[From Annals of Kirk Christ Lezayre]

CHAPTER XVIII - THE GREAT REBELLION, 1651

IN a sense the whole story of the Rebellion should be told, for its instigator and leader-William Christian, the ReceiverGeneral was a native of Lezayre, being the third son of Deemster John Christian, of Milntown. But it would be too long to tell the whole story here. The story will be confined to what occurred in Lezayre.

Was Christian a patriot or a traitor? It depends on which side in that struggle our sympathies lie. He certainly was a traitor to the Lord of Man and he certainly had the support of the leading men in the Island. There was discontent with recent developments of the Derby rule-the land tenure had been altered and many felt that they were being deprived of their ancient rights; troops from England had been quartered on the inhabitants and there was a strong feeling, which seemed to have little justification, that the Countess of Derby was prepared to sell the Island and the rights of the people to Parliament. Every one who gave evidence after the Restoration spoke of hearing that she was going to sell the Island for 2d. or 3d. a head. Some, too, were in sympathy with the Parliamentary cause, as may be seen by events which occurred during the next ten years.

Whatever the cause, when Colonel Duckenfield, the Parliamentary Commander, came to the Island, he received a friendly welcome and found most of the forts in the possession of Christian and his friends.

In telling the story of Lezayre we are concerned with two incidents only-the capture of the fort at Ramsey and that of Fort Loyal at Ballachurry, lust over the Andreas boundary.

The following details are taken from the depositions made at the Inquiry in 1662.¹

John Caesar, of Kirk Malew (ancestors of the Bacons who later owned Ballabrooie in Lezayre) stated that after conditions made between Sir Philip Musgrave the Governor, Archdeacon Rutter, and Mr. Stevenson on behalf of the Countess and William Christian, Ewan Curghey, of Ballakillinghan and Caesar himself on behalf of the country, on the appearance of certain ships passing the Island all the Company marched with Sir Philip Musgrave towards Ramsey. When the ships had anchored, Mr. John Christian, Deemster, Mr. Ewan Curghey, Mr. Wm. Standish of Ellanbane (all Lezayre men) and others were chosen to go on board. Colonel Duckenfield, the Parliamentary commander, asked what conditions they demanded. The Deemster and others answered that they might enjoy their laws and liberties as formerly they had. They were asked if they wished anything further, but nothing more was requested that Caesar heard of.

Hugh Moore, who had boarded the fleet off Douglas, stated that he thought that old John Curghey-the father of Ewan-was present at the meeting at Ramsey.

Mr. Ewan Curghey swore he knew nothing of the Rising before the country did rise and that on that night Wm. McYlearran (Mylecraine) or Ewan Curghey, Ballakerka, came to the house and told him that ships were at Ramsey and that the Receiver wished Crosses to be sent to raise the Parish. He went and told his father, who was Captain of the Parish, and Crosses were sent out. Later Dollin Clarke and others from Jurby knocked at his door, and persuaded him to go with them to Ramsey Town. There they captured Captain Ingram, the Commander of the Ordnance and the fort there. Next day they went to Fort Loyal. Wm. McYlearran of Trinity Ayre, stated that Captain Ingram told them, after understanding their intentions that he longed for it.

William Standish, of Ellanbane, gave details about the capture of Fort Loyal. He stated that on the day of the rising he went to Fort Loyal and found Mr. Ewan Curghey there with a drawn sword, threatening Major Stanley, the Commander. After others from Jurby and Bride had also threatened Major Stanley, Ewan Curghey sent Philip Curleod of Kirk Christ, Lezayre, to burn or set fire in the kiln of John McSayle, who was then in the fort.

This Curleod did. When the garrison saw the smoke rising from the Craige-McSayle's estate, which is near to the fort-they decided to surrender. He also stated that three weeks after the arrival of the fleet Ewan Curghey and Mr. Charles Crow came to him and asked him to sign a paper certifying that the country only rose to suppress Lady Derby. This paper Standish refused to sign. Ewan Curghey of Ballacarga (Ballakerka) stating that a message came to him from Receiver Christian the night of the rising, that he should go to Ewan Curghey, Ballakillinghan, and that he should send forth Crosses to raise the Parish to come and take the Fort Loyal the next morning, which he promised to do. Afterwards he was sent to Milntown to tell that the people were in arms and would have the Deemster go along with them to Ramsey to take Captain Ingram. The Deemster said he was not well, but would see them in the morning and said he thought they had no good business in hand.

John Lace, of Ballavoddan (Andreas), stated that Mr. Ewan Curghey and Capt. John Teare (Jurby) were the chiefest Commanders at the taking of the Loyal Fort and that Ewan Curghey would have had John Kneale to have set fire to some of the houses of them that were in the Fort, but Kneale refused to do so and Ewan Curghey rode off, and shortly after the kiln of John Sayle, who was in the fort, was set on fire.

It is evident that Ewan Curghey, of Ballakillinghan, was the ringleader of the rising in the North, while Deemster Ewan Christian, the father of Receiver Christian, was very lukewarm and disapproved of the rising.

William Christian was in London at the time of the Restoration. On being advised that the " Act of Indemnity " secured him against all the legal consequences of his political actions, he returned to the Island. His advisers forgot that his offences were not against the Crown, but against the Lord of Man who, in September, 1662, issued a mandate to his officers to proceed against him " for all his illegal actions and rebellions in 1651, or before that year." He was imprisoned in Rushen Castle. At his trial he refused to plead. In consequence of this refusal no evidence was taken on his behalf, so that he was virtually condemned without trial. He was shot on Hango Hill on January 2nd, 16623. During his imprisonment he had addressed a petition to the King and Council, pleading that the proceedings taken against him by the Earl of Derby were a violation of the Act of Indemnity and praying that his case might be heard before them, but it did not reach London till a week after his execution. In ignorance of this event orders were sent to Lord Derby to produce his prisoner. His sons presented petitions for redress and, after some delay the Earl, the Deemsters and three other members of " the pretended Court of Justice " were brought before the King in Council who decided that " the Act of General Pardon and Indemnity did and ought to be understood to extend to the Isle of Man."

The Privy Council ordered that " entire restitution " be made of Christian's estate and that " to the end that the guilt of that blood, which hath been unjustly spilt, may in some sort be expiated," the Deemsters " who decreed this violent death " should remain prisoners in the King's Bench " to receive condign punishment," while the others who had been summoned were discharged on giving security to appear when called upon.²

The estates of Ewarl Curghey, John Caesar of Malew and Samuel Radcliffe, of Gourdon in Patrick, were confiscated, but were restored to them in 1663.

Footnotes

I Illiam llhone and The Manx Rebellion. Manx Soc. Vol. XXVI.

I Manx Soc. Vol. XXVI, p.p. 54-J.

Moore, Manx Worthies, p.p. 63-6.