CABDIL IV

TIN-VAAL

REN yn Chiare as Feed cummal yn veeteil oc ec Tinvaal, ec Feailleoin, tra va’d ceau yn vollan feailleoin mygeayrt y mysh y chione, er yn wheigoo laa jeh’n vee s’jerree jeh’n touree.

Ta bun ny ockle shoh, " Ting Voayl," ta shen dy ghraa " Chengey Voayl," ny " Tiengey Voayl " (voayl aileagh). Foddee eh y ye " Tien ( ta shen ‘ aile ‘) Vaal," er rionney oddys eh ye " Tiengey Voal " (voal aileagh).

Va ny mraane obbee grait goit seose hug yn clieau jeh Quayleoin,* as currit ayns stoandey, as treinaghyn eiyrit stiagh ayns yn stoandey, as ya’d rollit gys y yun.

Va ooilley cooishyn reaghit ec yn Whaiyl shen liorish ny briwnyn, as ooilley ny leighaghyn cleeau lhait magh hug yn sleih three keayrtyn, as cha vel ad leigh foast derrey ta shen jeant.

*Slieau-whallin.

CHAPTER IV

TYNWALD

THE Four-and-Twenty (House of Keys) held their meeting at Tynwald at St. John’s, when they wore St. John’s wort about their heads, on the fifth day of the last month of summer.

The root of this word is " Ting Voayl," that is " Chengey Voayl " (the place of the tongue), or " Tiengey Voayl " (place of fire). Perhaps it is " Tien Vaal " (Baal’s Fire), or perhaps " Tiengey Voal " (fiery wall).

Witches were said to be taken to the mountain of St. John’s Court (Slieau Quayleoin *), and placed in a barrel, and nails driven into the barrel, and they were rolled to the bottom.

All cases were settled at that Court by the deemsters, and all breast laws read out to the people three times, and they are not law yet until that is done.

* Slieau.whallin.

Ta’n Chiare as Feed enmyssit " Keys," son dy ren ad jannoo ny " keeshyn."

Ec yn traa t’ayn ta shirveish cummit ayns Keeilleoin. Eisht t’ad shooyl, ayns yn order shoh, jees as jees, voish yn cheeill gys y chronk Tin Vaal.

Kiare sessenee jeh’n chee,
Ny shey toshee yioarree,
Ny captanyn ny skeeraghyn,
Ny saggyrtyn,
Ny briwnyn beggey,
Yn Chiare as Feed,
Ny fir coyrlee,
Yn er cliwe,
Yn CHIANNOORT,
Yn daa haggyrt reiltys,
Yn er-lhee y lught-thie,
Sidooryn,

as eisht as wheesh dy leih as sailleu geiyrt orroo shen. Va shuinyn skeaylt er ny greeishyn Tin Vaal son cowrey dy chur biallys.

The Four-and-Twenty are called " Keys," for they made the " keeshyn " or taxes.

At the present time the service is held in St. John’s Church. Then they walk in this order, two and two, from the Church to the Tynwald Hill.

Four sergeants of police,
The Six Coroners,
The Captains of Parishes,
The Clergy,
The High Bailiffs,
The Keys,
The Council,
The Sword-Bearer,
The GOVERNOR,
The two Government Chaplains,
The Surgeon to the Household,
Soldiers,

and then as many people as wish to go after them. Rushes were spread on the steps of the Tynwald for a sign of giving obedience.

Va dy chooiley skeerey chaglym ooir dy yannoo yn Chronk Tin Vaal ayns y toshiaght.

Er Laa Tin Vaal ta sleih cheet voish dy chooilley ard jeh Mannin dy chlashtyn ny slattyssyn focklit magh. Ta ny shenn tosheeyioarree livrey ny slattyn oc da’n Chiannoort, as ta’n chied vriw loo ny feallagh noa stiagh. Eisht ta dy chooilley hoshiagh-jioarey gliooney sheese roish yn Chiannoort, as goaill yn tlat echey veih laueyn yn Chiannoort. Ta toshiaghjioarey Glenfaba lhaih ny slattyssyn ayns Gaelg.

Every parish gathered earth to make Tynwald Hill at the beginning.

On Tynwald Day people come from every part of the Isle of Man to hear the laws pronounced. The six old coroners deliver their rods to the Governor, and the first Deemster swears the new coroners in. Then every coroner kneels down before the Governor, and takes his rod (wand) from the hands of the Governor. The coroner of Glenfaba reads the laws in Manx.

Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received The Editor
HTML Transcription © F.Coakley , 1999