[From State Papers SP 48/2 p271]

Atholl's Seneschal occupies Douglas Court Room 1780

Isle of Mann 30th July 1780

My Lord

On the 25th Inst I received a note from one of the Duke of Atholl's Agents claiming the Court Room in the Town of Peel in behalf of his Grace & desiring the Key - in answer to which I replied that I knew of no Court Room in Peeltown but one, which I apprehended belonged to his Majesty, having been surrendred to his Majestys Officers on the Vesting Act & in their Possession ever since, & if that was the one he meant, that I did not think myself authorized to divest his Majesty of any of his legal Possessions until his Grace's Seneschal had shown some right to them. Lest this affair may be misrepresented to the Duke & his Grace should complain to your Lordship I thought it proper to acquaint your Lordship with the transaction & beg Leave to represent to your Lordship my Reasons for giving a Refusal - By a Letter of Attorney from the late Duke of Atholl to certain Persons then in the Island; an attested Copy of which was transmitted to the late Governor Wood from the Secretary of State's office, the Duke empowered them to deliver Possession of all Forts, Castles, Public Buildings Courts of Law, Records & Repositories of Records &c to his Majestys Officers, & on the taking Possession of the Island this was done & the Court Rooms in Castle Rushen, Douglas & Peel were delivered up & his Majesty's Arms placed inside of them & they have remained in Possession of his Majesty's Officers ever since except the Court Room in Douglas which came into the Possession of the Duke of Atholl's Seneschal by the following Means - The Clerk of the Rolls being then also the Duke's Seneschall, had by the late Governor Wood's permission Liberty to hold the Manorial Court in his Majesty's Court Room in Douglas & kept the Key, which, as he informs me, he left for Conveniency in that time with Mr Heywood - & Mr Heywood being appointed last year one of his Grace's Seneschals has retained it ever since to the great Inconveniency of his Majesty's High Bailiff, who is by that means deprived of a Room to hold his weekly Courts in - I should be very sorry even in Appearance to with hold from his Grace the Duke of Atholl any of his Rights but I do think it unbecoming in his Majesty's Govr to give up any of his Majesty's Possessions until a legal Right has been made out by the Claimant.

I am &c
R Dawson Lt Govr

Notes