[Notes 7-12 from Manx Soc Vol 12 ]

§ 7.

The Chronicle is in error as to the dates, the Island having been conquered by the Scots in 1313. Some of the historians assert that King Robert Bruce conquered the Island in person.

In the same year, 1313, King Robert Bruce granted the Island to Thomas Randolph, or Ranulph, (named in the Chronicle Randle,) Earl of Moray.

The following is Mr. Cumming’s translation of the grant, from his notes on Sacheverell 167. See also Oliver’s Monumenta 162

Charter of Robert Bruce to Thomas Randolph, Earl of Moray, A.D. 1313.

Robert, by the grace of God, King of the Scots, to all honest men of his land, clergy and laity, greeting. Know that we. &c., have confirmed to Thomas Randolph, Earl of Moray and Lord of Annandale, our dearest nephew, for his homage and service, the whole Island of Man, with appurtenances, together with a certain other Island adjacent thereto, which is called Calf’s, with appurtenances; To have and to hold to the said Thomas and his heirs, of us and of our heirs, in fee and heirship, and for a free royalty, without any restraint, freely, peaceably, fully, and honorably, with the advowsons of churches and monasteries, and with all and singular actions and complaints to our Royal Crown appertaining; and with all other kinds of liberties, conveniences, easements, and just appurtenances, in all, and through all, as well unmentioned as mentioned, without the aforesaid Islands, together with royal government and justice, to be administered over all men inhabiting the aforesaid Islands, as well as over all men of the Bishopric there, as of all other men whomsoever, as well as during the time of the vacant Bishopric as without; So that no minister of ours may from henceforth enter upon the premises within the aforesaid Islands ; Save and except to us and our heirs, the patronage of he episcopal see there, and its government in all other respects ; Finding for us and our heirs, the said Thomas and his heirs, six ships annually each of twenty-six oars, with men, and provisions for six weeks, after a reasonable warning and making a personal appearance at the Parliament of us and our heirs, to be held within our kingdom, by reasonable summonses of forty days; and rendering, moreover to us and to our heirs annually, at the feast of Pentecost, Inverness, a hundred marks sterling, by the name of white mail, only in lieu of all earthly services, exactions, customs, or demands which maybe required or demanded by any person in the aforesaid Islands, with appurtenances. And we and our heirs will warrant, acquit, and fully defend the aforesaid out Islands, with their appurtenances, in all things as aforesaid, to the said Thomas and his heirs against all people. These being witness ;—the Venerable Fathers in Christ William, John, William, David, and David, by the grace of God, Bishops of the Churches of St. .Andrew, Glasgow, Dunkeld, Moray, and Sodor; Duncan, Earl of Fife; Patrick of Dunbar, Earl of March; Malise, Earl of Strathern; Hugh, Earl of Ross; Walter, Seneschal of Scotland; James, Lord of Douglas; and Gilbert de Haya, our Constable, knights, at Berwick-upon-Tweed, the 20th day of December, in the 19th year of our reign.’

The Earl of Moray, by charter, A.D. 1329, confirmed the grant of King Magnus to the Bishops of Sodor and Man. (See notes on § 3, and on Title "Abbot" post.)

Subsequently King Robert Bruce made two successive grants of the Island (1) to the Duke of Albany, and (2) to Martholine, the King’s almoner. (Sacheverell 59.) The uncertainty as to the history of this period is thus observed on by Sacheverell 60 :—" To say truth, we have so little certainty of these times, that we rather expose their ignorance than inform ourselves."

§ 8.

The date of the Earl of Salisbury’s conquest, as given in the Chronicle (8 Ed. III., 1335), differs from that given by various historians. The conquest appears to have been made sometime between 1335 and 1343, by Sir William Montague, or Montacute the second, the first Earls of Salisbury. It must be admitted that there is considerable doubt as to there having been two conquests of the Island from the Scots by the Montacute family; but if it be true that a Sir William Montacute conquered the Island. and mortgaged it to Anthony Beck, (who died about 1310 or 1311), (see notes on § 6), and that Sir William Montacute made a conquest of the Island in or after 1335, there must have been two conquests,—the first of which would have been by Sir William Montacute the first, son of Sir Simon, and the second by Sir William Montacute the second, the grandson of Sir Simon.

The grant by Edward III. to the Earl of Salisbury is supposed to have been in confirmation of his alleged right to the throne of Man as the lineal representative of Aufrica, daughter of Olave II. It is also supposed to be probable that he united in his own person the rival claims of Mary and of Aufrica (see notes in § 5,) in this manner :—

(1) Mary, daughter of Reginaid II., married Sir John de Waldeboef, and by him had issue William de Waldeboef, who had issue John de Waldeboef, who in 1304 claimed the Island in the English Parliament (see notes on § 5), and who left issue a daughter, Mary de Waldeboef, who married Sir William Montacute II.

(2) Aufrica, daughter of Olave II., married Sir Simon de Montacute, and by him had issue William de Montacute I., who had issue William de Montacute II., (first Earl of Salisbury,) who married Mary de Waldeboef.

The following is the translation of the grant of Edward III. to Sir William Montacute II., taken from Mr. Cumming’s notes to Sacheverell 171. (See also 2 Oliver’s Monumenta 183.)

Anno 7, Ed. III. (1333). The King to all to whom these presents may come, greeting. Know ye, that by the consent of the Prelates, Lords, Barons, and other nobles, our assessors, we have remitted, surrendered, and altogether on our part, and that of our heirs, assigned peaceful possession, to our beloved and faithful William de Montacute, of all the rights and claims which we have, have had, or in any way could have, in the Isle of Man, with all its appurtenances whatever; so that neither we nor our heirs, nor any other in our name, shall be able to exact or dispose of any right or claim in the aforesaid Island. In testimony whereof witness the King at Topcliff, the ninth day of August. By the King himself.

It is worthy of note that in this grant there is no reservation of any service, to be rendered by the grantee to the King of England.

§ 9.

It is not clear when the Lord William Montague (second Earl of Salisbury), named in this section, succeeded his father, the first Earl, in the kingdom of Man. Mr. Cumming, in his appendix to Rushen Castle, gives the date as 1388, and in his notes to Sacheverell 170, as 1344.

The following is a translation of a record of the purchase of the Island by Sir William Scroop, afterwards Earl of Wiltshire, given in Sacheverell 61. (See also Oliver’s Monumenta 210.)

William Le Scroop buys of the Lord William Montacute, the Isle of Eubonia, that is, Man. It is forsooth the law of that Island, that whoever may be the Lord thereof shall be called King, to whom also appertains the right to be crowned with a golden crown.

It is presumed that this transaction of the sale of the Island and its Royalties, must have been with the approbation of the English King Richard II.

§ 10.

"This Sir William Scroop, afterwards Earl of Wiltshire, had all the vices of a great statesman, subtle, fawning, false, designing, timorous, unjust, covetous, and ambitious, and to support his own authority, misled a weak prince into a separate interest from his people, which in the end proved the ruin of them both; for the nobility, not able to support his insolence, rose against the King, though unsuccessfully, among whom the great Earl of Warwick, a true maintainer of the English liberties, was banished to the Isle of Man, but soon after recalled; for the Duke of Lancaster (afterwards King Henry IV,) landing in England was universally received by the nobility and people, and Sir William Scroop, Earl of Wiltshire, had his head struck off, without any formal process, for misgoverning the King and Kingdom."— Sacheverell 61.

§11.

The following is a translation of the grant of Henry IV. to the Earl of Northumberland, anno 1 Henry IV. (1399). See Gibson’s Camden’s Britannia, and 2 Oliver’s Monumenta 215. The Chronicle appears to be in error as to the date of the grant.

The King to all to whom, &c., greeting. Know that we inwardly reflecting on the magnificent, and to us and our whole kingdom fruitful, and highly necessary labors, costs and services, which our beloved and faithful kinsman, Henry de Percy, Earl of Northumberland, for the extirpation and reformation of divers defects and errors, lately sprung up in the kingdom aforesaid, and tending to the probable extinction and final destruction, both as regards rulers, magistrates, and others of the nobility, as well as of the community of the said kingdom, hath in many ways offered and performed, and unweariedly doth show in our presence ever since we, by the guidance of God, with the premised object, arrived in the kingdom aforesaid. And being desirous, therefore, of conferring some suitable recompense on our kinsman aforesaid, albeit not an unworthy one according as his many and noble deeds impel us,—We have given and granted, of our especial grace and certain knowledge, to the said Earl of Northumberland, the Island, Castle, Peel, and lordships of Man, and all the islands and lordships appertaining to the said Isle of Man, which belonged to Sir William le Scrop, deceased, whom in his life we lately conquered, and so have decreed him conquered, and which by reason of that conquest, as having been conquered, we seized into our hands. Which decree and conquest, as touching the person of the said William, and all his lands and tenements, goods and chattels, as well within as without our said kingdom, in our Parliament, by the ascent of the Lords temporal in the same Parliament assembled, at the petition of the Commons of our said kingdom, are confirmed; to have and to hold to the said earl and his heirs, all the Islands, Castles, Peel, and lordships aforesaid, together with the royalties, regalities,. franchises, liberties, seaports, and everything truly and properly belonging to the same, homages, fealties, wardenships, marriages, reliefs, escheats, forfeitures, waifs, strays, courts baron, views of frankpledge, leets, hundreds, wapentakes, sea-wreck, mines of lead and iron, fairs, markets, free customs, meadows, pastures, woods, parks, chases, lands, warrens, assaTts, purprestures, highways, fisheries, mills, moors, marshes, turbaries, waters, pools, vineries, ways, passages, and commons, and every other the profits, commodities, emoluments, and appurtenances whatsoever to the Islands, Castle, Peel, and lordship aforesaid, belonging or appertaining, together with the patronage of the bishopric of the said Island of Man, also knight’s fees, advowsons and patronage of abbies, priories, hospitals, churches, vicarages, chapels, chantries, and every other ecclesiastical benefices whatsoever to the said Island, Castle, Peel, and lordship in like manner belonging, of us and our heirs for eve; by service of carrying on the coronation days of us and our heirs, at our left shoulder, and the left shoulders of our heirs, by himself, or a sufficient and honorable deputy, that naked sword with which we were girded when we landed in the parts of Holderpesse, called the Lancaster sword, during the procession, and the whole time of the ceremony of the coronation above mentioned, as fully, freely, and entirely, (the service aforesaid excepted,) as the aforesaid William, or any other Lord of the said Island held or might have possessed, the Islands, Castle, Peel, and lordships, with everything before mentioned in times past.

We give, moreover, and concede to the said Earl, all the goods and chattels which belonged to the aforesaid William, existing within the said Island of Man, and which belongs to us by reason of the conquest before mentioned, to hold as our gift.

In testimony of which, &c., witness the King at Westminster, the 19th day of October. By the King himself.

In this grant it is alleged that King Henry IV. had in the lifetime of Sir William Scroop conquered him, and that by reason of the conquest the King had seized the Island into his hands; and it would appear that as there might be doubt as to the alleged conquest in a legal point of view, the King decreed that Sir William Scroop was conquered, and the conquest and decree as to his person, and real and personal estate, both within and without the kingdom, were ratified and confirmed by the Parliament. On this allegation Selden (p. 25, Oliver’s Monumenta 108, and extract from Selden contained in App. 2 to these Notes,) observes :—

Whereas indeed the conquest was no otherwise than that Sir William Scroop was taken at Bristow, and beheaded by those which were of the part of this king, while he was Duke of Lancaster, and made his way for the Crown. But it is not so much a wonder to see him give it as a Territorie acquired by conquest, if withall it be remembered, that he had a purpose to have challenged the crowns of England and Ireland by a title of the sword, and not by inheritance. But he was dissuaded from that claim by Sir William Thirning, Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, who was imploied under him in his greatest affares of State, and thence was it also that to give some satisfaction to the Parliament that doubted it, he made a publique protestation that he would not that any man should thinke that by way of conquest he would disinherit any man of his heritage, franchis, or other rights, &c., and therefore also he claimed the crown by pretence of hereditarie discent. But for the title to the Isle of Man he altered not his purpose, it seems, nor did he continue in it without the consent of the Parliament that thus affirmed it to be by conquest.

The following references to the proceedings of the Parliament in the first year of Henry IV. (abridged from the Printed Rolls of Parliament), are taken from Tomlin’s Statutes at Large, vol. I, p. 519 :—

Immediately it appearing from the premises, and by reason thereof, that the kingdom of England with its appurtenances was vacant [viz., by the deposition of Richard III Henry Duke of Lancaster challenged the said kingdom of England, so as aforesgid vacant, together with the crown and all its members and appurtenances, in a short speech in English. After which challenge and claim the Lords Spiritual as well as Temporal, and all the States there present, singillatim et communiter, being asked what they thought of the said challenge and claim, the said Estates, cum toto populo, without any difficulty or delay, unanimously consented that the said Duke should reign over them; and the Duke (thereupon shewing the signet of King Richard, delivered to him as a sign of his wishing him to be his successor,) was led by the Archbishop to the Throne, and placed by him thereon, populo pre nimio gaudio fortiter applaudante. After which the Archbishop made the sermon or address alluded to by him at the opening of this Parliament, and the King delivered a short address of thanks to the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Estates of the land, declining all Right of Conquest, except as to those who had been against the common profit of the Realm. (Page 520.) On Petition of the Commons.

—Proceedings against William Scroope, Henry Green, and John Bussey, declaring all their Lands and Tenements forfeited to the King by Right of Conquest, as those whom the King held guilty of all the evil that had happened to the realm. This forfeiture was affirmed by the Lords, with a saving of Trust Estates, and a declaration that the Statute (34 E. III., c. 12) concerning forfeitures should remain in force.

By this statute of 34 Ed. III. provision was made, that there should be no forfeiture of lands for the treason of persons dead, unless attainted in their lives. The only strict sense in which the seizure of the Island by Henry IV. could be designated a conquest, was so far as the word conquest signifies an acquisition gained otherwise than by inheritance.

What we call purchase, perquisitio, the feudists called conquest, conquaestus, or conquisitio; both denoting any means of acquiring an estate out of the common course of inheritance. And this is still the proper phrase in the Law of Scotland, as it was among the Norman jurists, who styled the first purchaser (that is, he who brought the estate into the family which at present owns it,) the conqueror or conqzeereur, which seems to be all that was meant by the appellation which was given to William the Norman, when his manner of ascending the throne of England was, in his own and his successors’ charters, and by the historians of the times, entitled conquaestus, and himself conquaestor or conquisitor, signifying that he was the first of his family who acquired the crown of England, and from whom therefore all future claims by descent must be derived; though now, from our disuse of the feudal sense of the word, together with the reflexion on his forcible method of acquisition, we are apt to annex the idea of victory to this name of conquest or conquisition, a title which however just with regard to the crown, the conqueror never pretended with regard to the realm of England, nor in fact ever bad. (2 Blackstone’s Commentaries 242.)

Although Parliament declared, the acquisition of the Island to be a conquest, it is manifest from the reservation of the House of Lords, that they considered the acquisition by the King was more in the nature of a forfeiture for treason, than a conquest by the sword, and they guard against the act of forfeiture as for treason, the traitor not being attainted in his lifetime, being made a precedent for the future. At the same time if Sir William Scroope were guilty of treason, it was against Richard II., who was in fact deposed by Henry IV., he being himself neither more nor less than a successful traitor. The confirmation by Parliament of the acquisition as a conquest, could have no effect further than as an enactment, that the property and possessions of Sir William Scroop should be dealt with as if they had been acquired by conquest; it could not in reality make that a conquest which was not one.

The Chronicle is incorrect as to the impeachment and death of the Earl of Northumberland The rising against Henry IV. in 1403 virtually terminated in the battle of Shrewsbury, in which battle Henry Percy (surnamed Hotspur), son of the Earl, was slain, and Robert Percy, Earl of Worcester, uncle of Hotspur, was taken prisoner, the latter being afterwards beheaded. The Earl of Northumberland was not personally engaged in the battle, he having been detained by illness at Berwiek. (Hume’s History of England, chap. 18). By Act of Parliament, 5 Henry IV. (1404) cap. 1, the property of Hotspur, of his uncle the Earl of Worcester, and of other traitors engaged in the battle of Shrewsbury, was declared to be forfeited. (1 Statutes at Large by Tomlins 547). The Earl, after the battle, submitted to the King and was pardoned, (Hume, chap. 18,) but it would appear that although he was not attainted, his property, or at any rate the Isle of Man, was seized to the King’s use, and the Island was not restored to him on his submission. The following is the King’s commission, issued under the great seal, for the seizure of the Island. (2 Oliver’s Monusnenta 228.)

Respecting the taking and seizing of the Castle and Island of Man into the hands of the King.

6 Hen. IV. (1405).—The King to his beloved and faithful John Stanley and William Stanley, greeting,

Know, &c., that so far as above severally relates to the taking and seizing of the Castle and Island of Man, with its appurtenances, into our bands.

And respecting which, when they shall have been so taken and seized into our hands, safely and securely, that ye hold the same as long as ye have things in charge from us, to keep in our name.

Therefore we command you, and each of you, as far as relates to the foregoing, &c., and the aforesaid things as above set forth, &c.

And we give to all and to every, our honest and faithful men in the Island aforesaid, and to you and each of you, he., as above. Witness as above.

In 1405 Henry IV. granted the Island to Sir John Stanley for life. By this grant, which is recited in the grant of 1406 (see Notes on § 12), it is declared that the Island, &c., "were possessed by the aforesaid Earl, who against us and his allegiance traitorously rose up, and which appertained to us both by confiscation, as well as by reason of the forfeiture of the same Earl." The absolute grant of 1406 was made very shortly after that for life. In 1405 the Earl, with Lord Bardolf and others, was again in rebellion against the King. In 1 Tomlins’ Statutes at Large, p. 555, are the following references to the printed Rolls of Parliament, 7 Henry IV. (1406) :—" The Record of the Process against Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, and Thomas Bardoif, Lord Bardolf.—The Process against these noblemen in the Court of Chivalry, before the Constable (in An. 6 H. 4) for having appeared in arms against the King, and for having treated with Scotland and France for the restoration of King Richard II. if living, or revenging his death, if dead, is recited before Parliament, and thereupon several proclamations for the appearance of the accused are ordered to be made, and being made and returned, both the noblemen making default in appearance, are declared convict of treason, and sentenced accordingly." By an Act of the same year, (7 Henry IV., 1406, cap. 5,) provision was made that any property of which the Earl of Northumberland and Lord Bardoif were seized, to the use of others, should not be forfeited to the King, but declaring all lands of which they were seized to their own use to be forfeited. (1 Tomlins’ Statutes at Large 557.)

The circumstance of the grant of the Island to Sir John Stanley before the attainder of the Earl, rendered the title of the Stanley family of doubtful legality. The defect does not appear to have been observed until the reign of Queen Elizabeth, when a dispute arose between the heir male and the heirs general of Ferdinand, the eighth Lord of Man of the Stanley line, as to the right to the Island. The title of the Stanley family to the Island was examined by referees appointed by the Queen, and amongst other things they resolved :—" That seeing no office could be found to entitle the King to the forfeiture for treason, that the King might grant by Commission under the Great Seal to seize the same into the King’s hands, &c., which being done and returned of record is sufficient to bring it into the King’s seisin and possession, and into charge, &c.’ (See Notes on § 20, and Appendix No. 2 to these notes.)

The Earl of Northumberland and Lord Bardoif were slain in an engagement at Bramham in 1407. (Hume, chap. 18.)

§ 12.

King Henry IV. in 1405 granted the Island to Sir John Stanley for life. The grant was surrendered, and the King in 1406 made a new grant to Sir John and his heirs. The Chronicle gives the date as 1403, which appears to be incorrect. The following is Dr. Oliver’s translation of the grant of 1406, in which the grant for life is recited. (2 Oliver’s Monumenta 235, and as to legality of the grant see Notes on § 11 and 20.)

Charter of Henry IV. to Sir John Stanley.—A.D. 1306. (7 Hen. IV.)

The King, to all to whom. etc., greeting. Know that whereas we, on the nineteenth day of October, in the first year of our reign, of our special grace and certain knowledge, had given to Henry tie Percy, Earl of Northumberland, the Island, Castle,’ Pele, and lordship of Man, and all the Islands and lordships to the same Island of Man belonging, which were possessed by William Lescrop, chivalier, whom lately in his life we conquered, and decreed him to be so conquered, and which, by reason of that conquest, as well as of the conquest we took into our hand; which said decree and conquest in our present Parliament, in the first year of our reign, by the assent of the Lords Temporal in the same Parliawent, as regards the person of the aforesaid William, and all his lands and tenements, goods and chattels, as well within our said kingdom as without, at the supplication’ of the Commons of our said kingdom were affirmed; To have and to hold to the said Earl and his heirs, all the Islands, Castle, Pele, and loadship aforesaid, together with the royalties, regalities, franchises, liberties, seaports, and all things to a port reasonably and duly belonging, the homages, fealties, wardships, marriages, reliefs, eseheats, forfeitures, waifs, strays, courts baron, views of frankpledge, leets, hundreds, wapentakes, sea-wrecks, mines of lead and iron, fairs, markets, free customs, meadows, pastures, woods, parks, chases, lands, warrens, assarts, purprestures, highways, fisheries, mills, moors, marshes, turbaries, waters, pools, vivaries, ways, passages, commons, and other profits. commodities, emoluments, and appurtenances whatsoever to the Islands, Castle, Pele, and lordship aforesaid in anywise pertaining or belonging, together with the patronage of the bishopric of the said Island of Man, and also knights’ fees, advowsons and patronage of abbies, priories, hospitals, churches, vicarages, chapels, chautries, and all other ecclesiastical benefices whatsoever to the same Islands, Castle, Pele, and lordship likewise appertaming, of us and our heirs for ever, by the service of carrying on the coronation days of us and our heirs, during the procession, and the whole time of the solemnization of the coronation abovesaid, on the left side of us and our heirs, during the procession, and the whole time of the solemnization of the coronation abovesaid, on the left side of us and our heirs, by himself or his sufficienj and honourable deputy, that naked sword called Lancaster sword, with which we were girded when we landed in the parts called Holdernesse, as fully, freely, and entirely, (except as to the service aforesaid,) as the Sforesaid William, or any other lord of the same Isle hath better had and held the said Islands, Castle, Pele, and lordship, with all things aforesaid in byegone times. And Lord Richard, late King of England, the second after the conquest, by his letters patent, which were confirmed by us on the third day of November, in the first year of our reign, by his special grace, with the assent of his council, grants to his well-beloved and faithful knight John tie Stanley the payment of one hundred marks each year, on the festivals of Easter and Michaelmas, in equal portions, during the whole life of the said John; and also both by letters of the late king himself, as well by our letters of confirmation recorded in our chancery, we have conceded to the said John, the Castle, Pele, and lordship aforesaid, and all the Island,s and lordships to the same Island of Man belonging, which were possessed by the aforesaid earl, who against us and our allegiance traitorously rose up; and which appertained to us both by confiscation, as well as by reason of the forfeiture of the same earl; To have and to hold to the same John for the term of his life, all the Islands, Castle, Pele, and lordship aforesaid, together with the royalties, regalities, franchises, liberties, fees, advowsons, and patronages, and all others abovesaid to the same Island, Castle, Pele, and lordship likewise belonging, as fully, freely, and entirely as the beforesaid Earl or any other Lord of the same Island of Man better had or held of the Islands, Castle, Pele, and lordship, with all things abovesaid in times past, according to our letters to the same John respecting the beforesaid Islands, Castle, Pele, and lordship in this respect is more fully set forth. And inasmuch as the said John has restored to us our said lettei-s recorded in our chancery to be cancelled, we, of our special grace and certain knowledge have given and conceded to the same John, the Island, Castle, Pele, and lordship beforesaid, and all the Islands and lordships to the same Island of Man belonging, not exceeding the value of four hundred pounds per annum, to have and to hold to the same John, his heirs and assigns, all the islands, Castle, Pele, and lordship aforesaid, together with the royalties, regalities, franchises, liberties, seaports, and every other thing to a port truly and duly belonging, with the homages, fealties, wards, marriages, reliefs, escheats, forfeitures, waifs, strays, courts baron, views of frankpledge, leets, hundreds, wapentakes, sea-wrecks, mines of lead and iron, fairs, markets, free customs, meadows, pasturages, woods, parks, chases, lands, warrens, assarts, purprestures, highways, fisheries, mills, moors, marshes, turbaries, water pools, vivaries, ways, passages, and commons, and all other profits, commodities, and emoluments appertaining whatsoever to the Islands, Castle, Pele, and lordship aforesaid, or in anywise pertaining or belonging to it; together with the patronage of the bishopric of the said Island of Man, also knight’s fees, advowsons, and patronage of abbies, priories, hospitals, churches, vicarages, chapels, chautries, and all other ecclesiastical benefices whatsover, to the same Islands, Castle, Pele, and lordship belonging, of us and our heirs for ever, for the homage, allegiance, and service of rendering to us two falcons, on one occasion only, namely, immediately after making homage of this kind, and rendering to our heirs, future kings of England, two falcons on the days of their coronation, in lieu of all other services, customs, and demands, as freely, fully, and entirely as the said William or any other lord of the Island aforesaid, with the Islands, Castle, Pele, and lordship belonging thereto, together with the royalties, regalities, franchises, liberties, seaports, and everything to a port reasonably and truly belonging, the homages, fealities, wards, marriages, reliefs, escheats, forfeitures, waifs, strays, courts barons views of frankpledge, leets, hundreds, wapentakes, sea-wrecks, mines of lead and iron, fairs, markets, free customs, meadows, pasturages, woods, parks, chases, lands, warrens, assarts, purprestures, highways, fisheries, mills, moors, marshes, turbaries, pools, vivaries, ways, passages, and commons, and all other profits, commodities, emoluments, and every other thing belonging to the Islands, Castle, Pele, and lordship aforesaid, in any manner appertaining or belongings together with the patronage of the bishopric of the said Island of Man, also knights’ fees, adivowsons, ‘and patronage of abbies, priories, hospitals, churches, vicarages, chapels, chantries, and all other ecclesiastical benefices whatsoever to the same Islands, Castle, Pele, and lordship likewise belonging, as he was accustomed to freely have and hold in times past, the said homage, allegiance, and rendering of falcons always excepted; We willing, nevertheless, and conceding that whensoever the said John or his heirs, or their assigns, shall happen to die, whether of full age or under, then those heirs existing immediately after the death of the said John, his heirs or assigns, or their heirs and assigns, from time to time for ever shall succeed, namely, whichever of them immediately after the death of him to whom by hereditary right, or any other manner, shall succeed to the Islands, Castle, Pele, and lordship aforesaid, with their appurtenances, together with the royalties, regalities, franchises, liberties, sea ports, and all and every other thing to a port reasonably and duly belonging, the homages, fealties, wardships, marriages, reliefs, escheats, forfeitures, waifs, strays, courts baron, views of frankpledge, leets, hundreds, wapentakes, sea-wrecks, mines of lead and iron, fairs, markets, free customs, meadows, pastures, woods, parks, chases, lands, warrens, assarts, purprestures, highways, fisheries, mills, moors, marshes, turbaries, pools, vivaries, ways, passages, and commons, and all other profits, commodities, emoluments, and appurtenances whatsoever to the Islands, Castle, Pele, and lordship aforesaid, in any manner appertaining or belonging, together with the patronage of the bishopric of the said Island of Man; also knights’ fees, advowsons, and patronage of abbies, priories, hospitals, churches, vicarages, chapels, chantries, and all other ecclesiastical benefices whatsoever to the same Islands, Castles, Pele, and lordship similarly belonging, shall successively enter upon and peacefully hold possession for himself, his heirs and ~ssigns, of us and our heirs, by the homage and allegiance of the said service of rendering two falcons on the aforesaid coronation days only, in lieu of all other services, customs, and demand, without any seisin or sequestration of the same into the hands of us and our heirs, by reason of the homage aforesaid, or on account of any other lands and tenements which the beforesaid John otherwise holds of us, or himself, or heirs, or assigns aforesaid, hold or shall hold of us or our heirs, by reason of their minority or the minority of any of them, and without any other profits commodities, exactions, customs, or demands, by us or our heirs aforesaid, of John himself, or his heirs or assigns, by way of reason, occasion, pretext, or colour of homage or homages, of the Islands, Castle, Pele, and lordship aforesaid, from this time to be taken or exacted, or in any manner challenged for ever, without us or our heirs having taken in marriage the heir or heirs of the said John, or of their heirs, on any occasion, pretext, or reason, of the Castle, Pele, lordship, homages, or returns aforesaid, or of our heirs having it in future in any way. Moreover the said John Stanley holds for this term of his life, as the gift and concession of our dearest first-born Henry, Prince of Wales, the keeper-ship of the Forest of Macclesfeld tie ta Mare and Moudrem, with the fees and profits to the same keepership appertaining, to the value of one hundred marks yearly, and twenty pounds per annum, for the term of his life, to be taken out of the issues and profits of the city of Chichester, thfrgrant of our predecessor Lord Richard, the late King of England,. notwithstanding. In testimony of which witness the King, at Westminster, the 6th day of April. By Writ of Privy Seal.

It would appear that Sir John Stanley I., the first King or Lord of Man under the foregoing grant, never visited the Island.

He was the second son of Sir William Stanley. The honor of knighthood was conferred on him by King Edward III. King Richard II., cir. 1379, appointed him Governor or Lieutenant of Ireland, in which office he continued, until 1389. In 1390 he was appointed Lord Justice of Ireland, and in 1395 the King made him Constable of Roxburgh Castle in Scotland. He was soon afterwards again appointed to the Government of Ireland, where he continued until the accession of Henry IV., who in 1400 appointed him Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland. He was shortly afterwards recalled from Ireland to assist the King in a time of rebellion, and he was appointed Steward of His Majesty’s Household. In 1405 Sir John was appointed Attorney-General to the King’s younger son Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, when made Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland. In 1408 the King appointed Sir John constable of Windsor Castle, and made him a Knight of the Garter. He was again appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in 1413 by King Henry V. He died in Ireland on Jauuary 6, 1414, being the ninth year of his reign as King or Lord of Man. (Seacome 13—20.)