CHARTER OF THE BISHOPRIC OF MAN.

A.D. 1505.

CONFIRMATION of Churches, Lands, and Liberties, given, granted, and made by the most noble Lord Thomas, Earl of Derby, Lord Stanley, Lord of Mann and the Isles, to Huan, Bishop of Sodor, and to his successors.

To all the sons of holy mother church who may inspect or hear these present letters, Thomas, by the grace of God, King of Mann and the Islands ; Earl Derby, and Lord Stanley, everlasting greeting in the Lord. We make known to all your community that we, for the salvation of our souls, and of the souls of our ancestors, and of all the faithful dead, have given and conceded to our beloved lord and father in Christ, lord Huan, by divine permission Bishop of Sodor, as a perpetual provision for his episcopal table, all churches, lands, tithes, and possessions, which our ancestors, the kings and lords of Man, have given, conceded, and confirmed, to the bishopric and church of Sodor. Namely, the cathedral dhurch of St. German, in Holme, called Sodor or Pele; and the church of St. Patrick, there ; and the aforesaid place in which the before-mentioned churches are situated ; and also the church of St. Bradan, and the churches of St. Patrick, of Jurby, with the church of St. Crore, and all and every of the aforesaid churches, the tithes, first fruits, emoluments, revenues, liberties, just proportions, profits, and everything belonging thereto, and a third part of the tithes of all the churches of Mann, confirming to them a third of the entire manor of Kirkby, near the church of St. Bradan, and a third of the whole of the manor of Kirk-marona, of the lands of Cullufby, of Glenfaba, of Fotyfdeyn, of Bala Mary, of the Staff of St. Patrick, and of Holme Towne; with the fisheries, breweries, customs, anchorages, and dues, and a third of Balycem* of Knockcroker, and of Balybruste, of Jourhy, of Balycane, or Brettby, and of Ramsey. Also the lands of the church of the Holy Trinity, in Leayre ; of St. Mary of Balylagh, of St. Maghold, and St. Michael adjoining, and a twelfth of the land of St. Columbe, which is called Here; also the liberties of every kind anciently conceded to the same church, their own court of life and limb, theft, murder, and all crimes., And that they may have the power of imprisoning and of releasing the imprisoned, and of the gibbet or furca on their own lands ; and that both the clergy as well as the laity dwelling on ecclesiastical farms, plead and answer to declarations in the court of the lord bishop at the ecclesiastical bar, and that they are free from all secular service exaction, demand, or penalty to be hereafter made. And if any other cause non-ecclesiastical be proved, between our men and the men of the said bishop, or of our successors, let the agent fined follow the decision of the court. We have also given and do confirm to the same bishop and his succssors all kinds of lee wreck and land coming wheresoever, and from whatever place to the Bishop of Mann, together with the village of Kyrcrest, near Ramsey, entirely, with clerical and lay breweries, and other things belonging to it, without any reserve, with one half of the fishery there in Mirescogh . And that the same bishop, his successors, clergy, and farmers of ecclesiastical revenues, have free power to sell and dispose of their tithes, and other thingsof the clergy and laity dwelling on ecclesiastical grounds, lands, whenever they shall see it expedient, both within and without our land of Mann, without our hinderance, or that of our successors, and also the mines of lead or of iron, which he may be able to discover through the whole of his land in Mann. To be had, held, and possessed by the aforesaid Huan, and his successors, the bishops of Mann forever, as freely, peacefully, and honorably as any other free gift that has been conferred and appropriated, for the episcopal table, by any kings or lords whatsoever, to be continued to the end of time.

In testimony of which things we have caused to be made these present letters patent, and signed with our seal. Dated at Lathum, the twenty-eighth day of the month of March, Anno Domino, 1505.

MONASTICON ANGLICARUM.

CONFIRMATIO Ecclesiarum et Terrarum, atque Libertatum, data, concessa, et facta, per nobilissimum Dominum Thomam comitem Derhei, Dominum Stanley, ac Dominum insulæ de Mann, et insularum, Huano Sodoriensi Episcopo suisque successoribus.

Universis sanctæ matris ecclesiæ filiis presentes litteras inspecturis vel audituris, Thomas, Dei gratia, Rex Manniæ, et insularum ; comes, Derbei, et Dominus Stanley, salutem in Domino sempiternam. Universitati vestræ innotescimus, quod pro salute animæ nostræ, et animarum antecessorum nostrorum,atque omnium fidelium defunctorum, concessimus et dedimus dilecto nobis in christo Patri ac Domino, domino Huano Sodoriensi Episcopo moderno in puram et perpetuam elymosynarn ad mensam suam Episcopalem, omnes ecclesias, terras decimas, ac possessiones quas antecessores nostri, Reges et Domini Manne ecclesiæ Sodoriensi et Episcopati ejusdem dederunt, concesserunt et confirmaverunt. Videlicet ecclesiam cathedralem Sancti Germani in Holme Sodor vel Pele vocatam ; Ecclesiasmque Sancti Patricii ; ibidem ; et locum prefatum in quo prefatæ Ecclcsiæ sitæ sunt; et etiam ecclesiam sancti Bradani, et Ecclesias sancti Patricii de Jourby, cum ecciesia sancti Crore, cam omnibus et singulis Ecclesiarum predictarum, decimis primitiis fructibus emolumentis, obventionibus, libertatibus, commoditatibus et pertinentiis universis, et tertiam partem decimarum de omnibus ecelesiis de Manne, confirmantes eis tertianam plenæ villæ de Kirkby, propinquorern ecelesiam sancti Bradani, cum terrae sancti Bradani et tertianam plenæ villæ de Kirkmarona, terras de Cullufby, de Glenfaba, de fotyfdeyn, de Baly Mary, de baculo sancti Patricii, et de Holme Towne ; cum piscariis, braciniis, consuetudinibus ancoragiis et vertenariis ; tertianam do Balycem de Knockeroker et de Balybruste, de Jourby, de Balycane, de Brettby, et de Ramsey. Terras etiam ecclesiæ sanctæ Trinitatis in Leayre ; sauctre Mariœ de Balylagh, sancti Magholdi, et sancti Michaelis adjacentis, et unciatam terrœ sancti Columbe quæ vocatur Here. Necnon omnimodas libertates antiquitus eidem Ecclesiæ concessas, curiam, suam de vita et membris de furto, homicidio et omnibus sceleribus. Et quod habeant incar.. cerationem et incarceratorum evasionem, et furcas, sen patibulum super terram suam ; et quod tam clerici quam laici in prædiis ettéxiementis ecclesiasticis, commorantés in curia Domini Episcopi, in foro Ecciesiastico agant et respondeænt, et quod liberi sint ab omni servitio seculari, exactioni et demanda ac foris-factura seu merciaménto. Et si qua alia causa non Ecclesiastica inter homines nostros, et homines dicti Episcopi, seu successorum nòstrorum vertatur, actor foris factus, rei forum sequâtur. Dedinius etiam et confirmavimus eidem Episcopo et successoribus suis, omne genus lee Wrecke et terrain ubicunque et undecurique Episcopo per Mannam venientibus, una cum villa de Kyrcrest juxta Ramsey, integre cum clericis et laicis braciniis et aliis pertinentibus, sine aliquo retinemento, una cum medietatepiscariæ ibidem in Mirescogh. Et quod idem Episocopus successores sui clerici et firmarii, redditum ecelesiasticorum habeant . liberam potestatem de decimis suis et ceteris rebus clericorum et laicorum in terris ecclesiasticis commorantium, vendendis, disponendis, ubicunque viderint expedire, tam infra terrain nostram de Mann, quam extra sine contradictione nostra, seu heredum nostrorum vel successorum nostrorum, ac etiam mineram plumbi vel ferri, quam invenire potent per totam terram suam in Mann. Habenda, tenenda et possidenda predicto Húano suisque successoribus Episcopis Manniæ in perpetuum, adeo libere, quiete et honorifice, sicut aliqua elemosyn a liberius et quietius ad quamcunque mensam Episcopalem conferter et appropriatur per Reges vel dominos quoscunque temporibus perpetuis duratura.

In cujus rei testimonium, presentes literas sigillo nostro signatas, fieri fecimus patentes. Datum apud Lathum vicessimo octavo die mensis Martii A.D. millesimo quiuigentesimo piinto.

* Bailiwick?

Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received The Editor
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