Ellesmere Papers Vol. B. p. 23.

Document No. 154.

The Ellesmere Papers in the Manx Museum

AMONG the many valuable collections of manuscript records in the Manx Museum is what is called the Ellesmere series of papers. They all relate to the Isle of Man, and date from A.D. 1504 to 1605. They came to us from San Marino, California. U.S.A. A brief account of them may not be out of place.

In 1888 there was issued from the Stationery Office, London, the Appendix to the Eleventh Report of the Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts. In the lists of manuscripts therein contained were a number relating to the Isle of Man described as lying in the Bridgewater Estate Office. In 1923, a few months after our Museum was established, a letter was sent to that office enquiring if they could be secured for the Manx Museum. A reply was received that Lord Ellesmere, the owner, had a few years before sold part of his library, which part included the Isle of Man papers, and that it was understood they had been bought by an agent on behalf of a rich American. To discover where they had gone took: a fairly long time; and after correspondence with the heads of many of the large American libraries, the papers were eventually-found in the possession of the Henry J. Huntington Library, San Marino, California. They had been purchased, in addition to other British records, and deposited in the library which bears his name. Naturally- the Library declined to let us have the original papers, but offered to furnish photostats of them at the rate of 70 cents each folio. The approval of the Trustees was had for the expenditure, and the photostats arrived at the Manx Museum after three years' negotiations. The reproductions are all good, and probably more legible than the originals. There are four hundred and fifty-two folios, and the cost came to £79 17s. 1d. They are well worth the money. An opportunity has not yet come to transcribe more than a few of them. Here follows one of the earliest, entitled The Book of Fees and Wages for the year ending at the Feast of Saint Michael the Archangel, 1575.

1575. THE BOUKE OFF FEIS & WAIGS FOR THE YEREE ENDINGE AT THE FEASTE OF SANT MYCHELL THERCHANGELL. 1575.

[Soldiers of the Garrison.]

John Kyghley
Ric Wainwryght
Jolen Worsley
Charles Tomson
John Ryshton
Charles Benson
John Whitstons
Ric Shawe
Nicolas Ratchdayll p i qua^rt^r v. wekes, morte 6s 10d ob ⁽⁹⁾
Thomas Lucas
Itm. one S ⁽¹⁰⁾ controller's p. ano Jon Norris
John Jones
Willm Wattelworthe
Itm. one S ⁽¹⁰⁾ recover Robt. More
Henry Tetlowe
Thoms Wainwright
John More
Thoms Coplande
Lawrence Clidrowe
Robt. Laccell
John Wainwright
John Barrowe p. halde yer ex^r. x^d
Thoms Norrys
Gilbt Waterson
Willm Lucas Junr
James fferyman
Robt. Hindley
Thoms Smythe
Peter ferrande p. i qa^rt^r & v wekes v^s x^d ob
Percevell Deane
Thoms Tubman Junr
James Perke^r p i qa^rt^r v^s
John Clarke
Willm Haworthe
George Halsall p. halffe yere
john Stockley p. h. yere
Thoms Tubman Senr p. the like

Total of the above 39l

Theise [the above named Soldiers] be by the rait of xxs the yere

NOTES.

The cash payments are shown in the original document in Latin figures; in this transcription they are set down in Arabic numerals.

(1) The Captain at this date was Edward Tarbock. He represented Henry, Fourth Earl of Derby and Lord of Man.
(2) The Master Gunner.
(3) The Butcher's Boy.
(4) The Foreman.
(5) The wife of john Keighley, who was the Laundress.
(6) This name afterwards was spelled 'Lassell.' [fpc - gardnr = in charge of stores not the gardener! - hence the need for clerks]
(7) Original MS. indistinct.
(8) The Hooper.
(9) Ob. An abbreviation of Obolus, used for a half penny.
(10) The capital S appears to indicate that the Controller and the Receiver had each a soldier at their service.
(11) Sergeant.
(12) This was Sir Thomas Stanley, Knight. He acted as the Deputy under Captain Tarbock.
(13) Robert Christian was the Deemster. He belonged to the Lewaigue branch of the Christians. This family is now extinct in the male line.

Deemster John Cristen V of Milntown had a younger son Huan (named in Indenture 1532).

Huan's eldest son was Deemster Robert Cristen.

Deemster Robert Cristen's heir, Edward, married Katherin Harrison, heiress to Lewaigue and Ballakilley, Maughold (Lib. Vast 1622, p. 87).

The Manx Court Rolls at Knowsley state that in 1576 the Courts were held: before the Captain and John Lucas and Robert Cristen, Deemsters. (Proc. O.S. Vol. iii, p. 298.)

(14) The Schoolmaster had by comparison a large salary. This entry appears to be the earliest record of a schoolmaster in the Isle of Man. It is unfortunate that his name is not given. In a MS. record of the Ingates and Outgates of Castle Rushen, under date c. 1578, Peter ffarrand is set down as schoolmaster. It may be that he was the same as the soldier in the above list.