[From IoM Charities, 1831]

LIBRARIES.

From the Life of Bishop Wilson, page 58, A. D. 1699.

"By the encouragement and assistance of mv worthy friend Dr. Thomas Bray, and other benefactors, I began a foundation of Parochial Libraries in my Diocese; which, by the good blessing of God, I have been improving ever since with books practical and devotional."

August 3d, 1728. " Mr. Stephen Hales, Minister off Teddington, near Hampton Court, gave or procured about fifty pounds in Bibles, Common Prayers, Testaments, and Whole Duties of Man, for the use of the poor, and Law's Christian Perfection for our Parochial Libraries. May God restore it seven fold into his bosom."

Extract front Act of Tynwald, intituled " An Act for the encouragement of any Rector or Vicar to build or repair a convenient Dwelling house and Out-houses on any Church Glebe within this Isle." A. D. 1734.

" And whereas several well-disposed persons have given a number of useful and practical books to the several parishes of this Isle; in order to preserve the same from embezzlement, and that all future benefactors may be satisfied that their pious intent shall not be frustrate; Be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, that every Rector, Vicar, or Curate, or their Executors or Administrators, shall be accountable for such books as are already remaining, or shall hereafter be given, or the full value.of the same: and every Rector, Vicar, or Curate shall, immediately after his induction or Iycence, make a new catalogue of all the books belonging to their respective Churches, and shall deliver the same to the Episcopal Register, to the end that the said books may be accounted for and made good, according to the purport of this Act.",

A catalogue of the books now remaining in the parish of Kirk Bride is subjoined, which may serve to shew what the Parochial Libraries were; though this is said to have been one of the most extensive, from the contributions of the Rev. Philip Moore, Schoolmaster at Douglas, who was Rector of Kirk Bride. The following Memoranda from the Parochial Register may also serve to shew what several of the Parochial Libraries now are :~

"The Rev. Hugh Stowell entered on the Vicarage of Kirk Lonan, April 18, 1802, and found the Parochial Library in a most ruinous and tattered state. The only entire books were, Law's Christian Perfection, A Brief Exposition of the Church Catechism, part of Sherlock on Providence, part of Pearson on the Creed, with several leaves and fragments of old books.

" N. B. Recovered three vols. of Bishop Wilson's Annotations on the Bible."

" The Rev. D. Harrison instituted to the said Vicarage at Easter, 1817, found only the following books belonging to the Parochial Library, viz., Lawns Christian Perfection, in bad order, and Bishop Wilson Bible, greatly abused.

" D. H."

"The Rev. Joseph Qualtrough was instituted to the Vicarage of Lonan at Easter, 1824, and found no trace of a Parochial Library, except Bishop Wilson's Bible, and even that requiring a new binding."

KIRK BRIDE LIBRARY.

Upon Swearing, by a Gentleman.
Clarke, on Christens Divinity.
An Old Testament.
West, on the Resurrection. Law,
on Christian Perfection. St. John,
on Study. Berriman,
God Manifested in the Flesh.
Sharp's Sermons.
Judgment of Jews, by a Minister.
Law of Covenants. L'Estrange,
on Seneca's Morals.
Tillotson's Sermons.
Tuam, on the Church of Rome.
Burnets Pastoral Care.
Chirurgery, by Cook.
Fleetwood, upon Miracles.
Example of Christ.
Parker, on a Religious Life.
Wiseman, on Wounds.
Bonnell, Esq. his Life.
Walton, upon different Lives.
Spellman~s Gentleman Religion.
Reformation of Manners, by the Lords Spiritual.
Boemi, a Latin School Book.
State of England, by Bishop Burnet.
Simon, (a Bishop) Meditations and Prayers.
Bernet, concerning the Sacrament.
Letters, by Matthew Hale.
Matthew Hale, his Life.
Tully's Offices.
Against Swearing, by Wm. Wake.
Kettlewell, the Way to Die
Well. Rose, Genesis Expounded. Medicine, by Dr. Sincritus, a learned Frenchman.
Pastoral Letter. Defaced and useless.
Minister's Advice.
Bishop Wilson's Life and Sermons, 2 vole.
Bishop Hopkins' Works, folio: Sermons.
Bishop of Chester's Works: The Creed Expounded.
Lucian's Dialogues.
Allen's Select Discourses on Faith.
Bray's Works on Church Catechism.
Craddock, on Knowledge.
Rodgers, Works on Naaman the Syrian.
Homilee Book.
Nelson, on the Fasts.
Heylin's Works: Sermons.
Glasses Works on the Festivals.
On Physic, by Philip Barrough.
Lounges Historical Dissertation.
KettlewelPs Sermons.
Johnson's Works: The Unbloody Sacrifice.
Blair's Sermons, 4 vole.
Stephenson, concerning Eloquence.
Watts' Sermons.
Godwin, on the Roman Antiquities.
Sherlock: Christian Practice and Future Judgment.
Fox's Testament.
An Essay on the Psalms, by Harley.
Young, on Idolatrous Corruptions.
Manks Testament.
Lock, on Human Understanding.
Conyer, on Popery.
History of Scotland.
Bragge, on the Passions.
Bacon, on Councils, Civil and Moral.

CASTLETOWN LIBRARY.

Licence, 1706.

"whereas the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of this Isle hath proposed to have a Public Library built in some convenient place within this town, and there being a piece of waste ground near the house of Arthur Halsall, porter, which his Lordship thinks a proper place to erect the said Library, therefore his Lordship is licenced to enclose and take in the said parcel of waste ground for his use aforesaid, provided the Great Enquest of this Sheading do first view the same, and see that it be no way prejudicial to any highway or water-course, and return certificate thereof to the Records.

Given under my hand at Castletown, this 13th day of May, 1706.

ROBERT MAWDESLEY.''

Sale from the Lord Bishop to the Keys, dated November; 1818.

"whereas it is recited in and by a Deed under the hand and seal of Thomas, then Lord Bishop of Sodor and Mann, bearing date the 3d Jany. 1706,7, that he the said Lord Bishop, intending to erect a Library upon a parcel of ground situated in the town of Castletown, and which had been taken to rent by Licence, bearing date the 13th day of May 1706, had, in consideration of the sum of twenty pounds to him assured by the 24 Keys of this Isle, consented and agreed for himself and his successors, that the rooms under the said Library should be set apart solely for the use of the 24 Keys, to be the place of their sitting and meeting for ever, and which said rooms have accordingly been and remain in the use and occupation of the said 24 Keys from the said year 1706 until the day of the date hereof; and whereas the said Building and Library have fallen into decay, and have become irreparable and useless, therefore know all men by these presents, that I, George, Lord Bishop of Sodor and Mann, for and in consideration of the sum of twenty pounds Brit. to me paid by John Taubman, Esqr. Speaker for and in behalf of himself and others the Members of the House of Keys, have given, granted," &c. &c.

The books remaining in this Library were removed to the Free Grammar School, where there are at present about 1100 volumes. £20 have lately been expended, by direction of the Lord Bishop, in re-binding some of the books.

The Chapel Library at Douglas.

This Library, established by Bishop Wilson, is kept in the house wherein the Chaplain resides, and a Catalogue of the books is inserted in the Register, with the names of the persons by whom the books were presented. Bishop Hildesley bequeathed above two hundred volumes to this Library.