[From Manx Note Book vol II]

UR PARISH REGISTERS IN THE ISLE OF MANN CONTAIN MUCH QUAINT AND CURIOUS INFORMATION, WELL WORTHY OF BEING TRANSCRIBED.

THE REGISTER OF THE PARISH OF BALLAUGH, being the oldest will, therefore, have the first place in our series. The earliest book, which seems to have been a transcript of the original, is now in a state of pulp. Fortunately, however, it was beautifully copied, some fifty years ago, by the Rev. Thomas Howard, Rector.

It is entitled-
" A REGISTER BOOK OF BURIALLS MADE IN Y^E YEAR OF OUR LORD GOD 1598, BEING THE FIRST YEAR THAT I, NICHOLAS THOMPSON, CAME TO BALLAUGH CHURCH, TO SERVE THERE MYSELFE &c., AS FOLLOWETH :-

A few of the early entries are appended.

Marriages are not entered till 1695.

EXTRACTS.

October ye first, Anno Domini 1600.

" The order of the Division of the Church-yard ditch beginning att the entrance in and goeing about sun-way as every Treen is appointed in their course. In the whole eight Treens and an halfe & halfe a quarter by itself besides, A.D, i.e. a half (demi) Treen for the court belonging to the Lo: Bpp: next the Entrance, & now lately made by the cotters."

We find a little further down that the Treens were- " Marked out as followeth in order by the most ancients men of the Parish, in anno 1600."

Then follow the names of the Treens.-The owners of these divisions were obliged to keep their portion of the church-yard and fence in order. To this effect is appended the following passage in the Register:-

"Note that there is [20] tie yeards for every whole Treen, that is for every quarter five yards, excepting the *Court Treen, & a quarter of Ballabegg where ye entrance is, which hath noe more but the way in coming in & ye 2 sides or cheekes, some 2 sodden broad on either side or thereabouts."

1606 " Anno hereto, was buryed 2 twins, sones to Donold Macylrea, wch were baptized within, and the 3rd son being baptised aft ye Church the same day, was like wise buryed the 9th day of the same month, all three being born att one birth the said day of January, ano preto."

*Note in Register.-" The court Treen or ye Lo Bopps parte of antiquitie belonging to that place, upon ye: east side of the entrance."

Anno preto, i.e. the aforesaid year; within, i.e. in the house, privately.

1607. " Note that the 28 of October, in anno preto, was born ii twines, a son and a daughter, children to Thomas Twatch. The daughter was baptized within & buried the 28th day of ye same month, the son being baptized in ye Church the said 28th of October, in anno 1607, & named Philip Twatch."

1609. " Cally Pharick Ine Gawen, Irishwoeman, buryed 23," (sic).

Cally Pharick, i.e. St. Patrick's handmaid. Ine is a shortened form of Inny ("daughter.")

1611. " Was baptized Ellin Thompson, daughter to Sr Nicho Thompson, Parson, the 21 of February, preto, and born into ye world upon Friday, the 19th of the same month, about .... in ye afternoon.'

The hour is illegible. " Sir," was a title applied to priests and curates in general, because they had usually taken the first degree of dominus (or Bachelor of Arts) which was usually translated " Sir," vice Shakespeare, " Sir Hugh Evans, a Welsh parson," " Sir Oliver Martext, a vicar." It is strange to find " Sir" followed here by "Parson." The title, "Sir," in the case of clergymen, was generally restricted to vicars and curates, rectors being styled " Parson," or " Mr" the shortened form of Magister or Master of Arts.

1613 "Nicho Thompson, son of Nicholas, baptized ye 9th day of March anno f relo, being born into this world on Sunday before, being the 6th day of March, a quarter of an hour before ii aclock in ye affore-noon vizt in anno dom: 1613."

1621. "Nicho Thompson, son of Sir Nicholas, buryed the 13 November, intus in chore also Arthur."

The Rector seems to have lost two sons at the same time. The birth of Nicholas is recorded in 1613, Arthur's is not to be found in Ballaugh Register. ''Intus in choro" is within the choir or in the chancel.

1623. " A poore stranger woman, her name not known, found dead att a Ditch-field."

"A Ditch-field" probably means a field-ditch.

1624. " William Davis, de Hawarden, lyeth here buryed on ye north side, close by ye altar in ye chancell of Ballaugh the 13th of August."

Evidently a Welshman, who came from the place now owned by Mr. Gladstone.

1629. " ffinlo Corlod, son of John Curlod, Bap: ye 5th November, in ano: 1629, and also the 6th of November, Marg^tt & Ellin Curlett Daur & all three Twynes of one Burthen unto the foresaid John Curleod."

This remarkable entry shows the extreme carelessness about spelling names, so general in those times, the same name being indifferently spelt as Curlod, Corlod, Curlett, and Curleod.

1634. " illegible] Thompson, son of S^r Jo: Thompson, deceased, late Vicar of K.K. Braddan, was born ye 27th of August, att 10 or 11 a clock, att night and bap: the 31st of the same month, anno predicto."

Sir John died in June 1634; he was probably son of Sir Nicholas. He was married to Ann Davis (de Hawarden,) sister of the man who was buried in 1624.

1636. "John Thompson, son of Thomas, was bap: the 8th of May, anno domini 1636, being born in ye world upon the 3rd day att night, being Tuesday, much about an hower and a halfe after night-falling. God make him his faithfull servant in Christ Jesus, Amen."

Probably a grandson of Sir Nicholas's.

1640. " Sr Nicholas Thompson, Rector of Ballaugh, buryed in Novr. "

He had been Rector forty-two years. He was succeeded by Robert Parr, Rector 1640-1673.

1644. " Charles, son of Sir Robert Parr, Rector, born March 3. -Richard Parr, Doctr of Divinitie, Parson of Eccleston, in Lancashire, Lord Bopp: of Sodor & Mann, departed this life the 23rd of March, att Bopp's :-Court, & was Buryed in Bopp: Philip's grave, in the Cathedral Church within the Castle-Peele, the 26th of March, 1644."

He was Bishop from 1635-40, and was father probably to the Rector, Robert Parr³

1648. " In this year there was great scarcity of corne."
1656. " Thomas Christian, son of Thomas Christian, of Ballamore, in Jurby, bapt: 17th of ffebruary."

The Christians, of Ballamoore, were a branch of the Milntown family. Mr. W. W. Christian, of Ballacurry, is a descendant of his.

1660. " Mrs Margaret Thompson, aged 100 years or thereabouts, buryed the 13th January."

Probably the wife of Sir Nicholas. Certainly she must have been a personage of some importance, otherwise the prefix of Mrs would not have been put to her name at this early date.

1663. " Thomas Christianus, filius Johannis, de K.K. Marronne, natus primo die Januarii et baptizatus 30 die sequente ano predicto."

The old clerics were fond of a little bit of Latinity.

1673. " Sir Robert Parr, Parson, Buryed 21^st August."

He had been Rector since 1640, and Vicar General since 1646. His son, Charles, who became Vicar-General in 1675, succeeded him as Rector of Ballaugh.

1679. " Gulielmus Walker, filius Thomae, de K.K. Christ, Lezayre natus 18th die Februarii et baptizatus fuit 21^s sequente, ista prochiale Ecclesia a Johanne Harrison Rev^sdo Rectore de K.K. Bride."

This John Harrison was Vicar-General for thirty two years. Gulielmus Walker became Rector in 1703. Charles Parr died in 1687, and was succeeded by Henry Lowcay, who had been Master of the Academical School in Castletown.

1697. "Jon Killip, husband of Margt. Kevish of Ballatore, buried March ye 16th''

She was probably an heiress, which may account for the peculiar form of the entry. " Tho: Fleke, ignomine offic^r, buried May ye 4th"

No such word as ignomine is known to the Latin language. We find ignominia, meaning ignominy, disgrace, dishonour. Can it be that he was a person whose name was not to be mentioned to ears polite, the "Jack Ketch" [hangman] of the community?

(To be continued.)

* Vicar-General Wilks (Rector 1771-1777) writes-"The antient and modern name is St Mary's of Ballaugh. The Etymology of Ballaugh, as I take it, is from ye Mx:-Bal-ny-laghey, which laghey signifies mire or mud where wth this Parish formerly abounded from ye number of quays or mires in y^e side thereof."

3 It is proposed to give an account of him and the Rectors under the heading of The Parr Family. [see Manx Wothies chap 1]