[From Annals of Kirk Christ Lezayre]

CHAPTER V - PARTICLES AND BISHOP'S BARONY.

Particles

THE " Particles " were lands set aside for the support of " scholars " in other words, educational endowments. Not very much is known about them. It has been suggested that they were granted by King Olaf I (1114-1154). The facts that in Lezayre they completely surround the Bishop's Barony, and that that Barony was only granted in 1257 by King Magnus, points to a later date, at least as far as the Lezayre Particles are concerned. There are two references to them. The first is in 1403.

For Luke MacQuyn.

5 Hen. IV.

The King to all whom, etc., greeting. Know that we have conceded of our special grace, to Luke MacQuyn, of the Island of Man, Scholar, certain alms called particles, in the island aforesaid, vacant, as said, and in our gift, and which alms are appropriated to the support of certain poor scholars of the island aforesaid, and which were given, confirmed and conceded perpetually to the scholars by our predecessors, former kings of England ; to have and to hold to the same Luke the alms aforesaid, as long as he shall remain a scholar for the benefit of the Church, and shall not be promoted. In which, etc., witness the King at Abyndon, the 26th day of December.

By the King himself." ¹

By 1429 the Particles were not being put to proper use.

"A Court of all the Commons of Mann, holden at the Castle of Rushen bewixt the Gates, by Henry Byron, Lieutenant of Mann, upon Tuesday next after the xxth clay of Christmas, Anno Domini 1430.....

In the same Court Finlo McKey, with the rest of his Fellows, were called upon to answer upon diverse Articles touching the said King of Man, the which they presented by their Oaths before Gubon McCubon, Clearke, Commissary to Richard Pully, Bishop of Sodor, in his Visitation, holden at Hallandtowne, in the Yeare of our Lord God 1129, as appeareth by the Writeing of the said Gubon, Clearke. Amonge other, the Particles were ordained to the Reliefe of poor Scholars, and now are dealt with unto other Use, by the Fault of the Bopp. And the said Finlo, and Jenkin Lucason, with their Fellows afforesaid, say that they will not pay the Debts of holy Church untill this be corrected as the Law will, and the old Constitutions, as by the said Presentment annexed to this. And upon that the Lieutenant asketh the Deemster what the Law of Man will of the said Enquest ; for as much as they attempted the King's Right and Inheritance of his Land of Man, and his Prerogatives, without his Lease or his Lieutenant's; the Deemster, upon that, made Gubon Clearke, and the said Enquest, to answer to the said Articles, and shewed Gubon Clearke, his own Writing of the Articles above written, and he acknowledged that it was his own Hand Writing, and put him to the Lord's Grace for the Writing of the Articles, and the takeing. And then Jenkin Lucason was asked of the Deemsters what Answer he would give ; and he said Not Guilty, and that he would put himself to God and the Countrey ; that he never was sworn, nor knew of the said Presentment. Finlo McKey, with his Fellows, made the same Answer, and put themselves likewise to the Countrey. Patrick McKermott and his fellows answered severally, and acknowledged their Faults, and put themselves to the Lord's Grace. And upon the Answer of the said Phinlo McKey, etc., an Enquest of xxiiij were called and sworne, that is to say, Willm. Yveno, with the rest of his Fellows, to the number of xxiiij sworn Men, by their Oathes say, that the said Phinlo McKey, with his Fellows, are not guilty of the Verdict given by the said Gubon lsaacke, and so the Law acquitted them."²

Thus we see that by 1429 the Particles were not being used for their original purpose. The Bishop got the blame, but the Lord got the gain, for by 1515 they were simply included in the Lord's Land without any remark..

Moore suggests that they were an educational foundation for the benefit of the sons of the clergy.³ This may well explain their origin and loss. When they were granted in Scandinavian times, celibacy of the clergy was not the rule here, and such a foundation would be of much use ; later, when celibacy did become the rule, such a foundation would no longer be of any use, and the Lord simply took back the lands granted by his predecessors.

It was not until June 12, 1610, that " the Children of all Ecclesiastical Persons in this Isle begotten in Marriage shall be and continue legitimate and inheritable, to all Intents and Purposes, in such Sort as Children of lay Persons be within the said Isle.⁴

Particles are found in the parishes of Lezayre, Jurby, German, Patrick, Marown and Maughold and, with the possible exception of the last named, make boundary with the Bishop's Baronies. In Lezayre they consist of Ballakillingan. 1½, quarterlands, Glentraman and Ballacree ½ quarterland each.

The tenants and their holdings in 1515 were as follows

This total is only surpassed by that of German-£4 5s. 8d.⁶

BISHOP'S BARONY

In the year 1257 King Magnus granted the village or estate of " Kellcrast near Ramsa, entirely, with clergy and laity, and breweries and other appurtenances, without any restraint " to Lord Richard, Bishop of Mann and the Islands.⁷ This grant was confirmed by Sir John de Stanley on July 11, 1423, and by Earl Thomas on March 28, 1505.⁸

The Barony was of small extent, being surrounded by Particles, Glebe, etc. The field in which the present church is built is part of it, and perhaps the hamlet of Churchtown and some small part of Ballakillingan.

The tenant at the end of the sixteenth century was " 1580, Margaret Bredg, late wife of William Garrett."

Claim made on her behalf by David Casement, her son-in-law. 1580, William Christian. 1593, John Curghy. Since this date the property has been held by the Curghey family and their descendants-the Farrants. In 1900Mrs. E. C. Farrant was the only tenant-a cottage rent of the value of 3s. 10d.

Footnotes

1 Rot. Pat. Oliver's Monumenta, vol. II. Manx Soc., vol. VII, p. 225.
2 Statutes, vol. I, p. 24.
3 Moore, Dioc. Hist., p. 87.
4 Statutes, vol. I, p. 72.
5 Manorial Roil, p. 64.
6 Manorial Roti, p. 50 b.
7 Oliver's Monumenta, vol. Il. Manx Soc., vol. VII, p .98.
8 See Abbey Lands, p. 25.