in Man you may well conceive some to be
mandients.

As for the old imputations laid upon the Island by Eanulf^
Monk of Chester, Gteraldus Cambrensis, W™* Harison, Cax-
ton, etc., y* the inhabitants of this Island were given to witch-
craft, and sold wind to passengers and other such stuff, I
omit to enlarge this chapter, withal seeing this was, but is not
now, for of long time neither any are nor have been known to
practice any witchcraft at all since their conversion to Christi-
anity, nor noted for any such crime at this day as Bishop
Merrick assured MT- Cambden, but if any were, their sentence
is to be burned.

^ See Camb. L 2, c. 25, p. 23. Thieves ptinished In Maa with Death.
« 14 Eliz., ch. 4.

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OF THE TOVnsiQ IN THE ISLAND OF MAN IN GENEEAU 65

CHAPTEE VIII.

OF Y^ TOWNS IN THE ISLAND OF MAN IN GENERAL.

Plutarch^ would make no description of Agesilaus, because
himself both living, and in his will had expressly forbidden
any image to be made of him, the reason was because he had
a deformity in his body which he desired might be concealed
from posterity, being low of stature, and one of his legs was
shorter than the other. Myself having undertaken in this
first book to give you a true description of this Island, I cou'd
wish I were not necessitated to represent unto you any de-
formity, desiring your eye shou'd rather see it than myself
relate it, but the same being so obvious to the view of every
passenger arriving there, it is impossible for me either to con-
ceal it or pass it by ; or to palliate or to put any flattering
varnish over it; to represent it less unsightly than truly,
tho' there are not many particulars in this Island which can
be shewed you meriting your encomium, for in my opinion
there is not any one thing in all the Island without an under-
valuing thereof y* you can dislike, imless it be the building
in their towns which I observe makes y* whole Island to
seem to many to be of less esteem, and less respected, for did
not this Island fail in its fabrics, it would by all be acknow-
ledged for a complete Man.

From Beaumaris in Anglisey I arrived in Douglas, and
had y® full prospect of the town. I cou'd not sodainly
satisfy myself otherwise than that the winds and waves of
the sea had transported me as it were out of one part of Wales

^ In the Life of Agesilaus.
F

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66 OF THE TOWNS IN THE ISLAND OF MAN IN GENERAL.

into another ; the high heathy hills on each side of the haven,
and y® object before me of little low-built thatched houses,
rudely and confusedly compacted together, did so really and
naturally resemble the mountaneous part of Wales.

Then occurred to my memory the towns which King
Hiram^ disdained to receive of King Solomon, which he
called Cabul (displeasing, dirty), but let me retire in time, for
to write more here were to digress, for I am not here to
describe any town in particular. In the subsequent chapter
I shall perform y* in this I am only to discourse of them in
general ; here again I must disabuse my reader, who in this
particular hath been misinformed, first by W™* Harrison. I
say who saith that in this Island there are 17 towns,^ which
are as many as are parishes there, and calleth them also near
by the same names, but more modest and nearer truth is John
Speed, who, in his abridgment of his Chronocle, saith they
are but 5, yet named none of them ; but in his Theatre of
Great Britain he hath set down 7, which are three more than
the Manksmen wiU acknowledge, for Bala Cury, tho' it be the
bishop's seat, yet it is no town, but a village, so also is Bala
Saly and Laxy. There are at present but 4 towns acknow-
ledged by the natives ; first and principle is Castle Town, the
2^ in repute is Douglas, y® 3^ is Eamsay, the 4*^ is PeeL

These are all y* are left by the ruins of time, but in old
time they have no doubt been many more towns, far greater
and more peopled, but cities also, for John Capgrave^ and
John Bayles writ there was a city in the Isle of Man,
wherein King Mordrajus resided, and it was called Sanackt,
which some say by corruption was after called Sodor, whereof
more in y® 3^ book of this history. There was also another
city, and y* not a little one (saith my author*) in the east,

1 1 Kings, c. xix. v. 13. ' Descr. of Brit, pt- 1, c. 8.

* In the Life of Joseph of Arimathea, cop*- 2d in Amphibalo.
^ Joselinus, vita Patricii.

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OF THE TOWNS IN THE ISLAND OF MAN IN GENERAL. 67

inclining to the north part of the Island, in the parish of
Kirk-Maghauld, and which bear his name, the mines whereof
(for it is now but a village) are yet there to be seen ; yet 2
great markets or f aires are there kept every year, on y* S*-**
feast, as I shaU show you hereafter. All the 4 towns are
situated on the maritime parts of this Island, there is not one
town within the continent of this Island, and every one of
these towns hath a haven, and at every haven there is a
castle, sconce, or blockhouse, of which in the subsequent
chapter I shaU discover more. There you may observe y* 3
of these towns, viz., Eamsay, Douglas, and Castle Town are
seated in the east side of the island. Peel Town is only
seated on the west part. These 3 towns, namely, Douglas,
Castle Town, and Peel, stand almost in a perfect triangle
about 8 miles equal distant the one from the other ; Eamsay
is 12 miles from Douglas, and about 19 miles from Castle
Town, and almost as much to Peeltown, so as in case of
necessity the distance is not great or long to give intelligence or
send succours to relieve from one town to another. In every
one of those 4 towns there is a free school to teach you ; this is
maintained out of the revenues, which belonged to the re-
ligious houses at their suppression. It were to be wished y*
all our abbey lands had been employed to pious uses as these
were here. These towns, for so I must call them, because
they are commonly so called, are all of them very little ; an
ox hide cut in little thongs measured out the ground, whereon
Byrsa, the famous citadel of the Carthaginians was seated, and
Castor, in Lincolnshire, and therefore in Policron^ it is called
Thongcaster. I suppose a cat's skin so extended wou'd
treble encompass the greatest of these 4 towns, there being
divers villages in England equalling and some surpassing the
best of these in bulk, but far exceeding them in handsomeness
of buildings and number of inhabitants. At a muster in

^ See Camb. lincoln. p. 542.

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68 OP THE TOWNS IN THE ISLAND OF MAN IN GENERAL.

Douglas which emulates Castle Town, I observed at my being
there that the number of those that were trained were not
full one hundred. The houses in all these towns are of one
fashion, low built, being not contiguous, much less continuous,
in placing of 'em, observing no order either of uniformity or
proportion, only Castle Town hath some little formality more
than the rest. The materials of these structures are of small
stones and Hme, as those in the country which I described
before, and thatch'd as those also, with this only difference,
y* these are 2 stories high, y* is, they have an upper room
above y® lower, which the country houses for the most part
have not, the lower rooms they call cellars, for they have none
underground ; their upper rooms they call lofts, and they are
long and narrow, which they thus order ; in the middle is
y® door, over against that on the other side there are com-
monly placed 2 beds at each end of the room, one on the
other side, at y® upper end of all is the chimney, some (and
but some of these lofts are seiled over head and plastered),
of these are let out unto passengers for lodging chambers, the
doors and windows of their lofts are made very low, and
y® walls very thick, so as these rooms comonly are not so
lightsome as you may desire^ but of purpose are they thus
contrived and for warmth, and to keep out the bitter cold
and bleake winds which in the winter season are there very
frequent and boisterous. Every town*sman there, tho' never
so poor, hath commonly 2, but some which are y® shop-
keepers have 3 of these houses, whereof one is for himself
and his family, both for his kitchen, dining, and lodging room
for himself, wife, children, and servants ; the 2^ house in its
upper part serveth for a warehouse, underneath is a shop ; in
the 3^ house, below he placeth his barrels of beer, the barrFd
herrings, and powder'd beef, and for all other coifiodities
wherewith he trafficketh, besides all his other lumber, the loft
above is furnished to let out to passengers y* arrive there.

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OF THE TOWNS IN THE ISLAND OF MAN IN GENERAL, 69

or otherwise to feast his friends in and for entertainment.
But of this relation you may make this observation, y* tho'
the houses in these towns were many, yet the inhabitants are
few because of these 3 houses which y® shopkeepers have, two
of *em are not inhabited, but are otherwise employed, and
y® owner and his family live only in y® 3^ there are many
shopkeepers in every town,

There are not nor is there any need of signes to be hanged
out^ to show or demonstrate these houses to be inns or alo-
houses, for for the most part every house there entertainetb
lodgers, and is a kind of tavern, so y® Welch stile all alehouses
to sell drink, the best in these towns are but tradesmen, for
not one gentleman hath an alehouse th<sre as I noted before.

Having now in part showed you their towns, I am loth
to leave them with such an impression of their unsightliness
and deformity in their fabricks, therefore to encourage your
hopes of a future bettering and amendment, the reformation
is commenced, and example inviteth imitation, for in Castle
Town and Douglas they lave to thatch and do tile their
houses, and do add a garret unto their lofts, so as now they
begin to see the commodity of building three stories high,
whereby this deformity in short time will soon be reformed,
but I dare , presume prophetically to predipt y* when their
mines shall be discovered, foreigners invited to set up manu-
factories, traffick shall be increased, shiping shaU be multi-
plyed, then their villages shall become towns, and their towns
cities, etc. It remaineth only now to show a civility or rather
a courtesy to you practised in this Island, which I have not
observed nor seen to be used in y* manner in any part of my
travail, which is y® formality here used at the reception of all
passengers of what quality soever unto y® towns of this
Island, and in my opinion is necessary to be showed for the
instruction of aU such as either necessity compelleth or curi-
osity inviteth thither.

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70 OF THE TOWNS IN THE ISLAND OF MAN IN GENERAL.

The continual watch kept on the Sceaful,^ yea, also from
the opposite sea shore, and y® lords prospective glass on the
battlements of his castle of Bushin, takes notice of your ship's
approach long before your arrival, they thence curiously observe
to what part you steer, thereby conjecturing into which of y®
lower parts or havens you purpose to put in ; the Governor of
the Island is presently informed, thither doth he most com-
monly send the controuler of the Island or some other of the
lord's officers in post, who faileth not to be there at y^ same
time of your ship's arrival, you no sooner set your foot on
shore within the haven, but y* y® Constable of y* fort ac-
costeth you, and if he observe you to be a gentleman or one
of greater quality, will civiUy salute you and give you the
parabun of your .safe arrival, and altho' it be in effect a sum-
mons to appear, yet he inviteth and intreats you to be pleased
to speak with the lord's officers, who do expect you at such a
place hard by.

So you are by him conducted to a house in the town,
which y® lord of y® Island hath for such and y® like occas-
sions, which are for his service, there you shall not fail to find
sitting at a table not only y® controuler of y® Island or other
officers of y® L^- (at my reception there was one of the Deem-
sters also, but I suppose he came casually), but 6 or 8 more of
the best sort of the inhabitants of y® town where you land, all
bid you land, all bid you welcome thither, but you are more
or less respected according to your quality. The townsmen
you wiU find to be meer Athenians, their coming and coifiuni-
cation being only to hear what news you will relate, it being
then y® time of troubles in England, and they wiU endeavour
to pump you of all you know, but your discretion shou'd
advise you so to order your discourse as to reserve the
chiefest and choicest until such time as you shall and must
appear before the Lord of the Island (if he then be there) and

1 See Hb. 1, ch. 12.

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OF THE TOWNS IN THE ISLAND OF MAN IN GENERAL. 71

y® Governor, but the Controuler is there amongst the rest,
for other purposes he will say little, but wiU observe who
you are, whence you came, and wherefore, etc. Thus are you
entertained by these with very familiar conference, wine, beer,
and tobacco, and in the close of all they wiU not appoint but
recoifiend you, if you be not known otherwise directed from
whence you came, to some convenient lodging.

This being to entertain and welcome you into the Island, and
therefore they will not permit you to pay any part of the shot.
If your arrival be at any time of y® day (except it be too late),
it will be expected y* you presently make a journey to visit y®
Lord of y® Island himself if he then be in y® Island, as he was
when I came thither,^ or y® Governor in Castle Town. But if
you land in Castletown itself you have no journey to make
but only up to the Castle and the Govemor^s house hard by.
If you land at Douglas or Peel you have 8 nules to ride to
Castle Town, but from Eamsay you have 19 miles at least to
ride thither. And this they exact and expect of every one, of
what quality soever, y* cometh into this Island as a customary
duty.

James, Earl of Darby, late Lord of y® Island, was thus
respectful of any gentleman, and therefore much more of any
greater quality y* arrived there in his time, I suppose the
Governor, in the absence of the Lord of the Island, doth the
same.

If you be unprovided of a horse of your own, y® Con-
trouler, as himself told me, by his place hath power, and will
and did for me coifiand the constable of the Fort of Douglas,
or of any fort where you land except it be in the haven of
Castle Town, where the Lord of y® Island and his Governor had
his constant residence, for then it needeth not to provide and
further you with a horse to transport you to them at y® Lord's
and without your charge. From the tower or turret of y®

1 1643-1648.

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72 OF THE TOWNS IN THE ISLAND OF MAN IN GENERAL.

castle of Eushin y® time is observed, and into what part you
make your entrance into Castle Town by a prospective glass,
and no sooner shall you be descended from your horse but you
are presently saluted and welcomed again into the Island by
a gentleman of quality, who is sent unto you from the Lord
himself, he inviteth and profifereth to conduct you into the
castle, where you are admitted into the Lord's presence ; he
will only enquire of all occurrences, and what you have ob-
served from any material passages in parts from whence you
came, or have heard anything which concemeth any of the 3
neighbouring kingdoms, England, Scotland, or Ireland, or other
where, if you have none or no more than you discovered before
at your landing, which now is no news to him, the CJontrouler
having certified him of all that you had discovered there, your
audience then will be very short yet complimental, for he will
tell y* he shall be desirous to speak with you another time, so
you are dismist

Now the Governor expecteth you at his house, which is
hard by over against the castle. The same gentleman y*
conducted you to the Lord doth now accompany you to y®
Governor. He receiveth you courteously and affably, accord-
ing .to your quality, but he knowing as much as you have to
relate, he wiU frame his discourse as if he had no notice of
you before, and as he examined you upon interogatories —
What you are ? whence you came ? and what your business
is ? how long you purpose to stay ? etc., if you be a merchant
what corhodities you bring ? what you intend to carry thence ?
and if he find y* you vary in one point from what you related
before at your landing, he will send for and examine every
one of y® company y* came with you, and aU those of your ship,
etc, if not you are dismissed and free to return to the town
from whence you came. I will say nothing of your enters
tainment in your lodging, for y* is according to y® disposition
of those into whose houses you are received, whether cour-

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OF THE TOWNS IN THE ISLAND OP MAN IN GENERAL. ^3

teous, afifable, and free, or otherwise, harsh, griping, and
exactors. MyseK and y® entertainmeht, being recommended
to a Scotchman by birth in Douglas which gave me very good
satisfaction, afifording me and my company a plentiful diet at
an easy rate ; but I neither will nor can assure you y* you
shall find the same in all the houses there, altho' others have
recorhended to me their entertainment they had received as I
had done of mine to them.

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74 OF TAB TOWNS IN PARTICULAR,

CHAPTER IX

OF T* TOWNS IN PARTICULAR, THEIR SCITUATION, MANNER
OF GOVERNMENT, AND OF Y" INHABITANTS THEREIN.

The towns of the Island of Man are 4 in number as I said
before, wherof the first and principal in former times was
called Rushin, as seated by a russy bog, wherein is the Lord of
the Island's castle seated, and is there at this day called
Castletown. It hath a better prospect as you come from
Douglas thither then any of the rest, the town standing upon
the brow of a little rising assent, at the foot whereof is a clear
water brook under the castle running into the haven. It
hath 1 formal street, which containeth more in length than
in breadth. Over against the castle is a handsome piazza,
which is y® market place, with a cross in the middle. At the
upper end of this street is a little chapel for div. service,
dedicated to the B^ V^ Mary. In this chapel were buried
Ragnold, son of Olave, King of Man, anno 1249, and his
brother Magnus also, who succeeded him, and was interred
there anno 1265, and some others.

Castletown is seated in the south-east part of the Island,
almost against Liverpool in Lancashire. It is accounted the
principal and court town, for the Lord of the Island, when he
pleaseth to be there, hath his constant residence in his castle.
There is also the Governor of the Island in a house over
against the castle, and most of the Lord's principal officers in
other houses of the town. Here are some of the sheeding
courts kept in the months of May and September. On the
Wednesday and Thursday is kept the court for the middle

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AND THE INHABITANTS THEKEIN. 75

Speeding, which consists of 3 parishes — namely, of Kirk-
Bradan, St Ann, and St. Marown. Upon Friday and Satur-
day in the same week are kept the Eushin court, which con-
sist of the parishes of Kirk Molew, Kirk Arbery, and Kirk
Christ of Eushin. Their assizes, or head court as they call it, ,
is there kept also, as I may further inform you in y® 2^ book
of this history. In this town are all matters concerning the
honum ptiblicum consulted upon, and from hence all posts are
sent and dispatches made up upon any sudden and emergent
occasion. K any of the towns cou'd deserve the title, this
town above y® rest might merit to be called the metropolis of
the Island.

The next town in repute is Douglas, which in antient
time was called Dufglas,^ and by aU is acknowledged for the
second town of y® Island. It is seated in the east side of y®
Island, and is accounted for y® middle part of y® Island,* for
here they draw an imaginary line fix>m Douglas to Peel cross
y® Island, to distinguish y® jurisdiction of y® 2 Deemsters, y®
one from Douglas northward the other firom thence south-
ward, yet Douglas, as it seemeth by the maps, inclines a
little towards the south, and is opposite almost to the midst
of Lancashire, against y® mouth of y® river of Eibble.

Cambden, and Mercator in his Atlas, hold Douglas to be
best peopled of any in the Island, but I hold Castletown to
have more inhabitants, but both say true y* Douglas is more
(yea most) frequented by reason it hath a haven far more
coifiodious, safer, and easier to ride in than any other in
the whole Island. In Douglas they have the same custom
of building their houses as we have in Cumberland, but no
where else y* I know, for tho* the houses in both are 2 stories
high, yet do they not go up out of the lower room into the
loft above, for there are no stairs within whereby you might
mount up thither, or whereby, from above, to descend into
1 Monast Ang., p. 71 ^C!amk Brit Isles, p. 204.

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76 OP THE TOWNS IN PARTICULAR,

the lower room or cellar as they cdl it, but if you desire to
go up into the loft above you must ascend up thither by
stony steps or stairs placed to the outside of the house, so
at your going in or coming out you pass not thro' any other
room nor any part of y® house, but out of this room above,
call it a chamber or any other name you please, you de-
scend into the open court or highways, whether it rains or
snows or in what weather soever. Twice in the year,
in May or September, at Douglas is kept a kind of court but
for the Garf sheeding, which containeth the 3 parishes of
Kirk Maghald, Kirk Lonan, and Kirk Conchan. In anno
1192,^ the Abbey of Russin was translated to Douglas, for so
then was the now Douglas called, where it continues for four
years only, and then returned to Bushin again.^ I find not
any religious to have been built in the town of Douglas itself.
There is a house wherein a gentleman of an ancient family of
the Calcots lives, which corruptly is called the Nunnery, but
was indeed y* place which divers writers mention and call it
the Priory of Douglas, altho' y® greatest want the townsmen
of Douglas are sensible of is the want of a church for divine
aervice, so as they are now forced to go to Kirk Conchan
to serve GU)d every Sunday. Concerning y® haven and fort
of Douglas, I shall at large discourse in the 11th ch. fol-
lowing.

The town of Eamsey hath always heretofore been ac-
counted the 3d town of y® Island, but it is at this day the
least and poorest of them all, and scarce bearing the resem-*
blance of a good village, for it is held no greater than Bala
Sally, where the ruined abbey of Bushin standeth. This
town putteth me in mind of an old city in Greece which
had been great, but being decayed, the antient writers called it
UoXis a noX/g, a city and no city. So this may be called a town
and no town ; but i^ hath been much greater about 24 or 25

^ Camb. Brit Isles, p. 209, ' Cron. of Man Monast. 4Bgli»» p. 411.

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AJSD THE INHABITANTS THEREIN. 77

years ago, y® sea overflowing its banks, carried away most of
its houses, with a great part of y® land whereupon the town
was built. Eamsey lieth over against the south part of
Cumberland, on the north-east side of the Island. In the
old records it was called Eagnels Wath and Eagnol Wath,
and it is still a market town. Concerning the haven of
Eamsey, I shall have a more fit place to speak more in y®
11*^ ch. following.

The 4*^ and last town of this Island is Peeltown, which
Mr. Chaloner calleth Hollam Tovm, but the old name I find
to have been, and by some of the natives is still called JSToZm^
Sodor, wherein is a church built by Simon, Bishop of Sodor,
anno 1247, dedicated to St. German, first bishop of the Island.^
Peel Town is situated on the west side of the island, opposite
to the province of Ulster, in Ireland, in the same parallel by
Speed's^ description with Strangford haven in Ireland. At
this town the Governors, Deemsters, and the Lords* officers do
meet twice in the year, always beginning at Peel Town, to
keep the court of the sheeding of Glanfaba, which containeth
the 2 parishes of Kirk Patrick and Kirk German, Of late
some other courts are kept also, and from thence they go to
Douglas, etc.

Concerning y® Haven of Peel (of the Isle of Peel I have
said some thing before), and of the castle there, I have more
to say when I shall come to discourse of the castles and forts
of the Islands, in the 11*^ chap, following.

Concerning the government of these towns in the Isle of
Man, you may think it strange y* here are no major, bailifs,
aldermen, no not so much as a recorder, town-clerk, or any
Serjeants with maces, etc., or any such formalities ; neither
indeed have they any use or need of these, for their towns,
as they assimulate y® villages in England for magnitude

^ See Monasticon Anglicanum, p. 718. ^ James Usser, de primor. Eccl. Brit
' Speed, Map of Man, in his Abridgment.

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78 OF THE TOWNS IN PAKTICULAR,

and bulk, so do they resemble them in their form of govern-
ment, for as in England in our villages, if any misdemeanour
be committed, the constable apprehends him and brings him
before a justice of peace, who if he find him a delinquent,
makes a mittimus, and sends him to the next goal, etc. ; so
here if any riots be committed, or other abuses offered in any
of these towns, if any of the Lord's officers be but then there,
they all have every one of them power of a justice of peace ;
or in their absence or neglect the constable of the next castle
or fort may apprehend the delinquent and send him with a
soldier, who are ever ready prest, and have an annual pension
from the Lord of the Island to be here attendant for the guard of
that place, and such like purposes as these, so he is presently
conveyed to Castle Town to the (xovemor, before whom, and
by him, he is instantly examined and sentenced. As for private
injuries and injustices done to his neighbour which require a
suit in law, they have redress by their customary laws in their
sheeding courts twice in y« year.

Now, concerning their manner of trading and commerce
which they use with foreigners, which import any com-
modity which those in the Island do want, they have an excel-
lent form and custom herein which is not only good but
beneficial both to the strangers and to the natives of the
Island, my patron,-^ with whom I was entertained ; being one
of the most wealthy in the town of Douglas, he was chosen
ever to be one of the 4 merchants y* did manage y* business,
tho' I had taken certain notes from him, yet finding them not
so well cQuched and digested as Mr. Chaloner hath set down,*
I had rather use his words than my own.

'* Concerning the islanders trading and conmierce with other

nations, yet finding this is the manner, there are 4 merchants

which are ever chosen by the coimtry, which choice is usually

made at y® Tinwald Court, and sworn by the Deemsters to

1 Mr. John Murry. " Descr. of Man, c. 3, pp. 80, 81.

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AND THB INHABITANTS THEREIN. 79

deal truly and for y® country's profit, when any ship laden
with salt, wines, pitch, iron, or other commodities good for
the use of the country comes to the Island, the Governor,
having first consulted with the merchant stranger about
rates and prices of the commoditie, he sends then for these
4 merchants of the country to appear before him and the
merchant stranger, and drives a bargain if he can betwixt
them. If he cannot agree, he coifiands the 4 merchants to
spend another day with the merchant stranger, if they can,
to deal with him, and whatsoever bargain is made by the 4
merchants, the country is to stand to it, and take the corho-
dities of the merchant stranger, and pay for 'em ; and,
according to the rates agreed upon, which most commonly is,
yt the country are to bring in their coifiodities of wool, hides,
tallow, and such like, and for the same have their equal pro-
portion of salt, wine, iron, pitch, etc., so brought in and com-
pounded for as aforesaid ; and if the coifiodities brought in
by the country will not extend to the value of the stranger's
commodities, then the 4 merchants are to assess the rest of
the coifiodities upon the country every one his equal propor-
tion, for which they are to pay ready money as the 4 mer^
chants had agreed upon for them, so by this means y® mer-
chant stranger is much encouraged to bring in necessary
things for the Island, and y® people have, by the fEiithfulness
of their 4 merchants, the full benefit of the commodities
brought in, which otherwise some private man of the country
might and wou'd have taken for his own profit, and this is
an especial benefit for enriching of the people and for the
general good."

Now because these towns are so meanly manned, having
so few inhabitants, their strength consisting in their forts, to
prevent future inconveniences, and to supply this defect, as
soon as any foreign ships of great burden, with many soldiers or
passengers in them (being by tempest forced, or upon any cause

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80 OF THE TOWNS IN PAKTICULAR,

whatsoever), cast anchor in any of the havens of the islands,
and enter into any of those towns, who may be suspected to
demean themselves disorderly or to offer any abuses to the
inhabitants, the country next adjoining to y* town, as soon as
their approach is perceived, are by their customary law as
bound upon price of life and limb to haste thither armed,
and to stay therein or thereabouts during the abode of y*
ship, and to keep watch and ward not only to prevent but
also to deter those strangers from offering any injury and
affronts. As concerning the inhabitants of these towns, they
are of 2 sorts, natives and foreigners. I caU all those
foreigners w^^ are not bom in the Isle of Man, as the Eng-
lish, who are here in the greatest number, Scots, Irish, and
Welch. The English come over hither, some to serve the
Lord of y® Island, to have office or place under him, or to be
of his household, as shall be shewed hereafter, and these for
the major part are Lancashire or Cheshire men. Y® Scots,
Irish, and Welch, as the first most come to dwell there, some
few to be shopkeepers, the others marry with the Manks
women, so their children become natives. These foreigners,
as I conceive, do make up y® 4^, the natives bom 3 parts, of
the inhabitants of every town.

K any one who is a subject to the Crown of England
desire to dwell in the Island upon any occasion whatsoever,
he must have the leave of the Lord of the Island or of the
Governor in the Lord's absence, and so are they received and
entertained as if they had been natives bom ; but I observed,
and to me seemed strange, y* seeing no nation whatsoever
are by any law or custom of the Island debarred or banished
thence in old time by that law, hath since been obsoleted and
out of use, y* there is not so much a.s one Frenchman, Spaniard,
or Dutchman y* doth profess or exercise any manual trade
either in of the towns or of the country, or hath any habita-
tion there. These foreigners for their diet and apparel every

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AND THE INHABITANTS THEREIN. 81

one pleaseth himself according to their own country, manner,
and custom. These are civil, sociable, very industrious, but
subtle, crafty, and envious one of another.

The natives in these towns are for the major part mariners
and fishermen. Notwithstanding there are not to this day
above 2 or 3 in a town y* have little small boats or barks
of their own wherewith they trade, transporting or importing
of petty commodities. These do live well, but I observed
y* not one of them was reputed for to be rich above others
in the town. Whereas it seems this Island was better stored
in former times with shipping men with such as were called
men of war, for Godred, son of Olive, king of Man, equipp'd^
a naval fleet of 80 sail, and fought with Dungal, his sister's
son, etc. Reynald^ came out of Galloway with 5 ships and
burnt aU y® shipping of his brother Olave and of the lords
of Man. At S** Patrick's Island, John Cursy, with his
brother Eeynold, king of Man and the Isles, arrived in Ulster*
with a hundred ships in the haven of Stanford, but it may
be presumed y* the greatest part of y* number was taken
out of the north-west islands, for Reynald was both king of
Man and king of the islands also. When Alexander, king
of Scots, had by the valour of Alexander Stuard conquered
the Isle of Man, he made up petty kings, saith Cambden, or
princes therein, with this condition, y* they should be always
ready at his command to serve with 10 ships in his wars at
sea ; but Holingshead, out of the annals of Eichard Southwell,*
saith they were bound to serve him with 13 ships and 500
mariners to succour the Scots when required. M?^- Daniel
s^ the little or no shipping of Wales, the hereditary defect
of their ancestors, but this defect is much greater in Man,
being an island which an ingenious observer ? truly noted,
saying, the best walls for an island are made of wood, mean-

1 Anno 1166. ^ Chron. of Man, c. 3, 1. 2. Anno 1228.

« Anno 1266. * Cron. of Scots, p. 392. ^ ^r. Js. Howel.

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82 OF THE TOWNS IN PARTICULAB,

ing ships ; but were this defect supplied it would advantage
much the supplying of many more defects there, but at this
day there is neither man nor ship y* may be called a man of
war, which is belonging to the Island, nor any bark above 30
or 40 tuns at most.

The j&shermen are there of 2 sorts ; the first are such as
have boats and nets of their own ; these live and thrive with
their fishing, especially of herrings. Y® 2^ sort are such as
assist the former, and are hired by them during y* time of
fishing, as shall be shewed in the subsequent chapter, these
last being meer mariners y* live most by the conducting of
ships in y* come to take harbour in the havens, and in
carrying of passengers and merchants with their goods, in
and out of the harbours ; these are miserably poor, subtile,
servile of nature, without any conscience, exactors if you
contract not with them beforehand, for these kind of men
have ocvlcUvs Manus, and are guided, as Solomon saith,
Conselio Manuimi, as if their religion and reason con-
sisted in the sence of feeling, their eyes and ears they
employ how best to improve their touch. It was such mari-
ners y* the Egyptian priests so much abhorred as y* they
wou'd not only not vouchsafe to speak unto them, but not so
much as to look upon them, as being a people cut off and
separated from the society of men, by an element so boisterous,
merciless, and contagious as the sea, and verily those harpies
here seem very desirous to live by other men's losses, taking
advantage of every shipwrack, stealing, and concealing, and
purloining whatsoever they can lay hold off, altho' they know
assuredly y* they shall not only be punished, but compelled
to make restitution also if discovered. The best trade or pro-
fession as you caU it there is the shopkeepers who w*** us are
called mercers, haberdashers of small wares (begause none as
yet keep any shop there to sell any commodities but they) ;
these there thrive most, they are the only merchants in the

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AND THE INHABITANTS THEREIN. 83

Island, transporting beefe, sheep, com, skins, hides, wool,
flax, hemp, honey, wax, etc., besides barrelled cod, herring,
powdered beef, thomback, ling, etc. They import whatsoever
those of the Island do want, which is almost aU manufactories,
and especially woolen cloth, hats, stuffs for suits, besides bay
salt to barrel up their herrings and powdered beef, herrings,
and other fish, wool, coal, iron, pitch, tar, soap, starch, rosen,
with many others, and therefore because they fetch them
from England, they sell *em again at double the rate that
they are sold with us. Of manual trades in these townes
there are but few, and those y* are, very poor, and do but
live, and no wonder, for they have none but the poorest
trades, and such as are meerly for necessity, as an ordinary
taylor, shoemaker, a weaver, and a smith, and of every one
of these there is but one in every of the said towns. Now to
demonstrate their poverty I will give you an instance in the
smith. If a Manksman in the country have his plow-
share to be mended, or any man's horse wanteth a shoe, or
but a nail being loose, and either of these do come to make
use of the smith, they must both bring coals to make the
fire, and iron to make the shoe or nail, for the smith is not
provided with either, yet will he exact extreamly for his
labour, because he is assured you must make use of him, no
other of that trade being there but himsell

But were there one Themistocles ^ y* governed here who
could of a little town make a great state, or y* they here had
the industry of the Hollander, who, having no native com-
modities, art and diligence excepted, yet abound with aU
things, but especially if Eobert Hitchcock's plot for fishing,
which he caUeth his new year's gift to England, printed
1588, about y® 22^ year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth,
which plot, tho' approved in parKement in the 18*** year of
her reign, succeeded not because it concerned the state of the
^ Plutarch in the Life of Themistocles.

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84 OF THE TOWNS IN PARTICULAB, AND INHABITANTS.

united provinces who have enriched themselves thereby, the
queen having taken their protection upon her, and her
princely counsellors being gained by pensions, it vanished,
but might be revived again at any time. If God's time
concurred, not only this Island of Man, but England also,
might mor6 abound with riches, honour, traffick, and shipping,
eta

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FISHING FOR HEBRINGS IN THE ISLE OF MAN. 85

. CHAPTEE X.

OF THEIR FISHING FOR HERRINGS IN THE ISLE OF MAN, THEIR
CUSTOM AND FORM OBSERVED THEREIN.

The principal coimnodity which the inhabitants of Man have
in most abundance wherewith they trafiBick and transport to
all the 4 neighbouring nations, and to y® more southward,
imto Prance, all along its north and west parts, and where-
with the less sort of Manks people of both sexes, both in the
town and country, do every day constantly feed upon, is
herrings.

The Manksmen begin their fishing for herrings about the
latter end of August, and continue the same all the month of
September.

By an antient custom of theirs, all the herrings y* are
taken ought to be brought to the highwater mark at y* place ;
the first thing they do is to cast out the tithes or 10th part,
which doth belong, and they give as a duty and an acknow-
ledgement unto the Church, and y* portion is there given to
the proctor, for so they call him, altho' I presume his true
denonunation as it is beyond the seias is a procurator, who
there without fail will be ready to receive it. The rest of
the fish in every boat they divide into 8 parts, whereof he
y* fumisheth the nets hath 3 parts, he y* is owner of the
boat one part, the other 4 parts are subdivided among the
fishermen y* assisted to catch 'em, for in every boat y* goeth
out to fish there be 4 fishermen, so as if the owner of y® boat
be also owner of the nets, he hath the half of all y® herrings
y* are taken in y* boat and in that net.

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86 FISHING FOR HERRINGS IN THE ISLE OF MAN.

There is a certain duty paid out of these herrings which
are taken by the Manksmen in any part about the Island
unto the Lord of y® Island, which is thus ordered by an
antient custom there.

K 5 meazs be caught by 1 boat (note, a meaz containeth
y® proportion of 500 herrings), then they give the Lord one
meaze, if 10 meaz be taken by one boat, they are then to give
the lord 2 meaz, y* is 1000 herrings, then the lord can de-
mand no more, for after y* proportion being paid, they are
free to take as many as they can without paying any more to
the lord, altho' they shou'd afterwards catch 1000 meazes, and
except 5 meazes be caught by one boat the L^ hath not any
part at all He y^ brings the first in care to the Lord at his
castle at Rushin, by an antient custom the Lord is to give
him 3sh. 44 The rest of the herrings remaineth above the
tithes, and the Lord's meazes are divided into 8 parts, and
afterwards subdivided, according as was set down, before.

The Lord of the Island hath no duty paid imto him of
any other fish but of herrings only, but tithes are paid both
of herrings and of any fish y* is taken, as of cod, ling, macarel,
thomback, eta It belonged to the water bailif 's place, who in
this Island hath the power of an admiral in all maritime
cases, to order all businesses concerning this herring fishery, to
see y* none do or receive any wrong during y* season, as
shall be showed in the sequent 2^^ Book

I suppose it will be as strange for the reader as it was for
me, to observe it that these Manks people who have traded
in herrings, even aborigine and the poorer sort, making them
all the year long their daily and constant food, notwithstand-
ing so respectless are they of variety of dressing them or to give
them any other gust than their own natural taste, y* they are
so far tram having any red herrings, that they know not
what they mean, neither do they desire to know or learn how
to make them. The fishermen complained much at my being

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FISHING FOK HEREINGS IN THE ISLE OF MAN. 87

there, for of late years they have not taken half the quantity of
herrings which they used to take in former times, and, more-
over, y* within the memory of some of them until of late they
failed not to have great fishing for cods, of which they were
accustomed to take in such plentiful abundance, as y* they were
enforced to cut off their heads, and to cast them away upon the
shore, either for the poor or for any y* would take them up,
which they did, least their boat should be overloaden and
sink ; but now it is otherwise.

And no marvel if y* be true which Gerald Cambrensis
relateth, y* those of the Island of Man were given to make
mony of their fish, and wou'd not give away any in charity.
And I find in a certain author y* certain inhabitants of some
islands in Germany near the Holy Land, were accustomed,
about the year of our Saviour's birth, 1530, to take as many
herrings as would sustain 2000 p'sons ; those mariners grow-
ing wanton, took a herring and whipped it till it died. After-
wards this sort of fish became so few and scarce in those
parts, as that they found not so many as to feed 100 p'sons.

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88 OF THE HAVENS, CASTLES, AND FORTRESSES,

CHAPTER XL

OF THE HAVENS, CASTLES, AND FORTRESSES, WITHIN
THE ISLE OF MAN.

Intending to shew you the strength of this Island I shall
now speak of the havens, castles, and forts therein, for the
Manksmen believe y* in them consist their greatest safety
and security (if the native mariners betray them), for this
Island is as well fortified, strangely by nature, and strongly
by art, naturally is environed round about not only with
main rocks but also with rocky stones pointing up like unto
the crocodile's teeth, broad at the bottom, but sharp pointed
at the top. On each side, or mouth of the gullet, or mouth
of every haven, just as far as the arm of the sea doth ebb and
flow, in the Isle of Wight there are such stones which they
there call needles, and in Jarsey they are called casquets,
but besides such stones as these there are many others, some
great and large, others less and ragged, y* lie undiscoverable,
under water, so as these havens are held to be the most
dangerous to be attempted, y* may any where be found, un-
less you make use of the Msuiks mariner to conduct you in.

By art it is fortified with castles, forts, and blockhouses,
for as I shewed you before there are in this Island 4 towns. In
every town there is a haven, and at y® mouth of every haven
there is either a castle or a fort, and in some places both ;
I shewed you also the benefit of the contiguity, or nearness
of the one unto the other, so as you may say of this Island
as^Botarius saith of England, The whole Island is but one
fortress.

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WITHIN THE ISLE OF MAN. 89

Tho' Castletown be the principal town, yet Douglas is
acknowledged to have the best, fairest, and securest haven of
any other in all the Island, therefore shall it deservedly be
described by me : this haven most inviting foreigners' coiti-
erce, and therefore is the most frequented. Ships of great
burthen may there cast anchor within the road under the
shelter of 2 high rocks, mountains on each side, but if any do
rashly presume to approach near unto the town without a
Manks guide to conduct him, the ship is in an inevitable
danger to miscarry by reason of latent rocks, on every side of
the fort, lying undiscoverable either at the high or low water.

Douglas hath also a most considerable fort, strongly built
of hard stone, round in form, upon which are a mounted
tower, 4 pieces of ordinance. It is coiTianded by a constable
and a lieutenant ; the constable and 2 of the soldiers which
are there in continual pay, are bound to ly in this fort every
night, and 4 of the townsmen are bound to keep watch and
ward upon the rampart, where there is another great piece of
ordinance,^ ready mounted, covered from discovery, on the sea
shore side betwixt the fort and the town, on the northern
end of the road. I could not learn that there were more than
9 or 10 soldiers at y® most in Douglas y* had pay, neither
was it much necessary to be at the expence of waging many
more, seeing if any danger discovered itself, as I have hinted
before, the whole country thereabouts are bound to repair
thither upon pain of life and limb.

The haven of Castle Town, which Mr. Chaloner some-
times calleth Darby haven, is almost a imle from the town
itself. Only little small boats do go up the narrow channel,
from the haven into the town, and cast anchor almost under
the castle walls. This haven beareth stiQ the name of Eamsway
or Eeynald's Way. Cambden saith it was called Eagal Wath

^ So yt a ship do rashly sail up towards the town it comes directly before
the mouth of the cannon.

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90 OF THE HAVENS, CASTLES, AND FORTRESSES,

and Eeynold Wath, it is 6 miles distant from Douglas, by
water. Ships of a great burden may anchor there conveniently,
but in a storm, not securely, for either a south-egist or a south
wind drives them upon rocks, shelves which are not visible
during the tides, and many have miscarried ; yet the fleet of
Alexander the 3, king of Scotland anchored here^ when he
took possession of the Isle of Man, and drave out Mary,
Queen of Man, the daughter and heir of Eeynold, y® last of
the kings, whom the Manksmen caU Orry's.

Castle Town is, as it were, doubly fortified, for besides the
castle within the town, a little off upon a nook of land, on
the south part as I remember of this haven of Eamsway,
which is called Lanquet Point, the Lord James, Earl of
Darby, hath built a little but a strong sconce or fort under-
ground in the same fort as I observed as y* which is at
Swenberg in the Low Countries ; and this sconce coifiandeth
both the bay at Eamsway and secureth the river which out
of the haven conveyeth the smaller vessels unto Castletown
itself. The castle of Castle Town, coifionly called Castle
Eushin, is a fair, not very high, strong, and well-built struc-
ture, which so called, except because as the town seated near
to the side of a rushy bogg, by whom and when built I may
inform you hereafter. It hath a high tower, with a gallant
prospect for discovery for many leagues of both sea and land.
Here the Lord of the Island seems to be like a spider in
his web, you cannot touch in any part of this Island but
p'ceived. This castle hath drawbridges within at your entrance
and other secret defence, for there is a band of soldiers trained
up and ready at an hour's warning upon any sudden occasion
or suspicion of danger. A watch is there kept every night,
and y® bellman walks round about the castle. This castle
is held to be the strongest and chiefest of all the Island. In
the year 1313 this castle of Eushin was besieged by Eobert,

1 Anno 1266.

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WITHIN THE ISLE OF MAN. 91

King of Scotland One Dingany Dowil held it against him,
but the King wan it, as Cambden saith, of which and of
Castle Town itself you thall be farther infonned of other par-
ticulars in the 2^ book of this history.

The bay of Ramsey hath a very large reception for ships,
so as all of any burthen and many at once shall find easy
entrance. The sea not long since overflowing, carried much
of the land within the haven, with some houses also, as I
related before, wherefore the ships find good entrance and
anchorage, but not y* shelter from winds nor that safe riding
which is found at Douglas. The fort at Eamsey was but
begun to be built when I retired out of the Island, an. 1648,
The occasion moving the then James, Earle of Derby, to
build it, was not solely the then troubles of England and
Ireland, nor the fears and jealousies the Island had on every
side of it, but there w£is a Scottish ship came into the haven
2 or 3 years before y* robb'd and plundered not only the in-
habitants of the toWn of Eamsey but of the country also
thereabouts, and carried away a boat out of the haven and
sold it at Knockfergus in Ireland, altho' the Earl of Darby
procured of the Scotch Parliament reparation of the damages
done and justice upon him y* did it ; yet he did providently
forsee y* y® like might be attempted in future times, so for
the present he caused a few pieces of ordinance to be mounted
and placed in places fitting to oppose a sudden attempt until
a fort could be erected. Their Chronicles relate divers in-
vasions to have been made upon this Island at this so spacious
a harbour for ships lying open for an enemy without any
means to make opposition. One example I have instanced
in before of Godred Crovan, the son of Harold the Black, who
entered at this haven and conquered the Island. The want
of a fort in this haven was supplied heretofore only by a
vigilant and continual watch and ward upon the coast on y*
side the Island, but not weakly to oppose or hinder his en-

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92 OF THE HAVENS, CASTLES, AND FOETRESSES,

trance therein. A fort was begun likewise at Ayre in the
north of the Island, but now neglected and ruined, saith M^-
Chaloner, in his Des. of y® Island of ^an, c. 6, p. 32.

The haven of Peeltown neither admitteth nor therefore
can secure ships of great burden, only small barks, because
y* channel betwixt this town and the island called Pile is
very narrow, and therefore the sea is too boisterous at this
haven, and therefore is seldom frequented but upon neces-
sity, except only by reason of proximity. The Irish mer-
chants frequent it more than others.

Anno 1648, there was a skonce begun to be built hard by
this town of Peel, over against the castle of the opposite
island, by the advice of S' Arthur Ashton, to stop any relief
which might be brought by boats in case the castle shou'd
either rebel or be besieged.

This castle of Peel is by most writers called Peel Castle,
and y* fitly, for the little island wherein it stands, and the
fortifications do there seem to make 1 pile. Cambden calleth
it but a blockhouse, and in King Henry the 4*^ his grant of
this Island of Man unto Henry, Earl of Northumberland, the
words are those, of our especial grace we give to the Earl of
Northumberland the Isle, Castle Pile, and seigniory of Man,
etc., whereby it may be intimated that there is but one Castle
of Rushen in the whole Island, and y* Pile is none, but how-
soever you wiU caU it, it is only now called a castle, but re-
puted and acknowledged for the 2*^ fortress of the Island.
This castle is strongly fortified both by nature and art, by
the sea round about it, and by waUs and a rampart within it.
Soldiers are there continually resident, observing a strict
watcL It is coifianded by a Governor and other officers
requisite, who never move thence. Y® castle is so closely
environed with the seas, as y* the pinacle which standeth in
the court of the castle in a high tide the waves of the sea
dash over the top thereof.

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WITHIN THE ISLE OF MAN. 93

This castle is the common prison for all offenders within
the whole Island, and not of this Island only, but the Kings
of England, in imitation of the Eoman Emperor, have here-
tofore banished hither, and here perpetually imprisoned
sundry noble personages. Elinor Cobham, Dutches of Gloster
was hither perpetually banished in the 19*^ year of King
Henry the 6*^' anno 1440, as Polycron relatetL Moreover,
some years before Tho^*» Earl of Warwick, was sent by King
Eichard the 2^ in the 21®* year of his reign saith Stow,
others say in y® 22*^ year, but I find by S'^ Eobert Cotton
yt gr yfm i^escroop and S^ Stephen his brother were bound
body for body safely to keep the s*^ earl in the s^ isles, with-
out departing thence, so as it seemeth he was not imprisoned
in the castle but confined in the isle.

The 2 castles of Eushen and Peel are the principal fortifi-
cation of the whole Island, both are always well victualled,
well manned, well armed, and kept in very good reparations ;
all faults committed in either of these 2 garrisons are to be
corrected by the constable of the castle, and not to be brought
before the Deemsters, which I found in their customary laws.

I presume besides these havens there are many bays or
inletts and creeks for small boats to land in, whereof Laxy
Bay on the east of the Island is accounted the greatest port,
Caran in the south-east, and others y* are less remarkable ;
but let the adventurers beware for the best of these places
are very dangerous, as some of our English confessed to me,
who then fied from Anglisey thither, y* they were more
beholden to the humanity of the inhabitants than assisted by
their own direction and wit, for they had otherwise perished.

Discoursing with some of the island which I knew to be
men of understanding, concemiug these 2 castles of Eushin
and Peel, how they were managed, famished, victualled, etc.
I observed 2 witty inventions practised from antiquity by the
kings and lords of this Island, whieh I shall here willingly

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94 OF THE HAVENS, CASTLES, AND FORTRESSES.

discover and insert, to show y* petty states have something
tho' petty policies yet not to be contemned, and it may be
not unworthy to be taken into imitation by a greater. The
first is how to lay a provision into these castles every year,
without disbursing any money, or endamaging any natives, or
giving the least occasion to them to murmur or to repine.

Every one of the islanders, according to the quantity of
land which he possesseth, is bound to bring into these 2
castles of Rushin and Peel a certain quantity of meal, viz., of
a quarter f of land they are to furnish the castle with a furled
of oatmeal, which is but a 3*^ or 4^ part of a barrel. This
proportion of meal is there found sufficient to furnish both
these castles. . This oatmeal is brought thither in April, and no
man expecteth any mony for it, because they receive it out
again, the same quantity in August following, when new
com will be ripe, after which time they lay in no more pro-
vision, for they fear no enemy in the winter, which after
August here approcheth.

The 2*^ invention is how they, without disbursing any
mony, do still augment their armories in both those castles,
every soldier upon his admittance (at his own charge) has to
furnish himself with his arms, both a musket and a sword ;
when this soldiet dies he cannot dispose of these, for they
are seized on and laid up in the store house of the castles for
the lord's use, for the better maintenance and defence of y®
Island, and this antient custom is declared to the soldier,
before his admittance and upon his consent, and not other-
wise he is not admitted.

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CONTINUAL WATCH IN ISLE OF MAN. 95

CHAPTEE XII.

OF THE CONTINUAL WATCH KEPT IN THE ISLE OF MAN, AND
THEIR CUSTOMARY LAWS CONCERNING THE SAME.

Besides the continual watches kept in every of the 4 towns,
castles, and forts on each side of the Island, there are in
several places watch and ward continually, very strictly to
discover y® approch of any ship, especially of any burden or
bulk, unto any part of the Island, and unto whatsoever part
they do observe them to steer their course. Thither pre-
sently are all the Manksmen of y* part or quarter bound to
repair unto in arms, upon pain of life and limb, notwithstand-
ing of any landing of any long boats in any of their creeks,
or in any part of the isle lying lower than the rest. On the
west side of the Island there are the hiUs called the Watch
Hills, coinmonly called the Ware HiUs, which are about the
upper part of Kirk Kirberry, very convenient for discovery of
any ships approching from the west between Ireland and this
Island.

But from what part soever they come, they are perfectly
descried from the top of the highest of their hills which is in
the middle of the Island, which they caU SceafuL From
thence, in serene weather, you may perfectly discover the 3
kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland. On this hill
watch and ward is kept continually the day and night, winter
and summer, and if any danger doth appear in any part, the
beacon is set on fire immediately, and because the winds
bere blow cold and boisterous upon the summit of this

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96 CONTINUAL WATCH IN ISLE OF MAN,

high hilly their antient laws and customs have made pro-
vision against such inconvenience ; for the widows of the
Island are bound to disburse for the furnishing of those
of the watch with fuel, both for the beacon and the warm-
ing of those y* tend there day and night. The laws of
watching and warding, as they call it, axe very severe, and
rigorously put in execution, for if any danger be discovered
against any part of the Island, and any that do slow or
make default it is loss of life, yea in their customary watches
in any of their towns, altho* no danger is apparent or then
feared. Yet if they do make default and not appearing at y®
watch, being coitianded y* the warden do make another in his
room upon his failing, the 1®* night he is to forfeit a wea-
ther, if he fail the 2*^ night he forfeiteth a cow, if he fail the
3^ night he forfeiteth life and goods. There is no forfeiture
to the warden, unless he do appoint another in the room of
him y* failed, otherwise all forfeits do belong to the Lord
of the Island. All forfeitures are to be presented in court by
a jury, or by sufficient witnesses, before the captain, y* is the
Governor, and the Lord's officers considering y* the most for-
feitures for watches stand upon life and goods. The watch
of the night beginneth at the sun setting and continueth till
the sun rising ; the day watch is from the sun rising unto the
sun setting.

But besides the 17 parishes, do each parish every week
thro'out the whole year muster, train, and have their arms.
Every parish hath his captain, under whom are listed, dis-
ciplined, and armed, such as are meet for the war, of whom,
saith Mr. Chaloner, they have about 1500 ready upon any oc-
sion, and in case of necessity they might arm 5000 or 6000 mei,
to which I wiQ not deliver my opinion. But in my judgment
the strength of the Island doth not so much consist in its
walls of water, castles, forts, watches, etc., as in that I
observed the whole Island to be unanimously united. Every

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AND LAWS CONCEKNING THE SAME. 97

man there is satisfied with that which he possesseth, none
factious, all willingly and submissively obedient to the Lord
and to his oflBicers, as if all men were one Man.

END OF THE FIRST BOOK.

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T,HE SECOND BOOK.

THE ISLE OF MAN.

NOW LET US SPEAK OF THE LITTLE, BUT YET
ANTIENT KINGDOM OF MAN.

These are not mine, but the words of y® L*^ Cook in
Calvin's ^ case, and I shall observe his Lordship's expression
for my method in the beginning of y® 2^ Book of this
Historical Description of the Isle of Man. First, to speak of
this little kingdom of Man in general ; 2^^^' to examine the
antiquity thereof ; and 3^^* whether the kings of Man were
absolutely denominated kings ?

^ Cook's Keports, 1. 7, c. 21.

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100 OF THE LITTLE KINGDOM OF BiAN IN GENERAL.

CHAPTEE I.

DIVIDED INl'O THREE SECTIONS.

Section I. — of the little kingdom of man in general.

To be but little hath ever been accounted a disparagement.
God Himself by the Prophet Samuel, used y® Word as a
reproof unto Saul, when thou wast little in thine own eyes,
etc., and with what scorn did Goliah look upon little David,
whereas he was but a stripling (as King Saul called him),
but to be a little king is ever slighted, despised, if not con-
temned. Jehash, the grandchild of Jehu, king of 10 tribes,
and half of Israel, disdained to be provoked to battle by
Amaria, king of one tribe of Israel, alias Judah, and but a
part of Benjamin, for he esteemed him a thistle, y* dared to
contend with him a Cedar y* is one of 10 times greater
in power and eminency. " Behold," saith Gk)d, to the king-
dom of Edom, " I have made thee little amongst the heathen,
therefore thou art greatly despised ; " yea the Ephori^ of
Lacedemon presumed they had great reason to condemn
their king Archidamus in a sum of money, for having mar-
ried a little woman, saying he wou'd beget kinglings and
demikings. And indeed the old axiom sagely advises
never to make choice of little things, only of y* which
is eviL

This king is looked upon limited and contracted within
thig Island of Man (being so small a plot of ground as I
have before delineated), his power and coifiand must needs be

^ Plutarch in y« life of Agesilaus.

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OF THE LITTLE KINGDOM OF MAN IN GENERAL. 101

granted to be but little. Notwitlistanding in former ages of
divers y* were stUed kings, that had a far less coifiand than
this (tho' little king of Man).

For the kings of Sodom and Gomorrha, Zeboim and
Admah, and Bela, were but similar kings of cities only and
the. last, because the least, was by lot called a little one.

The lake now called Asphaltites and Mare Mortuum
swallowed up 4 of these kingdoms, which lake is
but 16 miles over and 70 miles in length, which,
divided equally into 4 parts, the greatest could not
have the coifiand of any more than 35 in length and
4 in breadtL — SancPs Travails, L 3, p. 142.

And therefore was afterwards named Zoar, for Zoar in
the Syrian tongue signiiBeth a little one : neither were the
kings of Jericho, Ayres, Hierusalem, Hebron, etc., to the
number of 31 mentioned in Joshua, c. xii., be either of greater
power or extent, the towns or cities from whence they as-
sumed their titles ; — more than these was the coiTiand of the
kings of Man, for at least they coiTianded an entire island,
and altho' islands in comparison of y® continent are but little
things (yea, God calleth them little things), yet many of
these little things being but islands have had their kings, as
is apparent in the prophecy of Ezekiel (speaking of the
Island of Tyrus) ; is it then any more wonder if the Island
of Man have had the ambition to bear the repute of a king-
dom ? and to have a king seing less than she hath had the
same itch of honour. Ulysses's Island of Ithaca (now
called Isola, and Valdel compare) containeth only 50 miles
in circuit, whereas Man hath 40 miles more, namely 91 miles
in its circumference ; England is but half an island if Scot-
land be not joined to it. Yea, Graftan out of Fabian, and
others say, there reigned 23 kings in England at one time,
but I dwell too long on a little.

But we need not admire so much why these petty princes

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102 OF THE LITTLE KINGDOM OF MAN IN GENERAL.

(which are but toparks) have heretofore so much affected
these titles, for it is in nature y* many desire to domineer
over others as Dyonisius the 2°^* tyrant of y® Island Sicily,
being driven out of his own kingdom turned schoolmaster,
y* seing he cou'd not rule or tyrannize over men he would at
least tyrannize over boys. It was wittily said y* the world
in its youth did more affect honour than wealth, and rather
titles than treasures, or territories ; and therefore were am-
bitious to become a monarch, tho' but of a mole-hiU, howsoever
the Island of Man is a kingdom. 1®*» And so acknowledged
and stiled by all the neighbouring kings, both of the Britons,
Scots, Danes, Norweigans, etc. 2^^* By all historiographers
or writers whatsoever, either antient or modern, not one con-
tradicting. 3^^y> Nay (what is most strange), one hundred
years and more after the kings of Man had waved the title of
kings, and had stiled themselves lords only of Man. It was
not much above 50 years past solemnly adjudged, Trin. 4
Eliz. in a case between the 3 daughters and heirs of
Ferdinando, and W™* Earl of Darby (his brother), being heir
male concerning the title of the Isle of Man — the case haviDg
been referred to the lord-keeper, the 2 chief justices of both
benches, and y^ chief baron of the exchequer — where, in the
1^* place, it unanimously resolved by them all y* the Isle of
Man is an antient kingdom, and no part of the kingdom of
England. The Lord Cook produceth another proof (which
it seemeth he much relieth upon), saying the King of Man
having the patronage of the bishoprick is a visible mark of a
kingdom, yet he seemeth somewhat to hesitate therein, be-
cause the Archbishop of Canterbury was patron of the
bishoprick of Landaflf, but he might have been advised that
these 2 patronages were both of them infra quatuor Maria,
within the dominion of a higher power to which both the
Archbishop of Canterbury and the Earle of Gloster did
acknowledge subjection ; but his particular instance in the

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THE ANTIQUITY OF THE KINGS OF MAN. 103

patronage (if he meant it of Sodor), is of more weight for
Sodor, is seated out of the Isle of Man, in the Island of lona,
amongst the Western Islands this might be a visible mark of
a regal power, for so our King Henry y® 8*^ having conquered
Tourney in Flanders,^ had power to give and dispose of the
bishoprick thereof to Tho^* Wolsey, afterwards made Cardinal.
But besides aU this both Walsingham and y® Lord Cook
(out of him) do testify y* the Island of Man is not only a
kingdom, but ennobled with this regal prerogative y* whoso-
ever is lord of Man of right may not only caU himself king,
but may cause himself to be crowned with a crown of gold.

Section II. — conceening the antiquity of the

KINGS OF MAN.

This section may seem to some superfluous, seing none
hitherto did ever deny this Island to be a kingdom. Walsing-
ham in the reign of King Eichard y® 2*^ plainly avers y* it
was a kingdom long before his time, the Lord Cook, as hath
been shewed above in the 1®* section, not only averreth it to
be a kingdom but proved it to be so adjudged in Hilary 40 of
Queen Elizabeth.

But of what antiquity, and whether this Island had any
kings before the Conquest thereof by Magnus, king of Nor-
way, we are now to discuss, for I find so much mistake.
Holding y* the Norweigan kings, seizing upon the Island of
Man, made it a kingdom^ about the time of our Saviour's in-
carnation 1098, which reacheth no higher than to our W"^-
the 2^, sumamed Eufus, not above 500 years past ; but we
have strong evidence to prove the antiquity of the kings of
Man to be of a far higher descent. I presume that those who
have this opinion have been misled by the Chronicle of Man,
which they found in the latter end of Cambden's Britannia,

^ Anno, 1513. ' Wm. Harrison, Descr. of Brit. , p. 1. c. 8.

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104 THE ANTIQUITY OF THE KINGS OF MAN.

in his Treatise of the British Isles, and I shall set down in
the subsequent chapter (whereas the monks of Kushin the
compilers thereof). I intended to set down no more than
the acts and civil dissentions only of the 12 kings which suc-
ceeded Magnus, King of Norway, notwithstanding those
monks, and Cambden, J. Speed, and Helin following them,
do all of them begin to catalogue the kings of Man, some-
what higher, namely, from Godred the son of Syrrick, king of
Man, about anno 1065, which was y® penultime year of our
King Edward the Confessor, for after the said Godred there
succeeded and intervened the reign of Fingal, Godred's son,
and after him Godred the son of Harold y® Black of Island,
then Lagman his son, and Donold, an Irishman, y* 3 years
tyranized, till driven out by the Manksmen, all these ruled
and reigned in this Island 33 years befgre King Magnus
arrived thither.

But I shall for the reader's more fuU satisfaction endeavour,
by producing evident demonstration, to mount up much higher,
and prove y* kings in Man were long before any of these last-
named, and therefore long before the coming of King Magnus^
into the Island of Man, for King Edgar preceded King
Edward the Confessor almost 100 years. During his reign
there was a king in Man ; his name was Macon,^ and he was
one of the 8 kings y* rowed in King Edgar^s boat, as I have
shewed you before (L. 1. c. 1, p. 6.)

Almost 330 years before King Edgar reigned King Edwin
the son of EUa, was king of Northumberland, he, saith V.
Bede, conquered all the Isles of Brittanny, together with the
Menanian Isles, whereof the Island of Man was accounted
the first principle, and the Isle of Man is named by Hunting-
ton and Holingshead. Now altho' we find no king of Man
named in King Edwin's Conquest, yet a king must be granted
to be then in Man, for not long before the Conquest, about
1 Anno 979. « Anno 624.

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THE ANTIQUITY OF THE KINGS OF MAN. 105

the year 600, one Brennius, whom Bucanan calleth Brendinus,
king of Man, who was killed in Scotland assisting king Aydan^
against Brudius and his Picts, besides a full 100 years before
King Edwin's reign King Arthur brought the Isle of Man
into his subjection, and the king thereof was by Arthur
honoured to be one of his Knights of the Eound Table.^ Let us
yet mount up higher, an 100 years more before King Arthur's
reign, tho' there at y* time we find not any named a king,
yet there was then an absolute government by bishops,^ the
one succeeding the other, and they so established by St.
Patrick their apostle, which bishops had plenary power and
exercised regal authority, for they were instituted ad popu-
lum illius insulse regendum et erudiendum, which they
exercised over the whole Island, as y® Manks papers and
tradition have delivered unto us, and is by them confidently
averred, but what credit we may give to this tradition I shall
have occasion to discourse hereafter in a chapter apart. Now
lest any shou'd yet scruple those bishops, if the Manks tradi-
tion be true, y* they were the only absolute govemours of this
Island, which we shaU examine hereafter, in its proper place,
not to be kings. Let the reader observe y* all absolute
governors are in effect absolute kings, altho' they be not so
stiled, for where there is no superior confiand the governor's
power must be absolute. The Israelites had none of their
governors y* bare the name and title of a king, for 518 years
after their coming out of Egypt, until the reign of King SauL
It is the power and the title y* makes a king, for tho' Moses,
Joshua, and especially the judges, had a supreme and absolute
authority, yet did not any of them assume y* title notwith-
standing the Holy text in express words pronounceth them
to be kings in 4 several places, in the Book of Judges, c. xvii.
6, c. xviii. 1, c. X. 1, c. xxi. 25.

^ About Anno 510.
* Harding Cron. p. 64, c. 73. ^ About Anno 447.

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106 WHETHER KINGS OF MAN ABSOLUTE OR NOT.

But to proceed, before any bishops were in this Island, or
the Island converted from Paganism to Christianity by S*'
Patrick, y® Manks papers and tradition teU us of a Paynim
king, a great necromancer, y* had reigned many years in the
Isle of Man, before his expulsion by S*- Patrick ; his name
was (as they say) Mana-man-mac-lea, Mr. Chaloner^ calleth
him Macbara, of whom the Mancksmen say the Island was
called Man ; Cambden, out of Ninius, mentions one Buila
y* ruled in Man, in the time of Arcadius and Honorius em-
perors what was at least 24 years before Mana-man-mac-lea ^
I made mention of one Bordragius, whom divers held to
be not only Governor but King of Man, who freed S*- Joseph,
of Arimathea out of his troubles in Venedotia or North
Wales.3

Section III. — ^whether the kings of man were absolute

KINGS OR NOT.

That the King of Man is an absolute king is the assertion
of the Lord Cook, not mine, yet how to dissent from him or
contend with him I know not. But as S*- Ambrose said of
Aaron (with his greatest respect to his high priesthood) con-
cerning the golden calf, tantu sacerdotem, etc., so I of so
grave and great a lawyer being held a lex loquens, and besides
a man so conversant in antient records, I say this much only,
as I dare not censure him, so I dare not assent unto him.
We must grant, I confess, in the rule and reigns of Bordrai,
Buile, and Mana-man-mac-lea, y® first y* conquered the Isle
of Man, as y® Manksmen say, and all such as have had
either the power to compel or the favour to be admitted to
rule and reign, they were without doubt, at the first inde-
pendent of any other, and therefore absolute ; but y* this

^ Descr. of the Isle of Man, c. 4» P- 9« * About anno 413.

' About anno 19. John Capgrave and Jo. Bales, etc.

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WHETHER KINGS OF MAN ABSOLUTE OR NOT. 107

Kttle king of his little Man shou'd so continue for above
1200 years, is much more than most kingdoms, either of the
islands or of the continent, can boast of. For surely all
kingdoms and states (as the planets) have their exaltations
and descendencies, and are no sooner at their zenith, but by
degrees decline into their nader even to the next degree to
nothing. If it be thus with potentates how much more and
sooner with petty princes, for a laconical kingdom, because of
its little coifiand, can make but little resistance against a
more potent power of an ambitious bordering prince's inva-
sion. But I confess my fault, my respects oblige me to give
his lordship presidency first to show what he produceth for
proof. In Calvin's case,^ in y® 6*^ year of the reign of King
James, he there maketh mention of an authentical record, of
many which saith he could have produced. To this efifect
King Henry y® 3*^ in y® 34*^ year of his reign, by his letters
patents,^ gave license (upon his petition) to Arrold. It may
be the transcriber of his record did mistake a letter and wrote
Artold for Arrold, for his true name was Harrold, the name
of Artold being not to be found in any cronocle. A King of
Man to come into England to perform certain things due
unto the Crown, etc. The Lord Cook coifienting hereupon
saith y* his license proveth him to be an absolute king. For,
saith he, an absolute monarch or prince cannot come into
England without license of the king, but the subject of any
prince, or king being in league with the prince or king he
might have added, or of any of the king's own subjects, may
come without a license. Wherefore, in the first place, I am
obliged to answer to the letters patents which gave license to
the King of Man to come into England, which to me seem to
insinuate y* Harrold (or Artold, let his lordship caU him as
he pleaseth, for we wiU not diSer or dispute upon the ortho-
graphy of the name) was rather a subject of King Henry's than

1 Cook's Reports, 1. 7, p. 26. * Anno 1249.

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108 WHETHER KINGS OF MAN ABSOLUTE OR NOT.

a sovereign substituting of himself, for hereby license is given
by the king to him to come into England to perform certain
things due unto the king, y® words rightly translated are to
perform unto us who ought to perform,^ which be no other
than to render to the king his homage and fealty for the
Island of Man, and y* most probably for the father of this
Harrold, whose name was Olave, but ignorantly by some
called Allain, King of Man, became leigman, saith Cambden,^
unto King John, thereby acknowledging that he held y®
Island of Man of him ; this king John was father and prede-
cessor to King Henry y® 3^ who therefore had great reason
to expect from Harrold the son of Olave y® same duty to be
performed unto him, which Olive his father had performed to
King John, father to King Henry, but it may be held strange
y* Harrold fewdery of the kings of England, and acknowledg-
ing subjection to them, shou*d scruple his reception into Eng-
land, who but a few years before, namely, in the year 1242
as M''* Cambden, but more truly in the year 1246, on easter
day, was, saith Mat. Paris, not only kindly admitted into
England, but feasted and knighted by this King Henry, but
the answer is obvious, for but one year after this kindness
and caressing received from King Henry, Harrold, upon the
invitation of Hacco, King of Norway, sailed thither and there
married Hacco's daughter, and stayed there two full years.
Hereby Harrold knew y* he had given King Henry great
cause of jealousy, for our King Henry knew y* the kings of
Man had acknowledged a subjection to the kings of Norway
ever since the conquest of the Northern Isles, together with
y® Isle of Man by Magnus, y® son of Olave, King of Norway,
in An. 1098. Wherefore a license was necessary to precede
him coming, and probably to facilitate the same, and y® better
to satisfy King Henry, he might in his petition promise to
perform this duty unto the king at his coming, which had
1 Ad faciendum nobis quod facere debet. ' De Insulis Brit., p. 213.

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WHETHER KINGS OF MAN ABSOLUTE OR NOT. 109

been omitted before, but whatsoever he meant to have per-
formed nothing was effected, for in this very year when this
Keense was granted, Harrold was, with his wife and com-
pany, returning out of Norway, perished by shipwrack upon
the coast of Scotland.^ 2^^* The L^ Cook was not well ad-
vised to produce this license to prove Harrold for an absolute
king, for this Harrold, succeeding his father Olave at the age of
14 years, he had reigned about 1 year when the King of Nor-
way, saith Holinshead, deposed him, and, saith M^* Camb-
den, it was 2 years before he restored him,^ for the King of
Norway sent Gospatrick and Gillescrist, who by force kept
him out of the Island, because, saith the Cronocle of Man,
he refused to come to the King of Norway's court ; how
then can Harrold be an absolute king, seeing another king
had lawful and superior power to oust him and to admit
him again into his kingdom, I say a supream, superior, and
lawful power, whereof the L*^ Cook, being so great a reader of
antiquity and cronocles, could not be ignorant y* the kings of
Man were in those days tributaries to the Norweigan kings,
being bound to pay a tribute of 10 marks of gold, to be
tendered at the coronation of every king of Norway, neither
were they more at liberty or in better estate during the reigns
of the Scots after them, for Holinshed saith they were not
admitted to be called kings, but were stUed lieutenants, yet
Cambden saith y* Alexander, King of the Scots, placed kings
in Man, not absolute but reguli petty kings, and those to
serve him with so many ships and mariners as I have noted
before ; or when our English had conquered it afterwards
from the Scots, for tho' our king admitted 'em to be stiled
kings, yea, and to be crowned, yet they were obliged, besides
their homage and fealty, to perform certain duties and services,
a manifest demonstration of their subjection to the crown of
England, as I shall have occasion to set down in the sequel

1 Anno 1249. • About anno 1283.

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110 WHETHER KINGS OF MAN ABSOLUTE OR NOT.

of this history more at large. Besides, can any man believe
y* if Macon, King of Man, had held himself to be an absolute
king, y* he wou'd have lugged at an oar at the coitiand of any
other king whatsoever, especially when the design was pur-
posely acted to express and demonstrate the subjection of
those 8 kings, and y® absolute sovereignty of King Edgar
over them all by the guiding of the stern. Some, peradven-
ture, may suppose y* they are not admitted to be absolute
kings of Man, yet that they are absolute kings in Man. Some
of the Manksmen told me y* y® last Henry of the house of
Darby being suiTioned by writ to come over to a parliament in
England, in Queen Elizabeth's reign the writ stiling him King
of Man, made scruple to go, until by another writ he was stUed
King in Man, which putteth me in mind of what I have read
of Pope Gregory y® 7*^, who being solicited to make the
Grand Duke of Florence a king, said he was content he shou'd
be a king in Tuscany, but not king of Tuscany, thereby advis-
ing him, being his nephew if I well remember, y* it was a
more glorious thing to be a grand duke than a petty king.
But this distinction is too weak to make a king in Man
absolute, and herein I shall be content to refer this to be
judged and decided by my L^ Cook himself; for in his 4*^
Book of Instances (wherein he directly opposeth his own as-
sertion in case) he thus saith, if any injustice or injury be
done to any of the king's subjects there (in the Isle of Man),
the King of England may grant a coifiission for redress
thereof, and there he citeth a record of authenticacy and near
the same antiquity with his license which we have so much
insisted upon, both being taken out of the records of the
tower, y* this license, being in the 34*^ of King Henry ^ y®
3^ this in the 20*^ year of his son Edward, the first being
above 350 years ago, which I now forbear to set down, reserv-

1 Anno 1249.

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WHETHER KINGS OF MAN ABSOLUTE OR NOT. Ill

ing it for a more fitting occasion which will be offered unto me
in the latter end of this 2^ book of y® history.

So as by the L^ Cook's own concession, it is apparent y*
a king of England is a more absolute king of Man than any
other king in Man, and M^- Hobb's maxim will be approved
by all«; he whose authority is limited is no king but a viceroy,
^nd is the subject of him y* limiteth him.

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112 OF THE KIKGS OF MAN' m GENERAL.

CHAPTER IL

OF THE KINGS OF MAN IN GENERAL, AND OF THE EXTENT OF
THEIR POWER AND DOMINION OF THE WESTERN ISLANDS,
CALLED HEBRIDES.

These, therefore, were kings, tho' not monarchs and crowned,
tho' not anointed, exercising jura regalia with as much
coifiand in Man, and as large a latitude as any other king
whatsoever did or cou'd desire, the particulars whereof, both
how and in what manner, I hear forbear to set down, because
a fitter opportunity will be offered me, when I shall shew
you the power of the Lord of Man in Man. In this chapter
my intention is only to shew the extent of their power and
dominion, which apparently was more without than within
the Isle of Man itself.

Many wars and endeavours have the Kings of Man made
to enlarge their dominions, not only in Venedotia with the
Kings of North Wales (especially in Anglisey), but also in
Ireland, wherein Godred, the son of Olive, King of Man,
had gotten footing,^ was crowned king in Dublin, and had
subdued a great part of Leinster (as I touched before), but he
left it not to his successors.

Neither do I find that any of their attempts did prove so
effectual as in their endeavours to conquer their neighbouring
islands, the Hebrides, over whom they have ruled almost ab
origine, for then the Island of Man was called Eubonia, and
aU those islands being subject to the Kings of Man were in
those days called Insulas Eubonia, as much as to say islands
1 About 1147.

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OF THE KINGS OF MAN IN GENERAL. 113

belonging to Eubonia, y* is to the Island of Man, and
therefore Macon, King of Man, was, also by Stow and Harri-
son,^ called king of many islands, besides the Manksmen have a
tradition y* whereas there always have been 24 Keys in the
Island of Man, 8 of these were chosen out of those out islands,
as they call them, which sheweth the power and command
y® Kings of Man had over 'em in those days. Therefore
they are much mistaken y* publish the Manks kings not
to have had any power over these islands until they were
impowered by Magnus, King of Norway, in the year 1098.
But now it is fit here y* I shou'd shew you islands these
Hebrides are over, whom the Kings of Man have so long
ruled and held in subjection, their names, their number, etc.

Pliny, Solinus, and Ptolemy call them the Hebrides,
which the Scotch cronoclers say were so called of one Heber,
the son of King Gathebis, and from thence corruptly caUed
Hubude or Hebride ; this last Bucanan disaUoweth,^ as
having no gi-ound, yet Pliny, Solinus, and other antient
authors from thence not only call them Hebude, but Acmude
and Ebude ; this last Cambden rather supposeth to come from
Ebrid, which in the British tongue signifieth as much as to say
sine frugibus, without com. He also, w*^ others, conjectureth
y* these names have some consonant affinity with Epedium,
a promontory opposite to these in Brittain. Some antient
Ethincks called those islands Betorica, which Mercator in his
atlas writeth Beteorocae, and mentioneth the name of Ethicus.

During the reign of the primitive Scots over them, they
were called Inch Gall, y* is peradventure as Cambden sup-
poseth the Isles of Gallicanes, and hence it may be y* Guiral-
dus Cambrensis, might call 'em Inchades and Leucades.
After S^ Columbus came to reside in one of these islets,
which then was called Hy and Hu, but now it beareth the

1 "W^in. Harrison and others, Descr. of Brit. 1. 1, c 8,
« De Reb. Scotia, 1. 1, p. 24.

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114 OF THE KINGS OF MAN IN GENEKAL.

name of lona, and having there built a monastery/ with a
cathedral church in a village thereof, which is called Sodor.
In process of time it was the bishop's seat of all the islands,
having entire jurisdiction over aU these islands, whence these
islands were called Insulae Sodorenses, as I shall more largely
shew in the 3^ p^t of this history.

Paulus Orosius calleth them Insulae Manavise,^ but Beda
more truly calleth them Insulas Mevaniae. But at this day
both Scots and English caU them Insulae Occidentales, the
Western Islands, the inhabitants thereof are called redshanks,
and in old time rough-footed Scots, because they went bare-
footed, clad in mantles over their saffron shirts, and spoke
good Irish, saith Holingshead, but in the primitive times
they were called Picts, Katerons, and Irish Scots.

These islands are situated in the north-west part of the
Island of Man, and in the south part of Scotland in the Irish
Sea.

These authors y* would needs make the Island of Man
not only to be one of the western isles, but also the first of
them do make Hirta to be y® last, the distance betwixt by
Hector Boetius is 300 miles, by W^ Harrison 377 miles.
W™- of Malmsbury supposeth this Isle of Anglisey to be one
of these, and belonging to these Hebrides or Western Isles,
but I find none nor reason itself to side with him. Now con-
cerning their number, Ptolemy and Pliny say only y* they
are more than 30, the Archbishop of Armagh 31, Hector
Boetius and Speed, w*^ Eibroughton, 43, Philip Cluveri and
Peter Heliu 44; aU these came far short. Cambden be-
lieveth the number to be more than any of these have set
down, and with reason, for Donald Munro (who visited them
all in person, and made a journey expressly to the end), and
out of him Bucanan and John Maxwell, in his Abridgment of
the Scotch Cronicles, do aU affirm them to be more than 300,

1 V. Bede, 1. 5, c. 23. » Camb. R Isles, p. 204 and p. 215.

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OF THK KINGS OF MAJT IN GENERAL. 115

and 2 of these, namely, Miinro and Maxwell, have set down
the names, situation, and coifiodities of every one of 'em in
particular. But of these 300 there are only 4 of 'em y* are
of any noted magnitude, whereof some seem to exceed Man,
others to equal it, but the rest though many are observed to
be only inconsiderable islets, these 4 principle are —

1. The Sky, antiently called Hebuda y® Eastern, and by
the Manksmen Lodhus, 40 miles in length ; its breadth is 8
miles, in some places 10 and 16 miles.

2^ Mula, which Ptolomy caUeth Maleos, or by Pliny
MeUa, is 24 miles in length, and as much in breadth.

3*^- Ila is 24 miles in length and 16 in its breadth, which
Cambden avoucheth to be the old Epidium, y* is y® Isle of
y® Epedii.

4 Arran, which is of the same length and breadth of
Ua. Some^ will have the little island or islet rather of lona
to be y® 2^ island of aU y® Hebrides, and W™* Harrison saith^
it is above 20 miles long and 10 miles in breadth, but both
are much mistaken, for lona is but 2 miles in length and
something more than 1 in breath. Ven Bede saith it con-
sisteth as it were of 5 families, as I shaU demonstrate in the
3^ book of this history, notwithstanding I acknowledge for
respect and repute it hath ever had precedency before any,
yea before aU the rest.

Notwithstanding tho' y® kings of Man did for the space
of 160 years, as many say, or for 200 years, as Bucanan, or
for 1200 years, as I have before demonstrated, style them-
selves kings of Man and of the islands, yet aU these islands
of the Hebrides were not aU of 'em always under their sub-
jection^ untill they had obtain'd them thro' the indulgency of
the Kings of Norway, for I find both in Holinshead out of
Eichard Southwel his Annals and y® Manks Cronicle y*

1 P. Helin. Hist of ye World. » Bescr. of Brit, 1. 7, c. 8, p. 17.

' Helin. de Rebus Scoticis, 1. 1, p. 24.

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116 OF THE KINGS OF MAN IN GENERAL.

Somerled, Prince of Heringaidel, who had married the natural
daughter of OKve, the son of Godred Crovan, King of Man,
held and possess'd a great part of these islands ; and his son
Dongdal, saith Cambden and y® same Manks Cronicle, having
conquered all these islands, he afterwards, by composition
with Godred, obtained a full moyle of them all, and possess'd
them quietly. So, as so long as y® power and assistance of y*
kings of Norway was able to support the Manks kings, they
totally possess'd aU these islands ; but 200 years after, when
neither the King of Norway nor the Kings of Man were able
to resist the sudden surprise of 'em all made by Alexander
the 3^, King of the Scots, they then were totally outed out of
them aU ; and what King Magnus, an- 1098, conquered for
them, in the reign of another King Magnus about anno 1266,
they totally lost them aU, for this last Magnus surrender'd
aU his right and title unto all these islands, yea to Man itself,
for the sum of 400 marks sterliug and a pension of 2000
marks annually, to be paid in the nature of a tribute, their
children to marry, etc.

But tho' these kings of Man were thus outed out of their
possessions of those isles even to this day, yet they have
ever since been curious to eternize their title to them, still
stiling themselves Lords of Man and of the Isles.

I will here add one observation more as a coralloiy con-
cerning these Western Isles (the Hebrides), that they have
for almost 300 years' space always belonged to the eldest son
of the kings of Scotland, as the principality of Wales hath
been to the eldest son of y® kings of England. For thus
have I seen the title of Prince Charles set down in his father
King James's reign : —

Charles, Prince of Wales, Duke of Comwal, York, Albany,
Eothsay, Marquis of Ormand, Earl of Eoss and. Chester,^ Baron
of Ardmanack and Eanfrow, Great Marshal of Scotland, and
^ Some copies add Earl of Carrick.

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OF THE KINGS OF MAN IN GENERAL. 117

Lord of the Isles thereof. Knight of the Noble Order of the
Garter.

You may here farther observe y* these islands, whereof
the Scots will have Man to be one, and give it the honour of
having the first place amongst them, yet all these isles put
together are not reckon d here with any of the titles of
honour, but after the baronages only as a lordship, and so
Man is not named but inclusively.

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118 THE CBONOCLE OF THE ISLE OF MAH.

CHAPTER IIL

THE CRONOCLE OF THE ISLE OF MAN TAKEN OUT OF
MR. CAMBDEN OF THE BRITISH ISLES.^

This Cronicle, for so it is stiled by the monks of Rusliin (who
are held to be the compilers thereof), both Mr. Cambden and
John Speed have thought fit to insert into their treatises of
the Isle of Man, and therefore I presimie I may be likewise
permitted to insert it here, for the more ready and easy satis-
faction of the reader upon any occasion oflTered (as I shall
have many) either of proving, citing, or quoting of the same
in any part of the history.

Anno Dom. 1065. Edward of blessed memory. King of
England, departed this life, and Harrold the son of Godwin
succeeded him, against whom Harrold Harfager (King of
Norway) came into y® field and fought a battle at Stamford
Bridge, but the English obtained the victory, and put them
all to flight, out of which chase Godred, sumamed Crovan, the
son of Harold the Black of Iceland, came up unto Godred the
son of Sytric, who reigned then in Man, and honourably
received him. The same year WiUiam the bastard conquered
England, and Godred the son of Sytric died ; his son Fingal
succeeded him.

Anno 1066. Godred Crovan assembled a great fleet and
came to Man, and fought with the people of the land, but

1 ["The Chronicle of Man and the Sudreys," with Historical Notes by
the late Professor Munch, revised, etc., by the Right Rev. Dr. Goss, is pub-
lished in the Manx Society's Series, Vols. xxii. and xxiii. 1874.— Editor.]

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THE CRONOCLE OF THE ISLE OF MAN. 119

was overcoine. The 2^ time renewing his forces and his fleet,
he sailed into Man and joined battle with the Manksmen,
but was vanquished as before and driven out of the field ;
howbeit what he cou'd not at first bring to pass with power
in those 2 several times or onsets he afterwards effected by
policy, for the 3^ time, gathering together a great multitude,
he arrived by night in the haven called Eamsey, and hid 300
men in a wood which stood in the hollow brow of an hiU
called SceafuL The sun being risen the Manksmen put their
people in order of battle, and with a violent charge en-
countered with Godred. The fight was hot for a time and stood
in a doubtful suspence, till those 300 men, starting out of the
ambush behind their backs, began to foil the Manksmen, put
them to the worst and made them to fly, who seing them-
selves thus disoomfited, and finding no place of refuge to
escape, for the sea water coming in with the tide had filled
y® channel of Eamsey river, and the enemies on the other
side followed hard by chase, they that then remained aUve
took up a pitiful cry and besought Godred to save their lives.
He moved with compassion pitying their woful calamity (as
for a certain time had been nourished and brought up amongst
'em), sounded a retreat, and forbad his host to pursue them
any longer. Godred the morrow after proposed this choice
unto his own army, whether they wou'd rather divide Man
amongst themselves and therein dwell, or only take the sub-
stance and pillage of the country and so return imto their
homes ; but those chose rather to waste and spoil the whole
Island, and with the goods thereof to enrich themselves and
so return home ; but Godred himself with those few islanders
inhabited the south part of the Island, and granted to the
remains of the Manksmen y* north part, with this covenant
and condition, y* none of them shou'd at* any time venture or
presume to challenge any part of the land by right of inherit-
ance, whereby it came to pass y* unto this day the whole

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120 THE CKONOCLB OF THE ISLE OF MAN.

Isle is the king's demesne alone, and all the revenues thereof
belonging to the Crown. Godred then reduced Dublin and a
great part of Leinster under his subjection ; as for the western
Scots he so overawed them as y* no man who built either
ship or cockboat durst drive into it above 3 nails. Now he
reigned 16 years, and died in the island called Tie ; he left
behind him verily 3 sons, Lagman, Harrold, and Olive.

Lagman, the eldest, taking upon him the kingdom, reigned
7 years, and Harrold, his brother, a great while rebelled against
him ; but at length being taken prisoner by Lagman, he had
his members of generation cut off, and his eyes put out of his
head ; after this Lagman repenting y* he had pulled out his
brother's eyes, gave over his kingdom of his own accord, and,
wearing the badge of the Lord's Cross, took a journey to Jeru-
salem, in which he died an. 1057. All the nobles and lords
of the Isle hearing of the death of Lagman, dispatch'd 3 am-
bassadors to Murcard O'Brian, King of Ireland, requesting y*
he would send some industrious and worthy man of the
blood royal to be their king, untill Olive Godred's son came
to full age. Y® king very willingly yielded to their requests,
and sent unto them one Donnald the son of Tade, warning
and charging him to govern the kingdom (which by right
belonged to another) with aU gentleness and modesty ; but
he, after he was come to y® crown, not weighing the charge
y* his lord and master gave him, abused his place, and lorded
it with great tyranny, and so committing many outrages and
viUanies reigned 3 years, then all the princes of the islands,
agreed together in one conspiracy, rose up against him, and
expelled him out of their coasts, who fled into Ireland, and
never look'd them in the face after.

Anno 1077, one Ingemond was sent from the King of
Norway, to take upon him the dominion of the islands, and
when he was come to the Island Lodhus, he sent messengers
to aU the nobles of the islands, with a coifiand that they

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THE CRONOCLE OF THE ISLE OF MAN. 121

shou'd meet together and crown him their king. Meanwhile
himself, with his company, did nothing else but rob, spoil,
make good cheer, and banquet, dishonour and abuse married
wives, deflowered maids, yea, and gave himself to filthy plea-
sures, and fleshly lusts. But when tidings thereof came to
the nobles of the land, now assembled to make him king,
they were set on fire with furious wrath, and sped themselves
in all haste towards him, and surprizing him in the nighty
burnt y* house wherein he was, and with fire and sword
made a quick dispatch of him and his company.

Anno 1098, the abby of St. Mary, at Cistertium or Cis-
teaux, was founded. Antioch was won by y® Christians,
and a comet or blazing star appeared. The same year there
was a field fought between those of the Isle of Man, at Stan-
way, and the northern men got y® victory ; in which battle
were slain Earl Other and Marmaras, generals on both sides.
In this same year Magnus, King of Norway, y® son of Olive,
the son of Harrold Harfargor, desirous to try whether the
corps of St. Olave, king and martyr, remained uncorrupt,
confianded y* his tomb shou'd be opened, and notwithstand-
ing the bishop and clergy withstood it, the king himself came
boldly thither, and by force y* he brought thither with him
caused y® cofl&n to be opened. Now, when he had both seen
and handled the body incorrupt, and nothing perished, sud-
denly there was a great fear feU upon him, and in aU haste he
departed thence.

The next night following, Olive, king and martyr, ap-
peared to him in a dream, saying thus, — " Chuse thou one of
these 2 things, either to lose thy life and kingdom, both
within 30 days, or to depart from Norway and never see it
again." When the king awoke he called unto him his princes
and elders, and declared unto them his dream and vision, and
they, being sore afraid, gave him this council, to depart with
all speed out of Norway ; he without delay caused a fleet to be

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122 THE CBONOCLE OF THE ISLE OF MAN.

rigged, and put in readiness, of an 160 sail, and cutteth over
to the Isles of Orkney, which he forthwith subdued/ and
making way, by dint of sword, thro'out all the Isles, and
bringing them to his subjection, went forwards still, as far as
to Man, and when he arrived and landed here, came into St.
Patrick's Isle, to see the place wherein the field had been
fought, a little before, between the Manksmen, because, as yet,
many of their bodies lay there imburied. Now, when he saw
this most goodly and beautiful Island, it pleased his eye, and he
chose to seat himself therein, buUt fortresses which unto this
day carry his name, and those of Galloway he held in so great
awe, that he compelled them to cut down wood, and to bring
it to the shore, y* therewith he might build his forts and
bulwarks. To Anglisey, then called Menia (an island in
Wjdes, he sailed, and found in it 2 earls, by the name of
Hugos ; y® one he slew, y® other he put to flight, and sub-
dued y« Island.

But the Welchmen presented him with many gifts, and so
he bad them farewell, and returned unto Man. Unto Mur-
card, Eling of Ireland, he sent his shoes, and coiftanded him
to carry them on his shoulders thro' the midst of his house
on Christmas day, y* he might thereby understand y* he was
subject unto King Magnus, which the Irish men, as soon as
they heard of it, took grievously, and disdained exceeding
much ; but the king, following a wiser course—" I had rather
not only carry his shoes but also eat 'em than King Magnus
shou'd destroy one province in Ireland." He fulfill'd his
coiTiandment and honourably treated his messengers. Many
presents also he sent over by them unto King Magnus, and
entered into league with him. These messengers being
returned unto their Lord related unto him many things touch-

1 The Scottish historians say y* Donald, y« 7th King of Scots, gave Orkney
and yo Western Isles to Magnus king of Norway, to assist him to usurp y«
Crown of Scotland.

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THB CRONOCLE OF THE ISLE OF MAN. 123

ing the situation of Ireland, the pleasantness thereof, and
abundance of com, and wholesomeness of the air» When
King Magnus heard of this straitways he thought of nothing
else but conquering Ireland, and bring it whoUy under his
dominion, he coifianded his men therefore to repair a navy of
ships, and himself in person setting forwards with 16 ships,
desirous to make a view of the country. As he unwarily
departed aside from his shipping, was suddenly encompassed
about with the Irish, and so lost his life, together with all
these in a manner with him, and he was buried hard by St
Patrick's church in Down. He reigned 16 years. After
whose death the princes of the Islands sent for Olive, the son
of Godred, sumamed Crovan, who liVd in the court of Henry,
King of England, son of King W^

Anno 1102.-^ Olive, the son of Godred Crovan aforesaid,
began his reign, and reigned 40 years ; a peaceable prince,
having aU the kings of Ireland and Scotland to be his con-
federates. He took to wife Africa, the daughter of Fergus of
Gallovay, of whom he begat Gk)dred ; by his concubines he
had Beginald, Lagman^ and Harrold, besides many daughters,
whereof one was married to Sumerled, prince of Herengaidel,
who was the cause of the ruin of the whole kings of the
Islands. Of her he begat 4 sons — Dulgal, Regnald, Engus,
and Olive.

Anno 1133. There happened so great an eclipse of the sun
upon y® 4th of j^ nones of August y^ the day was turned
into night. .

Anno 1134 Olive gave unto Ivon, abbot of Fumess, a
plot of his land in Man to build an abby in a place called
Kussin, and both enriched with revenues and endowed with
priviledges y® estate of the church in y® Islands.

Anno 1142. Godred, Olive's son, sailed over to the king

^ Rather an. 1114, for Mag^us conquered y« Island an. 1098, and reigned
16 years.

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124 THE CRONOCLE OF THE ISLE OF MAN.

of Norway, whose name was Hinge, and did his homage unto
him, and stayed there, being honourably entertained of him.
The same year 3 sonns of Harrold, Olive's brother (who had
been brought up in Dublin), raising a great number of men
together, and all those who were fled from the king, came
to Man, demanding of the same king to have the one
moiety of the whole kingdom . of the Islands to be given
unto them ; but the king, when he heard their demands, being
willing to pacify them, answered y* he wou'd take council of
the matter. Now, when they had appointed the time and
place where the council shou'd be held, in the mean while
those most lewd and wicked villains complotted among them-
selves the king's death. At y® day appointed both parties
met at y® haven which is called Eamsey, and sat in order by
rowes, the king with his council on the one side, and they,
together with their company, on the other side, and Eeynald
(who was to dispatch him) was in the midst between, and stood
talking apart with one of the peers of the land ; but when the
king had called him, and was come unto him, he turned
towards y® king as tho' he wou'd salute him, and therewith
lifting up a glittering ax a great height, at one blow cut off
y® king's head; and forthwith, as soon as they had committed
such a bloody murther, they divided the land among them-
selves, and after some few days, having gathered a navy
together, sailed over to Galloway, desirous to bring it also
under their subjection ; but those of Galloway, sticking close
and round together, gave a fair onset and joined, battle with
them. They, by and by, turning their backs, fled in great
disorder to Man. As for all the Galloway men therein, some
of them they slew, and others they expelled.

Anno 1143. Godred, Olive's son, returning out of Norway,
was created king of Man, and, to avenge his father^s death, he
caused 2 of Harrold's sons to have their eyes pulled out, and
slew y® 3d.

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THE CRONOCLE OF THE ISLE OF MAN. 125

Anno 1144 Godred began his reign, and reigned 30 years.
In the 3d year of his reign the people, of Dublin sent for him
and created him king of Dublin, against whom Murcard, king
of Ireland, raised war, and encamped himself before the city,
which is called Coridiles, sent his half-brother by the mother
side, Osibely, with 300 men of arms, to Dublin, who was by
Godred and the Dublinians slain, and all y® rest put to flight.
These exploits achieved Godred returned to Man and began
to use tyranny, and turned noblemen out of their inheritances,
whereof one was called Thorfin, Otter's son, mightier than the
rest, came to Somerled, and made Dulgal, Somerled's son, king
of. the Islands, subduing many Islands imto him. When
Godred had intelligence of those things by one Paul, he pre-
pared a navy, and set forward to meet with Somerled, who
was coming with a fleet of 80 sail ; and in an. 1156 there was
a battle fought at sea on the 12th day, at night, and after
many a man slain on both sides, the next day after they grew
to a pacification, and divided among themselves the kingdom
of the Islands, and so it became 2 several kingdoms from
y* very day unto this present time, and this was the cause of
y® overthrows of y® kingdoms of the Isles since y® time
y* Somerled's son seiz'd upon it.

Anno 1158. Somerled came to Man with a fleet of 53
sail, put Godred to flight, and wasted the Island. Godred then
crossed to Norway to seek for aid against Somerled.

Anno 1164. Somerled gathered together a fleet of 160
ships, and arriv'd at Ehinfrin, coveting to subdue aU Scotland ;
but, by the just judgment of God he was vanquished by a few,
together w*^ his son, and an infinite number of people there
slain. The same year there was a battle fought at Eamsey,
between Eeynold, brother of Godred, and y® people of Man,
and by y® deceitful practice of a certain earl those of Man
were put to flight.

Then Eeynold began to reign, and on y® 4th day after

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126 THE CRONOCLE OF THE ISLE OF MAN.

came Godred upon him out of Norway with a great multitude
of men anned, and took his brother Eeynold, whom he be-
reaved both of his eyes and of his genital members. The same
years died Malcolm, king of Scotland, and his brother W™*
succeeded him in the kingdom.

Anno 1166. Two comets or blazing stars appeared before
sun rising in the month of August^ the one in the south the
other in the north.

Anno 1171. Eichard, Earle of Pembroke, sailed over into
Ireland and subdued Dublin, with a great part of Ireland.

Anno 1176. John Cursey conquered Ulster ; and Vivian,
legate of the Apostolick Sea, came into Man, and caused King
Gk)dred to be lawfully espoused unto his wife Phingola,
daughter of MacLoUen, son to Marcatas, king of Ireland ; to
wit, the mother of Olave, then 3 years of age. Sylvan the
abbot married 'em, unto whom, the very same day, Godred
gave a piece of ground at Miriscoge,^ where he buUt a monas-
tery ; but at length the land was, together with the monks,
granted to the Abby of Eussin. Eeynold, son to Eacmarcat,
one of royal blood, coming iato Man with a great band of
men, in the king's absence, at y® first conflict put to flight
certain warders y* kept the shore, and killed about 30 men ;
afterwards y® Manksmen, gathering their forces together, the
same day slew him and almost all his company.

Anno 1183. O'Faggot was sherifiT of Man.

Anno 1185. There happened an eclypse of the sun on St.
Philip and Jacob's day.

Anno 1187. On the 4th of the ides of No^- died Godred,
king of the Islands, and the next sumer was his body trans-
lated to the Isles of Hy. He left behind him 3 sons, Eeynold,
Olive, and Ivar. In his lifetime he ordained his son Olive to
be his heir, because he only was bom in lawful wedlock ; but
the people of Man, seeing y* Olive was now scarce 10 years

^ Monasticon Anglicanuin, p. 711.

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THE CRONOCLE OF THE ISLE OF MAN. 127

old, sent for Eeynold out of the Isles, and set him up for their
king.

Anno 1188. Reynold, Godred's son, began to reign over
the Islands, and Murcard, a man of great power thro'out aU
y® kingdoms of the Isles, was slain.

Anno 1192. A battle was fought between Reynold and
Engus (y® son of Somerled) ; but Engus won the victory. The
same year y® abbey of Russin was translated to Douglas, but
after 4 years the monks returned to Russin.

Anno 1203. Micael, bishop of the Isles, died at Fountains,
after whom succeeded Nicholas.

Anno 1204. Hugh Lacey came with an army into Ulster,
and gave John Curcy a battle, took him prisoner, and con-
quered Ulster, Afterwards he set John at liberty, who came
to King Reynold, and he honourably entertain'd him because
he was his brother-in-law. For John Cursy had taken to wife
Africa, Grodred's daughter, who founded the abby of St Mary
de Ingo Domini, and was there buried.

Anno 1205. John Cursy, and Reynold, king of the Isles,
having entered into Ulster with 100 ships in y® haven which
is called Strangford, slackly besieged the fortress of Roth ;
but Walter Lacey coming upon them with an army, put 'em
to flight. After this Cursy never recovered his land.

Anno 1210. Engus, Somerled's son, was, with 3 of his
sons, slain. John, King of England, at the same time,
brought a navy of 500 sail to Ireland, and subdued it ; who,
sending a certain Earl Fulke into Man, in a fortnight and a
day wholey, and in a manner, wasted it, and taking hostages
returned into their country. King Reynold and his nobles
were not in Man.

Anno 1217. Nicholas, bishop of the Islands, died, and was
buried in Ulster, within the house of Benchor, after whom
succeeded Reynold.

Here, saith Cambden, I think good to write somewhat again

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128 THE CBONOCLE OF THE ISLE OF MAN.

of Olive and Eeynold's brethren : — Eeynold gave unto his
brother Olive the isle called Lodhus, which is said to be
larger than the rest of the Islands, but slenderly inhabited,
because it stands much upon mountains, is stony besides, and
almost all unfit for tillage. Y® inhabitants thereof live for
the most part by hunting and fishing. Olive therefore went
to possess himself of this island, and dwelt in it, leading a
poor life ; and when he saw it wou'd not sufl&ce to maintain
himself and his army, he came boldly to his brother Eeynold,
who then made his abode in the Islands, and spake unto him
in this manner : — " Brother," saith he, " my Sovereign Lord
the King. Thou knowest y* the kingdom of y® Islands be-
longed to me by inheritance, but sine the Lord hath elected
thee to sway the sceptor thereof, I envy thee not nor take it
grievously y* thou art exalted to the royal dignity. Now thus
much I heartily beseech thee y* thou wouldst provide me
some portion of land wherein I may live honestly according
to my estate, for the island Lodhus, which thou gavest me, is
not sufl&cient to sustain me." His brother, after he had given
him the hearing, said he wou'd take council upon the point ;
and the morrow after Olive was sent for, and came in place
to consult of matters. Eeynold commandeth y* he should be
apprehended and brought unto W™* king of Scotland, y* with
him he might be kept in prison, and Olive lay prisoner in
irons and chains almost 7 years. In the 7th year died Wa-
king of Scotland, after whom succeeded his son Alexander.
Now, before his death, he gave comand y* all y® prisoners
shou'd be set free. Olive, therefore, being enlarged and at
liberty, came to Man, and soon after, accompanied with no
small train of noblemen, he went unto St. James. And after
he was thus returned Eeynold, his brother, caused him to
marry a noble man's daughter of Kintire, even his own wife's,
whose sister named Lavour, and gave him Lodhus to enjoy.
Some few days after Eeynold, bishop of the Islands, having

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THE CRONOCLE OF THE ISLE OF MAN. 129

call'd a Synod, canonically divorced Olive, the son of Godred,
and Laven his wife, as being the cousin-german of his former
wife. Alter this Olive wedded Christina, dangh^ of Fercar,
earl of Eoss. For this cause Reynold's wife, queen of the
Islands, was wroth, and directed her letters in the name of
Eeynold the king, into the Isle Sky, unto Godred her son,
y* he shou'd kUl Olive. As Godred was devising means to
work this feat, and entering into Lodhus, Olive fled in a little
cockboat unto his father-in-law, the earl of Eoss afores^ ;
then Godred wasted and spoiled Lodhus. At the same time
Pol, the son of Booke, sherif of Sky, a man of great authority
in aU the Islands, because he wou'd not give his consent unto
Godred, fled, and together with Olive, they came both in one
ship to Sky. At length, having sent forth their spies and
discoverers, they, hearing y* Godred lay in a certain island
called St. Colm's Isle, having very few men with him, mis-
doubting nothing ; gathering therefore about them all their
friends and acquaintance, with such volunteers as were ready
to join them at midnight, with 5 ships, which they drew from
the next sea-shore distant from the island afores^. about 2
furlongs, they beset the isle round about. Godred then, and
they y* were with him, rising by the dawning of the day, and
seeing themselves environed on every side with enemies, were
astonished ; but, putting themselves in warlike arms, assayed
right manfully to make resistance, but all in vain, for about
9 o'clock y* day Olive, and Pol y® afores^ sheriff, set foot in
the island with their whole army, and having slain aU those
they found without the enclosure of y® church, they took
Godred, put out his eyes, and gelded him. Howbeit Olive did
not give his consent to this deed, neither wou'd he withstand
it, for Booke' s son, the sheriff afores^ ; for this was done in
the year 1223.

The sumer next following, Olive, after he had taken
hostages of aU the 1^^ and potentates of the Isles, came with

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130 THE CRONOCLE OF THE ISLE OF MAN.

a fleet of 32 sail towards Man, and arriVd at Eognalswath ;
and at this very time Eeynold and Olive divided the kingdoms
of the Islands betwixt themselves, and Man was given to
Eeynold, besides his own portion, together with the title of
king. Olive the 2d time having furnished himself with
victuals from the people of Man, retum'd with his company to
his portion of y® Islands. The year following Eeynold, taking
with him Allan, lord of Galloway, went, with his soldiers of
Man, to the island paits, y* he might displace his brother
Olive of land w^^ he had given unto him, and bring it under
his own dominion ; but because the Manksmen were not will-
ing to fight against Olive and y® Islanders, for y® love they
had to them, Eeynold, and Allan lord of Galloway, returned
home without atchieving their purpose. After a little while,
under a pretence of going to the court of his sovereign lord
the king of England, took up of the people of Man an 100
marks, but went instead to the court of the lord of Galloway.
At the same time he affianced his daughter unto the son of
Allan in marriage, which the Manksmen hearing, took such a
snufiT and indignation thereat y* they sent for Olive and made
him their king.

Anno 1226. Olive recovered his inheritance, to wit, y®
kingdom of Man and of the Islands, which his brother
Eeynold had governed 38 years, and reigned quietly 2 years.

Anno 1228. Olive, accompanied with all the nobles of
Man, and a band of the strongest men of y® country, sailed
over into y® Islands. A little after Allan, lord of Galloway,
and Tho^ earl of Athol, and King Eeynold, came unto Man
with a puissant army. All the south of Man they wasted,
spoiled the churches, and slew aU y® men they cou*d lay hold
of, so as the south part of Man was laid in a manner desolate.
After this returned AUan into his own country with his army,
and left his baylififs in Man to gather up for him the tributes
of the country ; but King Olive came upon them unawares.

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THE CRONOCLE OF THE ISLE OF MAN. 131

put 'em to flight, and recovered his own kingdom. Then the
people of Man, which before time had been dispersed every-
way, began to gather themselves together, and to dwell with
confidence and security. In the same year came King Eeynold
out of Galloway unexpected, at y® dead time of the night, in
winter, with 5 ships, and burnt all the shipping of his brother
Olive, and of the lords of Man, at St. Patrick's Island ; and,
suing to his brother for peace, stayed 4 days at the haven of
Eognalswath. In the mean time he won, and drew unto
him all the islanders of the south part of Man, who sware they
wou'd venture their lives in his quarrel until he were invested
in one half of his kingdom. On the contrary part, Olive had
the northern men of the Isle on his side, and, upon the 14th
day of February, at a place called Tengvalla, there was a battle
fought between the 2 brethren, wherein Olive had the victory,
and King Reynold was killed without his brother's knowledge ;
and certain rovers came to the south part of Man and wasted
it. The monks of Russin translated the body of Eeynold unto
the Abby of St. Mary de Fourness, and there entered it in a
place, which himself had chosen for that purpose. After this
went Olive to the king of Norway ; but before y* he was come
thither Hacco, king of Norway, ordained a certain nobleman
named Husbax, the son of Owmand, to be king of the Sodo-
rean Islands, and called his name Hacco, Now the same
Hacco, together with OUve and Godred, Reynold's son, and
many Norwegians, came unto the island, and at the winning
of a fort of an island called Both,^ Hacco chanced to be smotten
with a stone, whereof he died, and lieth buried in lona.

Anno 1230. Olive came with Godred Don and the Norwe-
gians unto Man, and they divided the kingdom amongst them-
selves. Olive held Man, and Godred, being gone into the
Islands, was slain in the Isle Lodhus ;^ so obtained Olive the
kingdom of the Isles.

^ Others Beith. • Lewis.

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132 THE CRONOCLE OF THE ISLE OF MAN.

Anno 1237. On y® 12th calends of June died Olive, the
son of Godred, king of Man, in St. Patrick's Island, and was
buried in the abby of Eussin. He reigned 11 years too by
his bro'', and 9 after his death. Harrold his son succeeded
him, being 14 years of age, and reigned 12 years. In the
first year of his reign he made a journey into the Islands,
and appointed Loglen his cousin custos of Man. In the
autumn following Harrold sent 3 sons of Nel, viz. Duf-
gald, Thorquil, Mormore, and his friend Joseph, to Man, for
to consult about affairs. On the 25th day, therefore, they
meet together at Tingul, and by occasion of a certain envious
quarrel y* arose between the sons of Nell and Loglen there
was a sore fight on both sides, wherein were slain Duflgald,
Mormore, and the aforesaid Joseph. In the spring following
King Harrold came to the Isle of Man, and Loglen, as he fled
towards Wales, perished by shipwrack, with Godred, Olive's
son, his foster-child and pupil, with 40 others.

Anno 1238. Gospatrick,^ and Gillescrist, y® sons of Mac-
Kerthac, came from the king of Norway into Man, and took
tributes to y® king's behalf of Norway, because he refused to
come to the king of Norway's court

Anno 1241. Gospatrick died and was buried in the abby
of Eussin.

An. 1239. Harrold went unto the king of Norway, who,
after 2 years, confirmed unto him, his heirs and successors,
under his seal, all the islands which his predecessors had
possessed.

Anno 1242. Harrold returned unto Man out of Norway,
and being by the inhabitants honourably received, had peace
with the king of England and Scotland. Harrold, like as his
father before him, was dubbed knight^ by the king of England,
and after he had been rewarded with many gifts, returned

^ Who by force kept Harrold of Man, and took tribute, etc.

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THE CRONOCLE OF THE ISLE OF MAN. 133

home. The same year he was sent for by the king of Norway*
and married his daughter; and in the year 1249, as he re-
turned homewards with his wife, and Lawrence, bishop elect
of Man, and many other noblemen and gentlemen, he was
drowned in a tempest at sea near unto the coast of Radland.

Anno 1249. Eeynold, the son of Olive, and brother to
Ham)ld, began his reign the day before the nones of May, and
on the 30th day thereof was slain by one Ivar, a knight, and
his company, in a meadow near unto the Holy Trinity Church,
on the south side, and was buried in the church of St. Mary
of Eussin. At that time Alexander, king of Scots, rigged and
brought together many shipps, meaning to subdue the Island,
and in the isle Kerwaray he died of an aguey. Harrold, the
son of Godred Don, usurped the name of king in the islands.
All the nobles of Harrold, King Olive's son, he banished, and
placed in their stead all the princes and peers y* were fled
from the same.

Anno 1250. Harrold, the son of Godred Don, being by
missives sent for, went unto the king of Norway, who kept
him in prison because he had unjustly intruded himself into
the kingdom.

The same year there arrived at Eogalswath, Magnus the son
of Olive, and John the son of Dungald, who named himself
king ; but the people of Man, taking it to the heart y* Magnus
was not nominated, wou'd not suffer them to land. Many of
them therefore were cast away, and perished by shipwrack.

Anno 1252. Magnus, the son of Olive, came to Man, and
was made king the next year. He went to the king of
Norway, and stayed there a year.

Anno 1254. Hacco, king of Norway, ordained Magnus,
Olive's son, king of the Isles, and confirmed the same unto
him and his heirs, and by name unto his brother Harrold.

Anno 1256. Magnus, king of Man, went into England, and
was knighted by the king of England.

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134 THE CRONOGLE OF THE ISLE OF MAN.

Anno 1257. The church of St. Mary, in Eussin, was dedi-
cated by Eichard of Sodor.

Anno 1260. Hacco, king of Norway, came unto the parts
of Scotland, and, without any exploit done, turned to the
Orkneys, where, at Kyrkewal, he ended his days, and lieth
interred at Berghen.

Anno 1265. Magnus, Olive's son, king of Man and of the
Islands, departed this life at the castle of Eussin, and was
buried in the church of St. Mary of Eussin.

Anno 1266. The kingdom of the Islands was translated by
reason of Alexander, king of the Scots.

That which followeth was written in another hand, and in a later
character.

Anno 1270. Y« 7th of October Albany, set out by Alex-
ander, king of y® Scots, arrived at Eognalswath, and the next
morrow, before sunrising, a battle was fought between the
people of Man and the Scots, in which were slain of the
Manksmen 537, whereupon a certain poet played thus upon
the number : —

L decies X ter & penta duo cecidere
Manica Gens de te damnas futura cave.

Lie times told, x thrice, with five besides and twain,
Ware future harms, I read of thy folk, Man, were slain.

Anno 1313. Eobert, king of Scots, besieged the castle of
Eussin, which Dingany Dowill held against him ; but, in the
end, the king won the castle.

Anno 1316. On the Ascension-day Eichard Mandevile
and his brethren, with other potentates of Ireland, arrived at
Eognalswath, requesting them to be furnished with victuals
and silver, for that they had been robbed by the enemies war-
ring upon them continually. Now, when the commonalty of
the country had made answer y* they wou'd not give them
any, they advanced forward against those of Man with 2

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THE CRONOCLE OF THE ISLE OF MAliT. 135

troops or squadrons, until they were come as far as to the
side of Wardfell Hill,^ in a field wherein John Mandevile
remained, and there, in a fought battle, the Irish vanquished
the Manksmen, spoiled the Island, and rifled the abby of
Eussin, and, after they had continued in the Island the whole
month, they returned home with their ships fraught with
pillage.

Thus endeth the Cronocle of the Kingdom of Man.

^ Bamile.

END OF VOL. L

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THE MANX SOCIETY

70B THE

PUBLICATION OF NATIONAL DOCUMENTS.

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RULES.

1. That the aS&ira of the Society shall be conducted by a Conncil,
to meet on the first Tuesday in every month, and to consist of not
more than twenty-four Members, of whom three shall form a quorum ;
and that the President, Vice-Presidents, the Hon. Secretary, and
Treasurer shall be considered w? officio Members. The Council may
appoint two acting Committees, one for Finance and the other for
Publication.

2. That a Subscription of One Pound annually, paid in advance, on
or before the day of Annual Meeting, shall constitute Membership ; and
that every Member not in arrear of his Annual Subscription be entitled
to a copy of every publication issued by the Society. That no Member
incur any pecuniary liability beyond his Annual Subscription.

3. That the Accounts of Keceipts and Expenditure be examined
annually by two Auditors appointed at the Annual Meeting on the 1st
of May in each year.

4. That Six Copies of his Work be allowed to the Editor of the
same, in addition to the one he is entitled to as a Member.

5. That no Rule shall be made or altered except at a General Meet-
ing, after due notice of the proposed alteration has been given as the
Council shall direct. The Council shall have the power of calling
Extraordinary Meetings.

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LIST OP MEMBERS.

HEB MAJESTY THE QUEEN.

Adamson, Lawrence, Newcastle-on-Tyne.
Allen, A. S., Colonel, Bichniond, Surrey.
Anderson, Wm. J., Major 82d Regiment.
Archer, Robert, Douglas.

Babnwbll, Bev. E. L., M.A., Melksliam

House, Wilts.
Bishop, Mfgor, The Turrets, Colchester.
Booth, William, Holly Bank, Manchester.
Bridson, Henry, F.B.S.A., Dartmoor.
Bridson, John, Liverpool.
Bridson, Joseph R., Bridge House, Bol-

ton'-le- Moors.
Bridson, Thos. Ridgway, Torquay,
British Museum, London.
Brown, John A., Douglas.

Cadmait, Charles Wm., Everton, Liver-
pool.

Cadman, Henry, Howstrake, Conchan.

Caine, Capt. Chas., Aigburth, Liverpool

Caine, Rev. WiUiam, M.A., Manchester.

Callow, Thomas C, Douglas.

Carr, Rev. James, Formby, near Liver-
pool

Chetham Library, Manchester.

Christian, Rev. W. Bell, B.A., H.K.,
Milntown.

Christian, W. Watson, Ramsey.

Clucas, John Thomas, Sunnyside, Douglas.

Corrin, Tom, Castletown.

Cowle, James, Douglas.

Coxe, Rev. H. 0., M.A., Oxford.

Crellin, John F., Orrysdale, Michael.

Curphey, Mrs. H., Douglas.

Curphey, Rev. W. T., Bridport, Dorset.

Dalrymfle, William, H.K., Bumside,

Braddan.
Derby, Rt Hon. the Earl of, Knowsley.
Dixon, James, Ormskirk.
Drinkwater, Deemster, Kirby.
Drinkwater, P. B., Torquay.
Dumbell, Geo. William, H.K.) Belmont,

Douglas.

Ebeinqton, Rt Rev. Dr., Bath.

Fabgheb, John C, Douglas.

Fairant, Edward Curphey, H.E.4 Balla-

killinghan, Lezayre.
Forbes, David, F.R.S., London.

Gabbet, p. L., Douglas — TreasTirer,

GeU, James, Attorney-General, Castle-
town.

Gell, William, Douglas.

Gelling, Frederick L., Castletown.

Galling, Richai*d, Windsor Terrace,
Douglas.

Goldsmith, Henry, Ramsey.

Goldsmith, John, Douglas — Hon, Sec,

Hardy, William, Keeper of the Records

of the Duchy of Lancaster, London.
Harris, Samuel, High Bailiff of Douglas.
Harrison, Ridgway, Receiver General, eta,

Woodside House.
Harrison, Rev. Stephen, Dhoon.
Harrison, William, Rock Mount, St.

John's.
Hope, Hon. Charles, late Lieut-Governor

of the Isle of Man.

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140

LIST OF MEMBERS.

Howard, Rev. W. W., M.A., Inspector

of Schools, Exeter.
Hutton, Re?. W. M., Vicar of Lezayre.

Imperial Library, Strasburg.

Jackson, William, St. Bees.

Jeffcott, J. M., H.K., High BaiM of

Castletown.
Jefferson, Joseph, India.
Jenkinson, H. J., Keswick.
Jewitt, Llewellyn, F.S.A., Matlock —

Hon, Member.
Jones, Rev. Joshua J., D.O.L., King

William's Coll^.

Eellt, Robert James, Ramsey.

Kelly, Mrs. Gordon W., Oxney House,

Chelmsford.
Kermode, Rev. William, Vicar of

Maughold.
Kewley, James, Rolls Office, Castletown.
Keys, House of. Isle of Man*
Kinley, Philip, Douglas.
Kyrke, R. V., Stainsby Hall, Wrexham.

Lace, Francis J., Stonne Gappe, York-
shire.

Laughton, Alfred N., Douglas.

Law Library, Douglas.

Liverpool iS-ee Public Library.

Lloyd, Robert, Oakwood, Kent.

Loch, Henry B., C.B., Lieut -Governor
of the Isle of Man — President,

Lumsden, William, Glenaspet, Patrick.

MACKENzns, John W., F.S.A., Edinburgh.
Maxwell, Sir W. S., Bart, Keir, N.B.
Moor, Rev. John Frewen, M.A., Bath.
Moore, Rev. John Stevenson, Swansea.
Moore, Joseph C, the Ven. Archdeacon.
Moore, Robert J., HK., High Bailiff of
Peel.

Moore, William F., Cronkboume^
Braddan.

Noble, Henry B., Villa Marina, Douglas.

OwEN*8 College, Manchester.

Pole, C. Chandos, Falkner St, Liver-
pooL

QUABITCH, Bernard, Piccadilly, London.

Ready, Lieutenant-Colonel, Canada.
Robinson, William, Bolton-le-Moors.
Rogers, Alfred S., Manchester.
Rowe, Richard, HK., Min-y-don, Douglas.

Shebwood, Richard, H.K., Derby Square,
Douglas.

Simpson, Rev. Samuel, M.A., Clifton,
BristoL

Smith, Heniy, Egremont, Cheshire.

Society, Anthropological, London — Hon,
Members.

Society of Antiquaries, Royal, London —
Hon. Members.

Society of Antiquaries, Royal, Scotland
— Hon. Members.

Society of Antiquaries, Newcastle-upon-
Tyne — Hon. Members.

Sodor and Man, the Lord Bishop of.

Steele, Alexander, Ph.D., Douglas.

Stewart, Mrs. Hugh Dunn, Whithorn.

Sutherland, His Grace the Duke of.

Swinnerton, Charles, Douglas.

Swinnerton, Robert, Douglas.

Talbot, Rev. Theophilus, Douglas.
Taubman, J. S. Goldie, HK.,

Nunnery, Douglas.
Trinity College, Dublin.

The

Watts, Edwin L., Douglas. '
Wrigh^ George, Oxford Road, Man-
chester.

The Hon. Secretary requests that any change of address or irregularity in the
delivery of the books may be communicated to him. Members at a distance are
requested to acknowledge the receipt of their copies to Mr. John Goldsmith, Hon.
Secretary, 7 Peel Road, Douglas, to whom also their Subscriptions maybe remitted.

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PUBLICATIONS OF THE MANX SOCIETY.

For the First Year— 1858-59.

Vol, L — An Account of the Isle of Man, with a Voyage to I-
Columb-kill. By William Sacheverell, Esq., late Governor of Man.
1703. With a dissertation about the Mona of Csesar and Tacitus,
and an Account of the Ancient Druids, by Mr. Thomas Brown. Edited,
with introductory notice and copious notes, by the Rev. J. G. Cum-
miug, M.A., RGS. 300 copies printed. Pp. xvi. 204. A Pedigree.

Vol. II. — ^A Practical Grammar of the Antient Gaelic or Language
of the Isle of Man, usually called Manx. By the Rev. John Kelly,
LL.D. Edited, with an Introduction, Life of Dr. Kelly, and Notes, by
the Rev. William Gill, Vicar of Malew. 322 copies printed. Pp.
xlviii. 92.

For the Second Year — 1859-60.

Vol. III. — ^Legislation by Three of the Thirteen Stanleys, Brings of
Man, including the letter of the Seventh Earl of Derby, as published in
Peck's " Desiderata Curiosa." Edited,' with Introduction and Notes, by
the Rev. William Mackenzie. 402 copies printed. Pp. xix. 224. Plate.

Vol. IV. — Monumenta de Insula Manniee, or a Collection of
National Documents relating to the Isle of Man. Translated and
edited, with Appendix, by J. R. Oliver, Esq., MJ). VoL i. 316
copies printed. Pp. xv. 244. Plate.

Vol. V. — ^Vestigia InsulsQ MannisQ Antiquiora ; or a Dissertation on
the Armorial Bearings of the Isle of Man, the Regalities and Preroga-
tives of its Ancient Kings, and the Original Usages, Customs, Privi-
leges, Laws, and Constitutional Government of the Manx People. By
H. R. Oswald, Esq., F.A.S., L.R.C.S.E. 310 copies printed. Pp. ix.
218. Ten plates.

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142 PUBLICATIONS OF THE SOCIETY.

For the Third Year— 1860-61.

Vol. VI. — A Tour throngli tlie Island of Mann in 1797 and 1798 ;
comprising sketches of its ancient and modem History, Constitution,
Laws, Commerce, Agriculture, Fishery, etc. By John Feltham.
Edited, with Notes, by the Rev. Robert Airey, 305 copies printed.
Pp. xvi 272. Map. Four plates. Three Woodcuts.

Vol. VII. — Monumenta de Insula Manniee ; or a CoUection of
National Documents relating to the Isle of Man, Translated and
Edited by J. R. Oliver, Esq., M.D. Vol. ii 311 copies printed. Pp.
xxL 250. Map.

Vol. VIII. — Bibliotheca Monensis : a Bibliographical Account of
Works relating to the Isle of Man. By William Harrison, Esq.,
M.H.K 308 copies printed. Pp. viii. 208.

For the Fourth Year — 1861-62.

Vol. IX. — ^Monumenta de Insula Manniae ; or a Collection of
National Documents relating to the Isle of Man. Translated and
Edited, with Appendix and Indices, by J, R. Oliver, Esq., MJ).
VoL iii. 300 copies printed. Pp. 272.

Vol. X. — ^A Short Treatise of the Isle of Man. By James Chal-
oner. Governor of the Island from 1658 to 1660. Published originally
in 1666 in King's " Vale Royal of England, or the County Palatine of
Chester." Edited, with an Introductory Notice and copious Notes, by
the Rev. J. Q. Cumming, M.A., F.G.S. 300 copies printed. Pp. vii.
138. Map. Four plates. Five pedigrees.

For the Fifth Year— 1862-63.

Vol. XI. — ^A Description of the Isle of Man ; with some useful
and entertaining reflections on the Laws, Customs, and Manners of the
Inhabitants. By George Waldron, Gent., late of Queen's College, Oxon.
1731. Edited, with an Introductory Notice and Notes, by William
Harrison, Esq., M.HJ&. 300 copies printed. Pp. xxv. 156. Plate.

Vol. XIL — ^An Abstract of the Laws, Customsj and Ordinances of
the Me of Man ; compiled by John Parr, Esq., formerly one of the
Deemsters of the Island. Edited, with Notes, by James Gell, Esq.,
Attorney-General of the Isle of Man. VoL i 310 copies printed.
Pp. xvL 241.

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PUBUCATIONS OF THE SOCIETY. 143

For the Sixth Year— 1863-64

Vol. XIII. — Fockleyr Manninagh as Baarlagh, Liorish Juan y
Kelly. Edited by the Rev. William Gill, Vicar of Malew. Part i.

An EDglish and Manx Dictionary, prepared from Dr. Kelly's Trig-
lot Dictionary, with alterations and additions from the Dictionaries of
Archibald Cregeen and John Ivon Mosley. By the Rev. William QiU
and the Rev. J. T. Clarke. Part ii. 500 copies printed. Pp. 432.

For the Seventh Year — 1864-65.

Vol. XIV. — Memorials of " God's Acre," being Monumental Inscrip-
tions in the Isle of Man, taken in the Summer of 1797. By John
Feltham and Edward Wright. Edited, with an Introductory Notice,
by William Harrison, Esq. 300 copies printed. Pp. xv. 132. Six
Plates.

Vol. XV. — Antiquitates Mannise ; or a Collection of Memoirs on
the Antiquities of the Isle of Man. Edited by the Rev. J. G. Gum-
ming, MA., F.G.S. 300 copies printed. Pp. viii. 140, Twenty-four
plates. Eleven woodcuts.

For the Eighth Year^1865-66.

Vol. XVI. — Mona Miscellany. A Selection of Proverbs and Say-
ings, Ballads, Customs, Superstitions, and Legends, peculiar to the Isle
of Man. Collected and Edited by William Harrison. 261 copies
printed. Pp. xv. 241. Music to three Songs.

Vol. XVn. — Currency of the Isle of Man, from its earliest appear-
ance to its assimilation with the British Coinage in 1840 ; with the
Laws and other circumstances connected with its History, Edited by
Charles Clay, M.D., Manchester. With articles on Paper Currency,
Treasure Trove, etc, by J. FrisseU Crellin, Esq., M.H.K. 250 copies
printed. Pp. xi. 215.. lUustrated extensively with Photographs,
Lithographs, and Woodcuts.

For. THE Ninth Year— 1866-67.

Vol. XVIII.— The Old Historians of the Isle of Man— Camden,
Speed, Dugdale, Cox, Wilson, Willis, and Grose. Edited by William
Harrison. 209 copies printed. Pp. xiv, 199. Three Maps and thir-
teen Plates.

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144 PUBLICATIONS OF THE SOCIETY.

For the Tenth Year— 1867-68.

Vol. XIX. — ^Records of the Tynwald and St. John's Chapels in the
Me of Man. By William Harrison. With an Appendix, containing
an Account of the Duke of Atholl taking possession of the Isle of Man
in 1736. Also, A Lay of Ancient Mona. 263 copies printed. Pp
xiv. 148. Fourteen Plates.

For the Eleventh and Twelfth Years — 1868-69-70.

(No Works issued for these Years or Subscriptions collected.)

For the Thirteenth Year — 1870-71.

Vol. XX. — Manx Miscellanies. VoL i. Containing — 1. Selec-
tions from " Paradise Lost," a Poem, by John Milton, translated into
the Manx Language by the Kev. Thomas Christian, Vicar of Marown,
in 1796. 2. The Emerald Vernicle of the Vatican. By C. W. King,
^LAu, with Notes by "Aspen." With a Portrait of Our Saviour.

3. Ancient Portraitures of Our Lord. After the type of the Emerald
Vernicle given by Bajazet IL to Pope Innocent VIIL By Albert Way.

4. The Seal of Thomas, Bishop of the Isle of Man. By R L. Barn-
well, MA. With an Engraving of the Seal. 5. Poetical Description
of the Isle of Man in Manx. By Joseph Bridson, 1 760. Bendered into
English by Mr. John Quirk of Cam-ny-Qreie, Patrick. 6. Diary of
James, Vllth Earl of Derby, who was beheaded at Bolton-in-the-Moors,
October 16th, 1651, aged 46 years. With Notes by Mr. Paul Bridson,
Hon. Sec. 260 copies printed.

Vol. XXL Mona Miscellany. A Selection of Proverbs, Sayings,
Ballads, Customs, Superstitions, and Legends, peculiar to the Isle of
Man, Second Series. Collected and Edited by William Harrison,
Esq., Author of '* Bibliotheca Monensis.** Pp. xvi. 286. Two Plates.
With Music to one Song. 208 copies printed.

For the Fourteenth Year — 1871-72.

Vol. XXIL— Chronica Regum Manniaa et Insularum. The Chro-
nicle of Man and the Sudreys, from the Manuscript Codex in the British
Museum, with Historical Notes. By P. A. Munch, Professor of History
in the Royal University of Christiania, Hon. F.RA.S.S. Revised,
annotated, and furnished with additional Documents, and English

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PUBLICATIONS OF THE SOCIETY. 145

Translations of the Chronica and of the Latin Documents, by the
Right Rev. Dr. Goss. Vol. L Pp. xxviii. 264. Two Plates. 165 copies
printed.

Vol. XXIIL — The Chronicle of Man and the Sudreys. Vol. ii.
Containing Documents referred to. Pp. 265-436. 155 copies printed.

For the Fifteenth Year — 1872-73.

Vol. XX TV. — Bibliotheca Monensis : a Bibliographical Account of
Works relating to the Isle of Man. New Edition. Revised, corrected,
and enlarged. By William Harrison. 156 copies printed. Pp. zii 312.

For the Sekteenth Year— 1873-74

Vol. XXV. — A History of the Isle of Man, written by William
BlundeU, Esq., of Crosby, County Lancaster. 1648-1656. Printed
from a Manuscript in the possession of the Manx Society. Edited by
William Harrison. VoL L 150 copies printed. Pp. xtx. 154.

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146 PROPOSED PUBLICATIONS.

WOEKS SUGGESTED FOR PUBLICATION.

1. Memoirs of Mark Hildesley, Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man.
By the Rev. Wheedon Butler, 1790. With Selections from the
Appendix, containing many interesting Letters to and from his Clergy,
etc, together with additional Correspondence, not inserted therein, of a
local character.

2. Tabular Statement of the Archdeacons, Rectors, Vicars, and In-
cumbents of the several Parishes and Districts of Man, with the dates
of their Inductions ; in whose Presentation, whether in the gift of the
Crown or Bishop ; and cause of Vacancy.

3. A Volume of Church Notes, including an Account of St.
Matthew's Chapel, Douglas. Extracts from the various Parish Regis-
ters of Births, Marriages, Deaths, etc. Lord Derby's Letter to apply
money to build the Chapel at Castletown.

4. Manx Miscellanies, viz. —

1. Biographical Notices of the Kings, Governors, Bishops,

Deemsters, Keys, and other Officials, from the earliest
times. Chronologically arranged.

2. Proceedings respecting Scrope, Earl of Wiltshire, 1399.

3. Proceedings respecting the Abbey of Rushen, 1541.

4. Grant of Abbey Lands, 1610.

5. Lord Manchester's Decree respecting Abbey Lands, 1632.

6. Appeal allowed from the Bishop to York, and proceedings

thereon.

7. The Charge of the Revenue of the Isle of Man from the

5th October 1759 to 5th October 1760, including the
Abbey Temporalities, Disbursements for Salaries, and
Pensions to Officers, Soldiers, etc., for Rushen and Peel
Garrisons, and Douglas, Ramsey, and Derby Forts, under
the control of Daniel Mylrea, Receiver-General.

8. A List of the Inhabitants of Douglas, with their Names,

Residence, etc., in 1730.

9. Memoirs of Thomas Bushell, the Recluse of the Calf,
10. Godred Crovan. A Poem by Chatterton.

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The seventeenth ANNUAL REPORT of the
COUNCIL OF THE MANX SOCIETY, for the
Year ending 1st May 1875.

The Council of the Manx Society liave during the past year been
enabled to place in the hands of Members the three volumes which
have been alluded to in former Reports. The first publication being
voL i. of the " Manx Miscellanies." VoL xx. of the series has, from a
variety of causes, been hitherto delayed, contains documents highly in-
teresting to the Manx scholar, to the contents of which the Council beg
to call attention, particularly to the beauty of the seal of Thomas,
Bishop of Man, engraved from an impression in wax taken from the
origiiial seal, the particulars of which have been given in the paper
drawn up by the Rev. E. L. Barnwell, of Melksham. The other
illustration in this volume — ^The Portraiture of our Lord — is taken
from the ancient picture left by the Will of the Rev. Philip Moore,
Rector of Bride, 1783, and for many years chaplain of St. Matthew's
Chapel, Douglas, "to remain with the resident chaplain there."
Other papers of an interesting character are in preparation to form a
second volume of these Miscellanies. Vols. xxii. and xxiii. of this
year's issue consist of vols, i and ii. of Chronica Regum Mannice et Insu-
larwm; the Chronicle of Man and the Sudreys, from the Manuscript
Codex in the British Museum, with Historical Notes by P. A. Munch,
Professor of History in the Royal University of Christiania, Hon,
F.RA.S.S., "revised, annotated, and furnished with additional docu-
ments and English translations of the Chronica, and of the Latin docu-
ments, by the Right Rev. Dr. Qoss.'* On the death of Dr. Goss his
papers were placed in the hands of Dr. Errington of Bath, who kindly
undertook to pass them through the press, and to which he has appended!
many additional valuable notes, as also a preface to this edition ; to

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148 SEVENTEENTH KEPORT.

wluch is added for the first time a short memoir of Professor Munch,
and a copy of his portrait

The Manx Society have to acknowledge their thanks for permission
to print Professor Munches work in their series — this Chronicle form-
ing, as it does, with the prefeu^e and the documents contained in the
appendix, and the notes appended at foot, almost a mediseval history of
Manx affairs, which the Council with every confidence place before the
Members of the Manx Society ; and to express their thanks for the un-
wearied exertions and perseverance on the part of the late Dr. Goss,
which with him was a labour of love ; as abo to Dr. Errington for the
able manner with which he has brought his late friend's work to a ter-
mination. The materials brought together in these volumes will be of
incalculable benefit to the future historian of this Me, and will, it is
to be hoped, be the means of inducing others to search into the various
records deposited in Scotland, Ireland, and other places, for the further
elucidation of the early history of Man ; so as, in the words of Dr.
Errington — ** It is surely not too much to expect that in a very few
years more we shall be able to carry back a connected and fairly de-
veloped account of the afiairs of the Island at least up to the time of
its conversion to Christianity ; and that, viewed from this point, the
details of the prospect beyond may be gradually unfolded."

The Council feel called upon to report, with deep regret, the loss
this Society has sustained by the recent death of another member of its
society — Miss Wilks, of Douglas. This lady, from the commencement
of the Society, has invariably evinced a warm interest in its proceedings
and success, and has contributed by her pen to several articles con-
nected therewith.

The Council would further observe — ^by death and removal this
Society has lost during the past year eight Subscribers ; whereas, on
the other hand, it has gained seven new Members, including Trinity
College, Dublin, and the Imperial Library at Strasburg.

The Publications contemplated^ or in progress, are : -^

1st. " The Poetical Works of the late John Stowell." Edited by the
High-Bailiff of PeeL

^d» " Parr's Abstract,** Part ii. By the Attorney-General of the

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SEVENTEENTH EEPORT. 149

Me of Man, wbicli he hopes, with the assistance of his son, to com-
plete this next year.

Zd. " History of the Isle of Man in MS." written in or about 1648 ;
the whole being now in the hands of a transcriber for the purpose of
publication, and will no doubt form not only an interesting but an
amusing account of the Island at that period.

4th, " The Manx Doomsday Book." Edited by Richard Sherwood,
Esq., H.K., and Member of the Manx Bar.

These two last volumes will, it is hoped, form the yolimies for this
next year.

A Balance-sheet for the last year is appended, by which it will
appear that there remains to the credit of this Society at the 1st instant
the sum of £574:14 : 2.

Head and adopted at the Annual Greneral Meeting, held in St
James' Hall, this 12th day of June 1875.

HENRY B. LOCH,
President.

Douglas, 12^ Jtme 1875.

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The eighteenth ANNUAL KEPORT of the
COUNCIL OF THE MANX SOCIETY, for the
Yeax ending 1st May 1876.

The Council have to regret that owing to tlie continued indisposition
of the late Honorary Secretary, Mr. Paul Bridson, during a great portion
of the current year, they have been unable to issue to the Members the
volume alluded to in their last yearns Keport. Considerable progress
has, however, been made in the printing of several volumes, which
may be confidently expected to be placed in the hands of the Members
in a very short time, viz. —

1. ^ The Manx Doomsday Book f copies of the Manorial Bolls of
the Isle of Man, edited by Richard Sherwood, Esq., H.K. The original
Rolls have been photographed by the kind permission of Rddgway Harri-
son, Esq., Seneschal, and an English version by the learned editor,
which, for the most part, b abeady printed. The Council have little
doubt this volume will prove a valuable and interesting addition to
their series.

2. " A History of the Isle of Man," written by William Blundelb
Esq. of Crosby, county Lancaster, 1648, from a manuscript in the
possession of the Manx Society, in two volumes, edited by William
Harrison, Esq. This History is now printed for the first time, and the
first volume is almost printed, and will be issued without delay ; the
second volume may be looked for in the course of the year.

3. " Bibliotheca Monensis.'* A Bibliographical Account of Works
relating to the Isle of Man ; a second and greatly enlarged Edition, by
William Harrison, Esq. This edition contains upwards of three
hundred additional articles, besides many additions to those previously
noticed. This work is also nearly printed, and will be issued shortly*

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152 EIGHTEENTH EEPORT.

The Publications contemplated, or in progress, are : —

1. '' An Abstract of the Laws, Customs, and Ordinances of the Isle
of Man," by Deemster Parr. Edited by James Gell, Esq., Her Majesty's
Attomey-Qeneral for the Isle of Man. Part II.

2. *^ Journals of the House of Keys : Documents illustrating the
History of the Isle of Man.'' Edited by J. M. Jeffcott, Esq., H.K.,
High-Bailiff of Castletown.

3. " The Poetical Works of the late John Stowell, with his Life,
from a MS. by the Rev. Hugh Stowell, Rector of Ballaugh, Edited by
R J. Moore, Esq., H.K., High-Bailiff of PeeL

4. "A Volume of Church Notes, including an Account of St
Mark's Chapel, Malew, from the Rev. J. T. Clarke's Notes, Extracts
from Parish Registers, etc." Edited by William Harrison, Esq., of
Rock Mount

5. " Manx Miscellanies." Volume IL Various Documents are in
the hands of the Council ready to form a second series.

6. " Records, and other Documents relating to the Life and Times
of William Christian, Receiver-General of the Isle of Man, commonly
known as ' niiam Dh6ne.' Copies of all the documents in the Public
Record Office, London, as well as the depositions taken prior to his
condemnation, have been now obtained, and wiU be for the first time
printed, together with a Digest of the Transactions of that period of
Manx History." Edited by William Harrison, Esq., of Rock Mount.

The Council recommend for the consideration of the Members the
desirability of not calling in the Subscriptions for the current year,
1876-77, in consequence of no work having been issued during the
last year, and considering the amount of the balance in the Treasurer's
hands ; at the same time, they urgently call upon those Members who
have not paid up the whole of their Subscriptions due, including the
year 1875-76, to place the amount in the Treasurer's hands, to enable
them to receive the volumes just about to be issued.

The publications and papers belonging to the Society having
hitherto been in the custody of their late Honorary Secretary, Paul
Bridson, Esq., the Council considered it advisable to obtain a room in
which to deposit them, as also to hold their General Meetings in.
They have accordingly rented a room at No. 20 Atholl Street, Douglas^

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EIGHTEENTH BEPORT. 153

and fainiBlied the same, wliicli they trust will meet with the approval
of the Members.

The Council cannot conclude their Report without expressing their
regret at the loss the Society has sustained in the death of their late
Honorary Secretary and Treasurer, Mr. Paul Bridson. From the forma-
tion of the Society in 1858, until the time of his death in February
last, he took a most lively interest in its welfare, and was ever ready
to forward, by every means in Ms power, the objects of the Society,
and by his gentle urbanity endeared himself to every one with whom
he came in contact His loss will be felt by all

A Balance-sheet for the year is appended hereto, by which it will
appear that there remains to the credit of the Society, on the 1st of May
last, the sum of £566 : 6s.

Bead and adopted at the Annual Greneral Meeting, held at the
Society's Boom, 20 AthoU Street, Douglas, this 3d day of July 1876.

HENBY R LOCH,

President,

Douglas, Zd July 1876.

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