Children's rights
Customary Statutes, 1577.
(2) Also we give for Law, that if there be any Man or Woman that mislike their Children's behaviour the Parties making their Will before the Priest and Clerk, or sufficient Witnesses, that then if the Parties do bequeath to their said Children but 6d. they can claim no more for their Child's Part of Goods, except they die without any Will making, and then all the Children are Executors by the Law; and if they make their Wills, they may give their Goods and make Executors whom they please.

Spiritual Laws, circa 1589.

(2) Also, everyone that dieth intestate, the Bishop or his Vicar General shall constitute and ordain his Children (legitimately begotten) to be joint Executors, provided always those being unmarried, and those that are married their Dowry cutteth them off from having any further Portion of Goods.

(3) Also, if any make their Testament and leave not 6d. Legacy unto their Children unmarried, (legitimately begotten) or the value thereof, that then the Ordinary may lawfully make him or her Executors with the rest.

(7) Also, if either Father or Mother depart having Children, if the said Children be of Years of Discretion, that is to say 14 years of Age, they may divide Goods either with Father or Mother, and may repair to whom they will.

(9) Also, if either Father or Mother depart, having Children not come to Years of Discretion, being left Executors, and if any of them depart, the Ordinary [ie court] shall make the rest, being alive, Executors ; and in case all die under Age, then the Goods shall return to the Kindred next from whence it came.

Note here the reason for the 6d legacy that so often occurs in the Manx wills - in some cases it is punishment but in the majority of cases it is an insurance policy that no-one who could later dispute the will has been forgotten. However Ashley glosses:

Manx children could thus be cut off with sixpence. They could not, however, be disinherited merely by being omitted from a parent's will ; they must have something, and they received their proportionate share unless 6d. or more, or goods to at least that value, were allotted to them. It has to be remembered that 6d. was a more substantial sum then than now. Even in 1702 it would buy two hens or ducks, six large lobsters, or six dozen eggs, and it went further still in the sixteenth century.