[From Annals of Kirk Christ Lezayre]

CHAPTER XII - CHURCH DISCIPLINE, ECCLESIASTICAL COURTS, PRESENTMENTS.

CHURCH discipline is popularly associated with the name of Bishop Wilson, but he was not the originator of it. He only enforced the laws which he found existing when he came to the Island. The use of the bridle, whipping, dragging after a boat, etc., were usual punishments for certain offences long before his time.

Under the Commonwealth the Governors administered Church discipline. Four men from each parish, the Captain of the Parish always being one, had instructions to present such as (I) " profane or break the Sabaoth in absenting him or herselfe from the publike worship of God, by loyteringe or using vaine sports and games ; (2) make or cause anie disorder or tribulation at sermon or prayer time, or that do quarrell or make anie tumult on the Sabaoth day ; (3) doe curse, swear, or otherwise blaspheme or take the name of God in vayne; (4) go about to doe anie maner of worke, business, or labour on the Sabaoth day ... workes of charitie and necessitie always excepted ; (5) frequent taverns, or ayle houses on the Sabaoth day."¹

Bishop Lake, one of the seven Bishops committed to the Tower by James II, gives order as follows

" Whereas I have received information and complaint that some evil-disposed persons in severall places of this Isle presume to sell ale in time of Divine Service upon Sundays in the afternoon, and others instead of coming to Divine Service prophanely spend their time in drinking there.

I do therefore require all such persons to forbear such prophane abuse of the Lord's Dav, or otherwise that the Churchwardens and Chapter Quest make diligent search in their several respective parishes, and present all such as shall be found offending to the contrary, either by selling of ale, or drinking in time of Divine Service, and hereof they are not to fail, as they will not come under censure themselves.

Given under my hand at Bishops Court, Sept. 3d. 1683. Jo. Sodor.

To the Minister of Kk. Christ Lez Ayre, to be published in his church the next Lord's Day.-²

The offences which seem to have been most frequently punished were those against the proper observance of Sundays and Saints' Days. Thus in 1683, it is recorded : That the clergy complain that pshioners are very remiss and backward in attending Divine Service upon Sundays in ye afternoon, and alsoe upon Holy-dayes . . . Which thing may redound to the great decay of Christian piety among us." Proclamation, therefore, was to be made that " the inhabitants (or one person out of each family at least) shall for the future repair to the parish churches . . . in ye afternoon, as well as in the forenoon, and upon all Holy-dayes, and other dayes of prayer . . : under the penalty of forfeiting fourpence."³

Seven years later, in 169o, Bishop Levinz had to deal with the same subject. His proclamation was as follows : " Whereas . . . the Lord's day is very much prophaned and neglected to the great scandall and dishonr of our holy profession and decay of Christian piety ... Wee do order and require that no person within this our Dioceis doe presume to doe any servil work on that day, especially that no fisherman do offer to goe to sea from Saturday at night till Monday morning, and that noe milner doe suffer his milne to grind from twelve of the clock on Saturday night till nightfall on Sunday on a penalty of fourteen days imprisonm't in St. German's prison, and penance in every church of the Island for the first offence, and for every relaps double punishment and £4 fine to the Lo: use without mittigacon."⁴

On February 3rd, 1703-4 Bishop Wilson laid his famous " Ecclesiatical Constitutions " before the clergy. They were signed by the Bishop, Archdeacon Wattleworth, the two Vicars General, Parr, Vicar of Lezayre and John Curghey, Rector of Bride (a Lezayre native) and fourteen other clergy. Details are to be fouund in " The Statutes," vol. 1, pp. 155-9. They are too long to be included here.

The following are some of the cases that affected inhabitants of Lezayre.

1641. David Cowle presented " for laying of a dead child upon the Altar."

1659. " Cathrin Cottier als. Kneall for cursing John Casement that he might have neither sone or daughter about his fyre or hearthe to the third and fourthe generacon and that his house might be ruinated. To sitt in stocks at Ramsey one houre and to have fyve lashes Whippinge and doe humble penance in V parish churches and ask forgivness and xiid fine." This is one of the very few cases where a parishioner had to suffer the penalty of either stocks or lash.

1672. John Curlett, Lockman, presented for charging men in time of Divine Service.

1684. William Caley presented for pushing his staff through ye slates of ye church. To make reparacon if there be any harm done.

Margaret Caisment for carrying a paile from ye Gill to Ed. Gill's house on Sunday evening in ye time of Evening Prayer. Reformance.

Marjorie Kneal for ye like.

Katherine Quaile presented for not coming to Church. To forfeit iiijd. p. Sunday according to ye order of the Convocation. William Curghey and Jane Christey presented for fornicacon, 3 days in Eccla, a weeke's imprisonment, and to give bonds to perform penance. Phil. Goldsmith pledge. They had to appear in Church on three Sundays, wrapped in a white sheet.

Joney Kewish psented for cursing. Unen dies in Eccla. Penance performed as certified by ye Vicar.

Ann Curghey psented for the like. Ut supra.

Dan MacnaMeare p'sented for carrying a poak from ye Milne on Sunday evening. To acknowledge his fault in Eccla

Robert Crow for not coming to Church. Ut supra.

David Coule p'sented for calling William Cutlet (one of the Chapter Quest) " the sone of a bitch." Referred to Tryall.

Philip Curlett William Curlett

Thomas Crow Wardens Edward Garrett Chapter Quest

William Quaile William Kewish

John Christian John Conley

Delivered by the Minister on their behalf, 12 No. 1684 They had an exceptionally large number of cases to present. 1695. Willam Crow, one of the Chapter Quest, presents Hugh

Kissage for calling Will Kissage's son "Thou son of a bitch." I dies in Eccla. Hee presents William Garrett and Edw. Christian for making nine holes with their knives upon Sunday, after Evening Prayer. To acknowledge their fault and promise Reformacon. " Nine Holes " was a sort of game.

1705. At Bishopscourt on the 8th November, 1705, William Christian at Kirk Christ, Lezayre, who had committed incest and adultery with his wife's sister's daughter, Anna Christian, was sentenced to be committed a month in St. German's Prison, and before his release to give bonds to perform the ensuing censure. viz :

To make one Sunday's penance at the church door of every parish, and at the market crosses of every town within this Isle, in the habit and manner following:-that he be ready at the ringing of the last peal to morning prayer to begin his penance, bare-footed and barelegged and bare-headed, covered over with a white linen sheet, and a small white wand in his band; and so to stand during the going and coming out of the parishioners; and also to stand at the said market crosses for the space of two hours on the market days, from nine to eleven in the forenoon, with a schedule on his breast intimating his crime, which is to be read by the ministers of the respective parishes and to be repeated by the above offender.⁵

1706. John Wattleworth, Captain of Lezayre, a prisoner in St. German's Prison, for immoral conduct, appealed to the Bishop ` to be graciously pleased to grant his releasement to go to one of the Chieff flaires of this Isle " on next Munday, obliging himself to return to the prison the next day and complete his sentence, and do his penance.

The Bishop replied, May 18th, 1706.

" I am sensible that to a person of Captain Wattleworth's import it may be of much prejudice to him to be confined on a fair day, and I do not desire any man's hurt; therefore if you (the Captain of the Castle, Stevenson) please to take his bonds this evening according to order of Court and to discharge him of his imprisonment either late to-morrow night, or as early as you please on Munday morning, it will both answer his desire and the decency which is due to ye, Ecclesiastical Courts, for doing of which this will be sufficient, from yr affectionate friend.

Thos. Sodor and Man.

Bonds were given by his relatives Hy. Wattleworth, Peel; Jon. Wattleworth, Ballamore, Patrick.

1711 . " Thos Curlet, Fidler, for playing on Sunday for young people in John Moore's house in Glenduff and in his own house. Edwrd Gill and Mary Gill his daughter, for entertaining Fidlers and young people dancing on several Sundays ; Jo Shimmin of Kk. German and Thos. Killey of Lezayre being Fidlers." Sentenced to one day's penance and promised to reform. In 176o Edmund Corlet was sentenced to be admonished by the Vicar for prophaning the Lord's Day by playing on the Fiddle on that day.

1712/13- Bond to perform Censure.

Know all men by these Psents yt we Hen. Gill and Jon. Dawson of Castletown doe hereby binde ourselves in three pounds ffine to ye R. Honble Lord of this Isle yt Jon. Kissage of Kk. Christ, Lezayre will pform his Church Censure as witness our names and marks this 16th of Febry. 1712.

Before me Hen. Gell my mark X

Jon. Stevenson Jon. Dawson X

1713. The famous case of Katherine Kinred. The record states:

" Forasmuch as neither Christian advice nor gentle modes of punishment are found to have any effect on Kath Kinred of Kirk Christ, a notorious strumpet, who had brought forth three illegitimate children, and still continues to stroll about the country, and lead a most vicious and scandalous life on other accounts; all which tending to the great dishonour of the Christian name, and to her own utter destruction without a timely and thorough reformation. It is therefore hereby ordered (as well for the further punishment of the said delinquent as for the example of others) that the said Kath. Kinred be dragged after a boat in the sea at Peel Town, on Wednesday, the 17th. instant, (being the fair of St. Patrick) at the height of the market, To which end a boat and boat's crew are to be charged by the general sumner, and the constable and soldiers of the garrison are, by the Governor's order, to be aiding and assisting in seeing this censure performed.

And in case any owner, master, or crew of any boat are found refractory, by neglecting or refusing to perform this service for the restraining of vice, their names are to be forthwith given in by the general sumner, to the end they may be severely fined for their contempt, as the Governor's order directs.

Dated at Bishop's Court, this 15th. day of March, 1713. Thos. Sodor & Man

William Walker

It was certified by the Sumner-General, so long after as July 13th. ensuing, that " St. Patrick's day being so stormy and tempestuous that no boat could perform the within censure, upon St. German's day about the height of the market the within Kath. Kinred was dragged after a boat in the sea according to the within order."

However, poor Katherine Kinred is not yet done with, for, on the 27th October, 1718, having had a fourth bastard child, and "after imprisonment, penance, dragging in the sea, continuing still remorseless," and notwithstanding her " defect of undertanding," she is again " ordered to be 21 days closely imprison'd, (as soon as the weather will permit) dragged in the sea again after a boat, and also perform public penance in all the churches of this Island." After undergoing all this, she is apparently penitent, " according to her capacity," and is ordered by the Bishop " to be received into the peace of the Church according to the form appointed for that purpose. Given under my hand this 13th of August, 1720."

This poor woman was of weak intellect. It was admitted she had " a degree of unsettledness and defect of understanding," and as the clergy certified, that she had submitted " with as much submission and discretion as can be expected from the like of her," and " considering the defect of her understanding."⁶

This form of punishment is revolting to us, but we must remember that views have changed very greatly in two hundred years. The Bishop, kind hearted, as he frequently shewed himself to be, felt bound to administer the law. Perhaps the punishment was not so severe as it seems. A similar case occurred in

Douglas in 1712. The woman was dragged across the river and back at the market place-a very short distance. Let us hope poor Katherine Kinred suffered no more.

T. E. Brown's poem follows. We admire his kind heart, but he is less than fair to the Bishop.

None spake when Wilson stood before The throne
And He that sat thereon
Spake not; and all the presence-floor
Burnt deep with blushes, as the angels cast
Their faces downwards. Then at last,
Awe-stricken, he was 'ware
How on the emerald stair
A woman sat, divinely clothed in white,
And at her knees four cherubs bright,
That laid
Their heads within her lap. Then, trembling he essayed
To speak:-" Christ's mother, pity me!"
Then answered she:
" Sir, I am Catherine Kinrade."
Even so-the poor dull brain,
Drenched in unhallowed fire,
It had no vigour to restrain
God's image trodden in the mire
Of impious wrongs-whom last he saw
Gazing with animal awe
Before his harsh tribunal, proved unchaste,
Incorrigible, woman's form defaced
To uttermost ruin by no fault of hers
So gave her to the torturers;
And now-some vital spring adjusted,
Some faculty that rusted
Cleansed to legitimate use
Some undeveloped action stirred, some juice
Of God's distilling dropt into the core
Of all her life--no more
In that dark grave entombed
Her soul had bloomed
To perfect woman-swift celestial growth
That mocks our temporal sloth
To perfect woman-woman made to honour,
With all the glory of her youth upon her.
And from her lips and from her eyes there flowed
A smile that lit all Heaven; the angels smiled;
God smiled, if that were smile beneath the state that glowed
Soft purple-and a voice:-" Be reconciled!"
So to his side the children crept,
And Catherine kissed him, and he wept.
Then said a seraph:-" Lo! he is forgiven."
And for a space again there was no voice in Heaven.

1716. Esther Crow presented for pouring earth down her bosom at the churchyard style.

1717. Thos. Kenyon, Miller, presented for saying that he could make the milln go for 24 hours by putting his hand into the eye of the stone and further that he could make it stand with three tramps of his foot without the milln doore.

1719. Mr. Abraham Silk (a doctor of Medicine) and Robt. Cowle, Sen., presented for cursing one another after a very wicked manner as they passed on the highway.

1720. Mr. Robt. Curghey, warden, presents Thos. Garrett for frequent cursing himself after admonition. 1/- fine ad pios us.

1721. Insolence of Thos. Corlett of Lezayre re probate of Robt. Clark Kk. Andreas. ` . . . in strictness of law would have subjected him to the loss of his ears and £10 fine."-Bp. Wilson.

1722. Phil. Stephen, Lockman, presents Wm. Cry for going to Ramsey on Sunday morning for a pair of shoes he had there to be mended. Reproved.

1724. A youth presented for pitching a stone on Sunday.

1728. Capt. John Christian, Milntown, the Lord's Forester 14 days imprisonment in St. German's prison and penance in 7 northern parishes.

1731. Persons presented for playing cards on Sunday evening.

1732. " I, Edw. Knail, Chapter Quest, present the churchwardens and Minister for pulling down the hedge of the churchyard, and letting the swine in the said churchyard and spoiling the graves ; the Minister for not reading the day of the month in the voulgar tounge, and likewise doe present the Clarck for not coming to meet berialls for to rase the salms to their houses, which a great many of the parish complains upon the sd Clearck." The Court described the presentment as " Vexatious, factious and injurious."

1736. Mr. John Garrett, Ballabrooie ; " without any sign of amendment but rather going on to add like to like . . . " He was threatened with excommunication and prohibited from coming nearer than the doors of any of the churches of the Isle. In 1738 he had shewn some signs of contrition and was received into the peace of the Church.

1738. Leonora Cowle accused of sorcery by Jo. Garrett of Ballabrooie. He said she was in a thriving condition by gathering the dew of his wheat on May Day morning in the little Pollagh. Garrett was sent to St. German's prison.

1738. "Mrs. Mary Christian having scandalised Cath. Karran, alias Christian, with imputation of witchcraft, and after an unchristian manner scratched her with a pin, in order to draw blood of her . . . " Catherine Karran forgave the injury on the said Mary Christian acknowledging the offence.

1749 " A set of graceless persons from Ramsey and others of Lezayre had the daring effrontery after evening prayers last Lord's Day, Oct. 22nd, to be throwing or pitching a stone, as if on any other day publicly at the Cross, before several Spectators, for a considerable time and up towards the churchyard gate." 3 days in St. German's prison.

1754 John Quayle presented for bathing a horse on the Sabbath ; James Cannell for grinding snuff on the Sabbath.

1755. The Wardens on the information of Robt. Corlet, Warden, present John Cowley, Junr. for very much neglecting the public worship of God. (To be admonished by the Vicar, and in case he does not reform, the Presentment to be repeated). Fe. 16, 1756. The Vicar declares this person duly attends divine service.

They present, on the information of John Gill, Warden, Patrick Kneal for habitual drunkenness and for prophane swearing, as also for saying the Wardens were perjured:-Being asked " How?" " What," answered he, " did they do with the 05 os. od. a year?" He had been repeatedly presented for drunkenness and prophane swearing; he is now to go to St. German's prison & give Bonds of £3 to do penance in Church, there to bewail his sins and promise reformation. As for the slander, to give the same Bonds to ask their pardon in full church.

1756. " These are to certify that by virtue of the Right Revd. Lord Bishop's authority I lawfully charged Mrs. Elizabeth Garret to appear before a Consistory Court to be held at Kk. Michael on Tuesday the 6th of this instant by ten o'clock in the forenoon to answer the suit of Mr. John Garret, her husband. I do likewise certify that I lawfully served the sd Mrs. Elizabeth Garret with her husband's petition and his Lordship's Refferences (dated the 31st March, 1756, upon the Petition granted) And I do further certify that by the Authority aforesd I lawfully charged John Kermode, Capt. Thos. Corlet, Richd. Corlet, Deborah Rothwell, Jane Garret, Ann Garret, Cath Crow and Ann Garret, all these to appear as Evidences at the same time and place to answer the suit and Instance of sd Mr. John Garret, this I aver this 2nd day of April, 1756. Thos Corlet, Sumner of Lezaire my mark."

There was written on the back of the Sumner's report the following:

"At a Consistory Court held at Kk. Michael, Apr. 6, 1756, the within named Mrs. Elizabeth Garret having appeared in Court, & refusing to hear any Evidence taken & contemptuously withdrawing out of Court, a Soldier is therefore to be applied for. Mark Sodor & Mann

Ro. Radcliffe Matths. Curghey."

22nd April, 1756. A soldier is allowed.

Dan Mylrea Jon. Taubman."

The soldier would conduct her to Peel Castle.

1756. The Sumner, Thos. Killip, presented for not keeping the dogs out of the church. He is to attend at the church door during the time of Divine Service and keep the dogs out.

1756. The Wardens present Jane, the wife of John Quayle, foi absenting herself for above twelve months past from the public worship of God, as also for cursing and swearing ; this upon the information of John Gill, Warden.

This woman having appeared and faithfully promised to attend the public worship of God in the future, having also declared her sincere contrition for her rashness and sin of swearing, and promised not to offend after the like nature for the time to come, her censure for the time is suspended on the intercession of the Vicar, who is to have an eye on her future conduct.

Ro. Radcliffe. Matths. Curghey.

1757. The Wardens present Wm. Garret for not being at Church on the last appointed Fast Day, and for working on that day as on any ordinary day-as also for the neglect of the public worship of God.

This man's neighbours declare his wife, who is a paralytic, requires such frequent attendance, yt he cannot attend the publick worship of God, so often as is proper, & the man declares he did not know yt sd was appointed a genll Fast.

1757. The Wardens present John Stoukes for prophaning the Lord's Day by unlawful Recreations of leaping and jumping in company with some others whose names are not yet known, on that day, by which publick offence is given.

1757. They present John McNalty-sd Stoukes' servant-for working on Ascension Day last & John Stoukes, his master, for permitting him to work on sd day.

The Bishop tried to tighten the bonds of discipline which had relaxed. He enacted that " no person who is under Church censure, or who has not received the Holy Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, be admitted to enter into the holy state of matrimony " and the ceremony of marriage was more closely guarded. An Act to prevent clandestine marriages was passed in 1757, at his instigation, and he strongly reproved the clergy for permitting them.

He made a vigorous effort to stop the neglect of Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. He told his Clergy he was " aggrieved as well as surprised to see men following their ordinary occupations on these days in yoking their cattle and tilling their land. . . during the whole time of Divine service." The Clergy replied (I) That it was the general custom of the people to work on those days; (2) That they had the " late Bishop's and VicarGeneral Walker's example for this ; (3) Prayers were read as early as 8 a.m. on the sd days, so that people went to work afterwards." After the Bishop's death, discipline began to fail very rapidly.⁷

1757. The Wardens present Grace Stevenson for Fornication, an illegitimate child born. At Lezayre, Aug. 20th, 1757, Grace Stevenson, having been presented for Fornication, after being seriously admonished of the great danger of perjury, deposed on the Holy Evangelists that William Sayle (a marry'd man) is the father of her illegitimate child-it being adultery in the man, he is to be committed 14 dies in carcere and give Bonds of £3 ad usum Domini to perform '7 dies in diversis ecclenis et non iterum moechari. His fine is to be considered. The woman is censured, 7 dies in carcere, & to give Bonds of £3 a.u. Dni. to perform 3 dies in Eccla & non iterum fornicari.

176o. Edmond Corlett presented for prophaning the Lord's Day by playing on the fiddle on that day. (To be admonished by the Vicar.)

176o. Ann Corlet, daur of Edmond presented for neglecting to qualify herself for Confirmation and her sister Catherine for the like, now servant maid in Ramsey. These people are to attend their Minister on Sundays in the evening, as oft as by him required to be instructed, whereof the sd Minister to make report next Court.

1761. Grace Stevenson, being this day seriously admonished, etc., has deposed, etc., that Ro. Cowle of Kk Maughold is the father, etc. She being a Relapser, is censured, 14 dies in carcere, to give bonds of ;£3, to stand at the Church door in penitential habit, during the time of Divine Service, until by her penitent behaviour and other instances of sober living she deserves and procures Certificate from the Vicar, Wardens, and some of the soberest people in the Parish to the satisfaction of the Ordinary, after which directions shall be given to receive her into the peace of the Church. The man is censured in Maughold.

Grace Stevenson stood at the Church door for four Sundays and then made the following petition to Rev. Matthias Curghey, who had just left Lezayre for Ballaugh.

" Sheweth that your unhappy petitioner, Grace Stevenson, for her relapse into the heinous sin of fornication was justly censured to stand in penitential habit at the Church door every Lord's Day during the time of service until by her penitent behaviour and other instances of a sober life, she could obtain certificate from the minister and wardens to the satisfaction of the ordinary, after which she was to be received into the community of the Church.

And having performed four severall Sundays' penance at the church door during all the time of divine service before your Reverence left the parish, and as the Rev. Mr. Gill (the new Vicar) is a stranger and do not know the condition and affairs of the parish as well as your Reverence.

She, your poor unhappy petitioner, therefore most humbly prays your Reverence to take her deplorable condition to your most tender consideration and to grant that she may be received into the community of the Church on Sunday next, or as soon as your Reverence shall be pleased to appoint, and she, as in duty bound, shall ever pray.

At the foot of the document are the following certificates :

I do hereby certify that the within Petr. Grace Stevenson, stood in a Penitential Habit at the Church Door four several Sundays. Witness my subscription,

Ewan Crow, Sumner of Lezayre.

We, the Wardens of Lezayre, do certify that the within Petitioner stood in a penitential Habit at the Church Door four several Sundays as is above certified by the Sumner.

Witness our Subscriptions this 8th. day of August, 1761. Thos. Arthur Corlett, Thos. Tear, John Caley, James Clark. However, the Rev. Matthias Curghey considered that she had not done sufficient penance and wrote as follows to the new Vicar:

To the Revd. Mr. Gill, Vicar of Lezayre:

Revd. Sir,

Being sensible that the foregoing Certificates are just, and that the Church hath in her censures, nothing further in view, than the conversion of poor Sinners, the petr is ordered to perform one Sunday's penance within the church, if she behaves to your satisfaction, she is to be received into Christian Communion the Sunday following, according to the Form appointed for receiving penitents. Dated at Ballaugh, Aug. 14th. 1761. Matths. Curghey,

22nd Novr. 1761. Sunday before Advent.

The within mentioned Grace Stevenson, having pursuant to the above written Reference, performed penance in a very humble and penitent manner, She was this day received into Christian Communion.

John Gill, Vicar of Lezayre.

This case is not unlike that of Catherine Kinred, but the manner of punishment is very different.

After this we hear very little about Church Discipline, though there are cases of persons standing in a white sheet at the door, less than a century ago and women with illegitimate children were presented at the Chapter Court as recently as forty-five years ago. This was for affiliation purposes in connection with the Poor Law, not for moral reasons. Still the Courts had power, as seen below.

1812. Thos. Corlett, the Druin, Refused to be Churchwarden in the most contemptuous manner. Committed to Castle Rushen. ,f20 bond to attend the Vicar General within 14 days.

Any person elected Churchwarden was by law bound to act.

Footnotes

1 Moore, Dioc. Hist., p. 148.
2 Mr. W. Cubbon's notes,
3 Moore, Dioc. Hist., p. 171.
4 Ibid., p. 171,2.
5 Waldron, Manx Soc., Vol. X1, pp. 97. , notes.
6 Waldron, Manx Soc., vol. XI, pp. 98, 99.
7 Moore, Hist., pp. 656