Bridge House Collection.

Document No. 69.

1663.

AN INVENTORY OF THE GOODS OF WILLIAM CHRISTIAN: A NEW 'ILLIAM DHONE' DOCUMENT.

The collection of MSS. generously given to the Museum by Miss Quayle and Mrs. Tomlin includes a most interesting document. It is endorsed: An Inventory of William Christian's goods, moveable & un-movable.

An Inventory of all ye goods movable & unmovable of Mr Wm Christian of Raynolds-way deceased & his widdow hath given upon oath to Itlr Quayle Atturney genrall & Mr Robt Calcott Coronr of Rushen Sheadinge whereof there is one half due unto yo Right Honrble Lord of this Isle & ye other halfe due unto ye widdow accordinge to ye Lawes of this Isle.

Imprimis:

¶ In Kill loft 40 barrells of oates in ye farr house loft 24 barrells of oates
in yo Cattle house loft 45 barrells of barley
in ye old house 4 hogs-heads 3 Tubbs 3 barrels priced to 18s

¶ In ye Stable 7 carres 5 straddles 4s 100 oke poules & 4 oulder poules its vjd on(e) old plue [plough] & old plue beame & other peeces of old Tymber 4s 4 peeces of [Toyly] is 4d on old Chist & hatchett 3s 6d 7 Skines 4s 3 pike forkes 2 grappes 3s 2 hackes 2 Mankes spaddes 2 English spaddes 4s on(e) saddle & bridle 8s ye old beame ye old carther geares 5s

¶ In ye Oxe house a old wearne & paire of wheeles 12s 2 plues [ploughs] & old cart 5s a Coop & paire of wheeles 2lb 10s

¶ In ye hall a table frame & forme tens, one settle threes, a Chist a deske & 3 small boxes 7s one old Chist 2s 6d 2 Chaires 3s 6d, a paire of Tables 5s 2 Cov"ed Stoules 5s 191b of white woolen yarne 10s a paire of boutes 10s a linnen wheele & woolen wheele 3s 6d.

¶ In the Parler 1 Table & frame llb 10s 4 throne Chaires 8s 6d on(e) Rowne Table frame 10s 3 Carpetts 12 s. 7 Cussens 10s, a wooden Handish 2s 6d a blue stoule & Chaire 3s 6d 2 letther Chaires & lether Stoules 7s.

¶ In Patricks loft 4 paire of harrowes 16s all els in Patricks loft savinge yo Iron and ye Tarre 14s 8d.

¶ In his owne Chamber of ye best pewter fourscore beatinge one 31b 19s.

¶ 30lb of old pewter llb 5s 16 lb of raging Pewter 10s 13lb Chamberpot Pewter. 3s 8d 7lb & half of Candlesticke Pewter 4s a stile an closse Stoule 121b 8s old brasse Candle-stickes 5lb & ei 4s 6d 51b & ei of linnen yarne 5s one peece of Corke and of Tan'd lether 3s 2 dossen of Pewter Spoones 2s 2lbs & ei of Plate 81b 2s.

Note : 'ei' indicates a half.

¶ five Muskett barrells & a old Stocke sent to ye Castle.

¶ More in his owne Chamber 7 paire of y_ best Sheetes an a od one 31b 15s 12 paire of yo second soart of Sheetes 41b 10s 7 paire of ye course Sheetes llb 16s 13 Pillo beares 16s 20 & one Flaxen Napkins 12s 10 french Cloath Napkins 8s one dozen of Manske Cloo Napkins 9s 8 Tray Napkins Table Cloath 14s 24 Course Napkins & Table Cloath 10s 6 Touells 6s 2 large Table Cloathes 15s 4 Table Cloathes llb. 5 Cuppert Cloathes 13s Her owne bed an Cloathes 21b. One Trunkell bed & Cloathes belonginge llb 10s a old Chist 6s a wenscoate Chist 12s one old Trunke 6s a warming Pan 4s one Stoule 2s 6d

¶ In ye Clossett Chamber a bed an[d] Cloathes 2lb 15s on[e] Chist bound wth Iron 7s on[e] Boxe 4s 2 Chaires & old Stoule 4s 2 old Trunkes & old small firkin 6s 2 doz. yards of red Cloath 21b 6s on[e] Trounke 5s on[e] Cubbert & Cussen l1b 4 French Chaires 4s 5 blue stoules & Chaire 18s ye best Bed & cloathes 71b 10s a Trounkell Bed & cloathes 21b 10s 4 Stoules & Tables 10s 6 glasse bottles & on[e] looking glasse 6s

¶ In Buttry Chamber: ye best stand bed an[d] cloathes 61b another stand bed & cloathes 21b 15s a table & frame a old chist stoule llb. ~ In ye old Deemster's Chamber: ye cloathes of ye bed & ye bed 31b. a trounkell bed & blankett coverlett 21b 5s. on[e] old Chaire on[e] stoule 6s. a Table & frame 6s all thinges upon ye high loft 15s.

¶ In my antes Chamber: a bed steed & hangings & trounkell bed llb 2s a small prest 12s. a small Table & frame 8s.

¶ In ye buttry all ye Earthen weare upon ye Cubbert 6s ye Cubbert itself llb 3s. 3 dozen Trounkell (i e., Truckle) bed : a low bed on wheels. of Threncers 3s a old chist 5s a small canvas ( ?) Is. a baskett to take away ye Table 1s. 2 hogsheads 2 barrells 5 firkins & a old salt barrell & Cubbert 11b 2s. 24 Cowes & a yearlinge 401b. 6 heifers 3 steeres 131b. 12 of 2 year old 121b. 8 of one year old 51b 19 oxen 431b. 14 horses maires & coults 271b sixe score sheep young of [and?] old 201b.

¶ In ye kitchen : 4 old brasse potts 2 iron potts & mortar & pestell 31b. on[e] bigg brasse pan & 2 small pans & skellett 2 brasse laddles & skimr llb 9s 3 spits 3 Racks 1 fryinge pan an old dripinge pan 1lb.

¶ In ye milk-house: a large wenscoat chist 18s. on[e] old chist on[e] churne on[e] can on[e] Tubb on[e] cover 3 small Can[n]es a butter bason I Is 6d a old Table is 6d.

¶ In ye milke house loft: a bed steed 10s a small barrell 2s 6d 2 cheese fleahes 2s.

¶ In ye Clossett : 7 cheese fates 3 panes 4 Tubbes 5s 5 pan muggs 2s 2 old firkins 2s. milkinge vessells 4s.

¶ In ye meale lofft : on[e] hogshead 3 barrels & Tubb 8s 6d 4 Sives is 6d.

¶ In ye Brue house: 3 hogsheads 4 barrells 17s a come & cooler & come stoule 10s a Table & f rame 7s.

The Corne is not as yet praised because there is more to be added wch is yet unpriced.

There is alsoe 2 boates & nets yet unpraised as likewise certayne swine and poultery unpriced.

And for ye wearinge apparells Mrs Christian widdow desires yt her husband apparell to stand in lieu of her owne & that his may be praised & her owne to be reserved.

The Inventory hath been taken in November last & lately priced as afforesd.

William Christian (popularly known by the pet name 'Illiam Dhone') was born in 1608 and was shot to death in 1663. He was a younger son of Deemster Ewan Christian of Milntown. In 1643, he was a member of the Keys, and in the same year his father gave him Ronaldsway estate. The Earl of Derby soon after made him Receiver, and in 1651 put him in command of the Militia When the Earl was made a prisoner in England, the Countess made proposals to Parliament for the surrender of the Island, in the hope of saving his life. We know also that Christian and some of the most influential Manxmen suspected she had done so, and that they excited their countrymen against her by declaring that the Countess intended to save herself by sacrificing them. On the night on which the bearer of these proposals sailed, the Insular Militia, under Christian's command, rose and attempted to seize all the forts. They took all with the exception of Rushen and Peel. The English authorities (through Musgrove) demanded an explanation of the rebellion, and Christian replied that it was to procure the redress of certain grievances; and, he added, that the Countess had sold the country to the Parliament. These grievances we know (says A. W. Moore in `Manx Worthies' p. 64) to have been connected with the 7th Earl's action in depriving the people of their old system of land tenure and substituting the English system of three lives. There were also deep complaints of the free quarterage of the troops upon the farmers throughout the Island. The Parliamentary troops arrived and took the Island on the 28th October. On the 3rd November, 1651, the Countess surrendered to the Parliament the castles of Rushen and Peel, and soon afterwards she left the Island. Christian was continued in his office of Receiver under Lord Fairfax, and between 1656 and 1658 he also held the office of Governor. In 1660 he was in London, where he was arrested for a debt. He afterwards returned to the Isle of Man. James the 7th Earl had been beheaded at Bolton on 15th Oct. 1651, and when Charles the 8th Earl was re-instated in his `Kingdom of Man' he took measures to bring to justice those whom he considered had been instrumental in the `Rebellion' in the Island. He issued a mandate for the trial of Christian on 12th Sept. 1662. Christian refused to plead to the indictment. He was on the 31st December, 1662, sentenced to be shot to death at Hango Hill, which was carried into effect on 2nd January, 1663.

It would appear that after. the above Inventory was made, the goods were equally divided according to law between the Lord of the Isle and the widow.

It remains to be stated that Illiam Dhone's son George made a successful appeal to King Charles 11, which resulted in the estate of Ronaldsway and other properties being restored to the family. Those responsible for the death of Christian were removed from office, including Henry Nowell, the Deputy Governor at the time.