[From Annals of Kirk Christ Lezayre]

CHAPTER VI - LEZAYRE AND WHITHERN

THE connection between the Island and Whithern ¹ lasted for several centuries. Fergus, Lord of Galloway, founded the Priory of Candida Casa (Whithern) about the year 1143, and placed there a Prior and Canons of the Premonstratensian Order, which had been founded some twenty years previously. King Olaf I of Mann, (1114-1154), the founder of Rushen Abbey, married Affrica, the daughter of Fergus. It is possible, even probable, that he made the first grant of land to Whithern. His grandson, Olaf II, made a grant of certain lands in the parish of Kirk Marown including "the Church of St. Ninian of Balla cgniba." Seeing that this grant included an existing Church of St. Ninian, it may well be that the grant of Olaf II included land given by an earlier grant. It is quite probable that Olaf I would like to make a grant to the Priory recently founded by his father-in-law. The grant of Olaf II can hardly be later than 1215. It is confirmed by Bishop Nicholas, and there is no evidence to show that he was alive after that date.

On November 24, 1265, Magnus, the last native king, " died at 2 Rushen Castle," and " was buried in the Abbey of St. Mary of Rushen." By the treaty of Perth, 1266, the Island came into the possession of Scotland. Prince Alexander, as Lord of Man, confirmed the grants of the Manx kings. He died on January 28, 1284. The following year his father, King Alexander, granted the advowson of, Holy Trinity, Lezayre, to the Priory.

Grant of the church of the Holy Trinity near Ramsey by King Alexander.

To all the faithful in Christ who shall see or hear the present letter, Alexander, by the Grace of God, King of Scots, everlasting health in the Lord. Be it known that we, in consideration of the divine love, and for our salvation and the salvation of our children, of our ancestors and successors, and of all the faithful dead, have given, granted, and by this our present charter confirmed to God and to blessed Ninian, confessor, of the Church of Candida Casa in Galualia,3 and to the Canons there serving and to serve God, for an unconditional and perpetual alms, the advowson of the Curch of the Holy Trinity at Ramswath4 in Mann with all its liberties and just pertinences, for the support of divine service in that place performed by the aforesaid saint and by the Religious of the said Monastery (and) for the support of the table of the same, freely and quietly, fully and honourably in all things.-Witnesses: John Cumin of Buchan, Richard Kynard, Patric of Barklay, Andrew of Morzania, and David of Dorthorruld, knights. At Glenlus on the twenty fourth day of May in the year of our reign the thirty-sixth.

Bishop Marc confirmed this charter the following month.

To all the sons of holy mother church who shall see or hear the present writing, Mare, by divine mercy, humble minister of the church of Sodor, everlasting health in the Lord. Be it known to you all that we in consideration of the divine love have granted and by the present charter, by our authority, have confirmed for ourselves and our successors, to God, and saint Ninian, and the prior and convent of Candida Casa of the Premonstratensian order there serving and for ever to serve God, the Church of the Holy Trinity at Ramsey, to possess for pious and personal (?) uses for ever with all just liberties and usual pertinences at the time of the concession of the present writing, saving to us and our successors the thirds of the said church and all other ordinary powers and rights in the aforesaid church. In testimony whereof we have caused the present writing to be strengthened with the defence of our seal. Given at Kirk Andrew on Tuesday next, after the nativity of Saint John Baptist in the year of our Lord 1285.

The King's charter was confirmed by Pope Nicholas IV on April 13, 1291. There is nothing in the Bull which calls for special remark. It would be of importance, however, if at any time the title to the advowson were called in question.

Nicholaus, bishop, servant of the servants of God, to his beloved sons the prior and chapter of the Church of Candida Casa of the Premonstratensian order, health and apostolic benediction, When that which is just and honest is asked from us, not only a strong sense of justice but also the dictates of reason require that it, by the care of our agency, be brought to due effect. In truth, your petition presented to us was to the effect that Alexander, king of Scotland, of illustrious memory, giving thought to his own salvation, and desiring by a happy bargain to exchange earthly for heavenly and transitory for eternal things, in consideration of religious duty, conferred the right of advowson of the church of the Holy Trinity in Ramsey of the Sodor diocese, at that time belonging to him, on you and your church, as in the letters patent thereupon made, fortified with the seal of the said king, is said to be more fully contained. We therefore swayed by your prayers, accounting firm and agreeable what in this matter was by the king piously and prudently done, that by apostolic authority we confirm and strengthen with the protection of the present writing. Let no man, therefore, whosoever he be, infringe this patent of our confirmation, or rashly dare to go against it. If, however, anyone should presume to attempt it, be it known to him that he will incur the wrath of the Almighty God and of his blessed apostles, Peter and Paul. Given at Mary of Martyrs on the ides of April in the third year of our Pontificate.

The only Vicars appointed by Whithern whose names have come down to us are Michael, " the Canon," whose name appears in a document in 1408.

On three occasions the authorities of Candida Casa were challenged to establish their right to the property they held in the Island, and on each occasion they passed the ordeal successfully.

(1) The first occasion was in the year 1377, John Donegan, Archdeacon of Down and Nuncio and Collector of the Apostolic See in Ireland, was appointed Bishop of Sodor by Pope Gregory XI, at Avignon in November, 1374, retaining his office of Nuncio - and Collector and having his own Diocese added to the area of collection. Detained by force on his homeward journey, he was not installed here until January 25, 1377. Shortly afterwards he made a visitation of his Diocese, and challenged the Whithern authorities to prove their rights in their property in the Island.

In a long document, which it is not necessary to give in full, the Bishop describes the procedure in the case, and the result. He states that when he made a visitation of his Diocese, he caused to be cited before him the Rectors of the parish churches of the Holy Trinity, near Ramsey, and of St. Runus, to exhibit the titles of the benefices, the Prior and Convent of Candida Casa claiming to be Rectors ; that they appeared on the day appointed and affirmed their Rectorial rights, and offered to prove by witnesses and documents that the said churches belong of right and custom to them and to the monastery, saving the thirds which belong by right and custom to the Episcopal table ; that at the said day and place they produced the said evidences before him clearly and distinctly ; that having done so, they petitioned that he would make an official declaration respecting themselves and their right, and graciously confirm the said churches, saving the thirds, to them and their monastery. The Bishop proceeds :

We, therefore, John, the aforesaid bishop, graciously inclined in this matter to their petition and prayer, charters and instruments of divers kings of Mann, of earls and pious lords of the same, and, moreover, those approving and confirming them of many of our predecessors bishops of Sodor, having been exhibited to prove and declare their contention, and the same having been handled, inspected, and carefully examined, Deeming that the things contained in their petition or prayer are fully proved, Pronounce and declare by the presents that the Prior and Convent aforesaid have rightly, lawfully, and honourably possessed and in future ought to possess the said churches with all their rights and all pertinences as it is premised ; and themselves and their monastery aforesaid as to the premises, saving however to us and our successors the thirds and our ordinary rights, we have by our decree discharged ; and the presents aforesaid we by our office admit, ratifying and confirming with the consent and assent of our clergy of Mann those churches aforesaid to the Prior and Convent and Monastery aforesaid by the tenor of the presents for ever. For assurance and witness whereof our seal, together with the common seal of our clergy of Mann, is appended to the presents. Given in our general chapter in the Church of St. Lupus in Mann in our diocese on the fifth day of the month of February in the year of our Lord 1376, the fifteenth indiction, the seventh year of the, Pontificate of the most holy father and lord in Christ now Lord Gregory, by divine providence, Pope, the Xlth, and in the year of our consecration the third.

(2) Forty-six years later, in 1422, the authorities of Candida Casa were again called upon to prove their rights before the second Sir John Stanley, who had been Lord of Mann for eight years. In that year the Bishop and the heads of all religious houses holding property in the Island, were called upon to prove their titles. The record, in Gill's " The Statutes of the Isle of Man," val. I, page 20, is as follows :

" The Court of all the Tennants and Commons of Mann, holden at Kirk Michaell, upon the Hill of Reneurling, before our doughtfull Lord Sir John Stanley by the Grace of God, King of Mann and Th'isles, the Tuesday next after the Feast of St. Bartholemew, in the year of Our Lord God 1422.

" In the which Court the Bishop of Mann was called to come to doe his Faith and Fealtie unto the Lord, as the Law asketh, and to chew by what Claime he houldeth his Lands and Tenements within the Lordship of Mann, the which came and did his Faith and Fealtie to the Lord. The Abbott alsoe of Rushen, and Prior of Douglas were called to doe their Fealtie, and to shew their claimes of their Houldings, Lands and Tenements, within the Lordship of Mann ; the which came and did their Fealtie to the Lord."

but

" The Prior of Whithorne, in Galloway, the Abbott of Furnace, the Abbott of Bangor, the Abbott of Saball, and the Prior of St. Beade, in Copeland, were called in and came not ; therefore they were deemed by the Deemster, that they should come in their proper Persons within XL days, and if they came not, then to lose all their Temporalities, to be ceised into the Lord's hands."

We have no information as to the result. No doubt the heads of the houses concerned took care to appear or to send qualified representatives before the XL days were up, as we find them holding their property nearly a century later.

It is interesting to note that at this period there were so many pilgrims, from outside Scotland, to the tomb of St. Ninian, that King James I had to make regulations for it. A record in the Register of Privy Seal of Scotland, No. 197, dated December 17, 1427, states

" On all and singular of the kingdom of England and the Isle of Man of both sexes wishing to visit as pilgrims the church of Blessed Ninian, confessor, situated within the kingdom of Scotland, the King has conferred a faculty and licence of coming as far as and to the church of Candida Casa in the Galwidia in honour of the said Saint, and of returning thence to their homes freely safely and securely and without impediment," etc.

But conditions were attached to the permission and safe conduct. They must return by the same way as they came ; they were to comport themselves as pilgrims both coming and going ; they must not remain on Scottish soil more than fifteen days ; each was to bear on his dress signs of pilgrimage, one sign in going, and another in returning, both to be received from the Prior ; no kind of business was to be engaged in, and no injury of any kind to be done to the King, his lieges or the kingdom.

No doubt among the pilgrims there were many from Lezayre, The Vicars-being appointed by Whithern-would see to that.

(3) For the third and last time the authorities of Candida Casa were challenged to prove their rights in 1504, by Thomas, first Earl of Derby. There is no direct evidence of this challenge on either side. But among the Derby MSS a parchment roll of extracts from the Priory Register, dated March 31, 1504, implies that they were supplied to the Earl to meet a demand of some kind-more than a mere satisfaction of his curiosity.

Some difficulty must have arisen between the Bishop and the Prior of Whithern, for the Earl, in 1511, appointed two Commissioners to investigate the matter and report to him.

" Thomas Erle of Derby Lord Stanley and Lord of Manne and th'isles to or Lieutenant . . . . Comptroller of or land of Man afore said. And to all other to Whom this or \N,'tyng shall come see or here Knowe ye that We for the circuinspeccon and fodelite that we have unto or barons of or land of Manne and of of subgetts there And for redress of I.njuryes bade and done emongs theym have constitute and made, our right trusty Maistr. Doctor. Bradshagh or channcelor and Maystr. John Walt Archdeacon or Commyssonrs they to here and examyn as well as matr betwix th' abbott of Fornesse and th' abbott of or Monastorye of Rushen as the tr . .. betwix the byshop of or land of Man and the por. (Prior) of Whithne as ... ptenyng the spirialtie And aftr due search and p'fyte knowledge . . . to theym bade they to make relecon to us. We to forther advie as to us shall appere shall stand wt egte And gode justice Wherefore will and commande you and evry of you to be to theym aydying asistyng ,abeyng and mayntenng in All and asmuch as this or comyssion extendyth for this time only. Given under or Seall of Manne and Sygne manuell at or place in London the lide Day of June Anno Dm, M.D.xlmo." ⁵

The insular religious houses-the Abbey of Rushen, the Priory of Douglas and the Friary of Bemaken-were dissolved in i54o. In Scotland the process of extinction extended over many years. Five years after the Abbey of Rushen was dissolved, the Priory of Whithern was still existing, though with crippled resources. The office of Prior was vacant and a Commendator was in charge. A tax was levied by the Privy Council which, he thought, fell unduly heavily upon the Priory. At a meeting of the Privy Council held on February 9th, 1545, his complaint was dealt with. The record in the " Register of the Privy Council," I, Zz, begins thus

" Anent the supplications gevin in be Malcome, Commendator of Quhithorne, mak and mention that in this last taxt laitlie devisit be the Lordes of our Consele for sustentatioun of certain men on the Bordouris, he is taxt to pay als grate ane soume as ever the said abbay payt of befor, howbeit vexit thir thre yeris bigane because of the cummersum and evil wardill he has gottinna offer and as wes wont to be gottin, quhilk wes ane grete part of the said benefice, and siclic want is the fruitis of twa kirkis in Ilaman, and the fruitis of the landis Kyntire, quair throw he may nocht pay," etc.

It is quite possible that the person who was enjoying " the fruitis of the two kirkis in Raman " was Edward, the Earl of Derby. As the other monastic houses had ceased to hold property here, he probably considered it unseemly that the White House, a house of a foreign kingdom, should still do so. No doubt he followed the example of the English king, who had already impropriated eight churches, and hastened to impropriate the remaining two. We are told that "'Till 1587 when the Priory was vested in the king, it was a history of continued spoliation,"⁶ and there is no doubt, though the evidence is only indirect, that in 1577 the two churches were in the hands of Henry Earl of Derby, as in that year he let on lease tithes, lands, etc., belonging to them,.

Shortly after the accession of James I to the throne of England the Provost of Whithern made an effort to recover the property. ` John Gawne, provost of Whithorne layes claim to the Rectoryes of Trinity Aire and Kk Marown & all the lands belonging to St. Trinions & therefore craved that the Court do take notice of his said Claime wch is accordingly done, and the Compr. Receivr. & Deemsters subscribe the same."⁷ This was in 1604. All the property of the priory was granted to the King by the General Annexation Act of 1587. He granted it to the Bishop of Galloway in 1604.⁸ After this no more is heard of Whithern's claims on Lezayre.

Lease to Robert Salusburye.⁹

The conditions of this obligation is such that where the Right Honourable Henry, Earl of Derby, Lord Standeleye and Strange, lord of Manne and thisles, and knight of the most honourable order of the garter, by his deed Indented dated the Thirteenth day of Januarye in the Nineteenth yere of the Reigne of our Sovereigne ladye the Queries majestye that now is, hath demysed granted, and unto farm letten unto Robert Salusburye of Denbich in the county of Denbich, gentleman, all that and those his tythe and tythes, glebe lands, land spirituall and temporall whatsoever apperteyninge and belongeinge to the churche and churches of Kirkchriste in the ayre and Kirkmarron, lyeing and beinge within the lande of Manne in the Isles, with all howeses, edifices and commodityes to the same apperteyninge and belongeing. The patronage, gift, presentation and nomination of the Incumbentes to the severall vicarages of the sayde churches and all glebe lands by these obligations, and other profittes to the vicarages or eyther of them belonginge excepted and foreprised, To have and to hold," etc.

In 1587 Salisbury surrendered his lease which was granted to Roger Bradshaw of Aspall in the County of Lancaster, on behalf of William Wright, parson of Warton for himself and wife and their two sons-that is-three lives.¹⁰

Bradshaw surrendered his lease in 1602, and " Hen. Earle of Derby's Lease of the Rectory of Lezaire & Marown . . . with all Glebe Lands Spiritual and Temporal " . . . was ansi ned to " Jon Quaile of Kk. Conchan & Jon Curghey of Lezaire," ¹¹(Curghey of Ballakillinghan). But Quaile and Curghey were already in possession, for in 1601 Curghey brought an action against Quaile " for detaining from him a Lease of the Rectory of Lezaire,' etc. " Both parties having an interest in ye Lease, its therefore ordered under the penalty of f20, to be recorded, that all parties may have copies thereof."¹²

The following document is of interest for more reasons than one.

1678. Mr. Jon Quayle's Proceedings & Bonds touching Kk Christ Tythe.

INSULA MONAE Whereas John Quaite of Kk Xt lezaire was for his unjust detinue of ye Bops rights for severall years last past, as also for ye undue with-holding of ye ministegs salary of the said parish church; and more especially for his neglect of repairing ye respective Chancells of his foresaid parish Church of Kk Christ lezaire and of Kk Marown to which hee amongst others stands obliged by virtue of a pretended lease under colour whereof (after several] monitions & injunctions to ye contrary) bee being lawfully convepted, and condemned, most contemptuously hitherto continued to intermadle with ye tythe which were sequestered for some of the ends aforesaid, and for other misdemeanours, and high and multiplyed contumacies, been according unto law ordered to be committed unto the Bops prison in Peel Castle, and after all gentler means used to reforme him yet refused to give all or any obedience unto ye sentence and committment of ye Consistory Court held at Kk Michael Church upon ye 12th day of May 1678, untill ye force of the Secular arme (desired in that behalfe) did bring him unto ye said prison upon ye foresaid account. These are therefore to require and authorize William Gell keeper of the Bops prison aforesaid, to detaine and keep in ye said Bops prison ye said prisoner, & him not to release out of ye same, untill bee shall have satisfyed ye said Consistory Court by his penitent submission & plenary fulfilling of their said order, in all and every of ye premises & taken his oath, or given in sufficient security that hee will obey ye law for ye future, and so behave himselfe as that he may deserve to have his Excommunication taken off: and also pay such fine unto the Honble Ld of this Isle, as by ye said Bop is imposed upon him, for his obstinate violation of his Lops laves and ye constitutions of the Church and also pay ten shilling fees unto ye Soldiers who have been severall times imployed, but often resisted by him, about the Execution of the sentence of the said Courts whereof the one moiety to witt five shillings is appointed to be paid unto ye said keeper who, thereout shall give one Groat to ye porter of the said Castle being his usuall fee, And for ye said keepers so doeing this shall be his Warrant Given under my hand at Bops Court this 29 day of June 1678.

Henric : Sodorens.

For William Gell Soulder and Keeper of the Bps : prison of Kk German in Peele Castle.

July 12, 1678.

Upon sight of this my Order you are to release out of my Prison in Kk German the body of John Quaile formerly committed thither for disobedience unto ye Ecclesiastical] law bee having engaged to morigerous for the future Provided always that bee first discharge all due fees to ye Soldiers that brought him thither, ye keeper and Porter yt detained him there by vertue of my Warrant and Committ ment, and for your so doeing this shall be your authority and discharge from

Your Ordinary

Henric : Sodorens : ¹³

In 1666 an agreement was made between Charles, Earl of Derby, on the one side, and Bishop Barrow and Archdeacon Fletcher, in trust for the clergy, on the other side, for the sale and purchase of a lease for the term of ten thousand years of the whole impropriate tithes of the ten parish churches to which they had once belonged. The terms were £1,000 down, a fine of £130 every 30 years, and an annual rent of £66 3s. 2d., the Earl giving as collateral security in case of disturbance of possession

" the Manor of Bispham, in the County of Lancaster, together with the farm or tenement called Methop." The total rent was made up of separate rents allotted to the several churches, except those of Lezayre and Marown, which had been let and were rented together ; and the proportion of the total rent to be paid in successive years was determined by the times at which the leases of the several churches fell in. The rent to be paid for the " Rectories of Kirk Christ Layer and Kirk Marown," according to the agreement, was £4 16s. 6d. the lease of which fell in in 1697.

In 1715 Vicar-General Walker was requested by the Clergy in Convocation " to set the Impropriate tithes to the best advantage and for the raising of the sum of £130 payable to the Lord of this Isle every 30 years and due A.D. 1726." In 1725 he drew up a statement which gives us a fair idea of the benefits the clergy had received from the settlement of 1666.

This statement shows that the tithes were set at £183 3s. 6d. The obligatory payments were Annual Rent, £66 3s. 2d. ; Proxies to the Bishop, £4 ; Stipend to the Vicar of Lezayre, £4 6s. 8d. ; Annual payment to meet the 30 years' fine, £12 5s. 4d. ; and there remained £30 for the master of the Castletown School, and about £64 for distribution among the Clergy.

The following statement gives particulars of receipts and their disposal for the parishes of Lezayre and Marown, premising that the impropriate tithes in the former parish were two-thirds of the whole tithes of the parish, and in the latter one-third.

In 1736 James, Duke of Athol, succeeded to the Lordship of Mann, and disputed the validity of the lease. The Clergy fell on the collateral security. We are not concerned with the settlement which was very satisfactory for the Insular clergy. From the schedule of the Act of Parliament which confirmed the settlement we learn that the Athol Family had sold in Lezayre tithes to the annual value of £60, and that there remained on lease tithes to the estimated value of £62.

Footnotes

1. The material in this section is largely taken from a pamphlet " The Priory of Whitliern (Candida Casa) and it. Lands and Churches in Mann." by Rev. T. Talbot, a former curate of Lezayre.
2 The Chronicle of Man and the Sudreys," Manx Soc., vol..XXII. p. 111.
3 Galloway.
4 Ramsaych is the better reading.
5 Castle Rushen Papers No. 6, Journal of Manx Museum, vol. II, No. 27, p. 21.
6 Forbes, Historians of Scotland, vol. V, Intro. p. Ix.
7 Liber Pleit, p. 83, in Manx Museum.
8 Gordon, Ecclesiastical Chronicle of Scotland, vol. III, p. 321.
9 Manx Soc., vol. IX, p. 71.
10 Book of Precedents B.
11 Manx Society, vol. 1X, p. 70.
12 ibid.
13 Journal Manx Museum, March, 1933, vol. 1I, No. 34.