[From Manx Soc, vol. 26]

No. IX.

The LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR'S ORDER for the DEEMSTERS to pronounce Sentence of Death Upon WILLIAM CHRISTIAN.

Castle Rushen, 31st Decembr 1662.

MR. DEEMSTERS,

fforasmuch as yourselves & the 24 Keys have enabled me to declare the maner of death touching the prisoner now at Barr and the place alsoe, And that such doome and sen-tence as I shall make known unto you, is prime and authen-ticke in Law, I doe therefore comand & require you or the one of you to pronounce the sentence of death unto & against him the said prisoner, And to lett him understand that bee stands guilty of most notorious treason comitted in the yeare 1651, which demeritts in the strictness of law, a most haynues & ignominious death, being hanged & quartered & his head smitten of, & afterwards drawn wth wild horses, and ye quarters of his body severed & sect one on one of the Towers of this Castle, and soe in the sevrall markett townes as is recorded in an ancient Statute of this Isle for Treason, Nevertheless, upon the earnest peticõn of his wife & consideracon of her very disconsolate condition, I have thought fitt, And so require and order you to pronounce for sentence (usinge such accustomed fforme as apperteynes to a sentence) that bee bee brought to the place of execution called Hango Hill, and there Shott to death that thereuppon his liffe may departe from his bodie.

HEN. NOWELL.'

1 Capt. Henry Nowell, younger son of Roger Nowell of Read, Esq., by his second wife, Catherine Hyde of Hyde and Norbury. He was Deputy-Governor of the Isle of Man when W^m. Christian was tried, and ordered sentence upon him.

Att Castle Rushen, 31st Decemb' 1662.

Mm.

That this day W^m. Christian late of Raynoldsway & prisoner in ye sd Castle came to y^e publique barr wth a guard of soldiers, And there according to y^e purport of the right bon"' y^e Lord of y^e Isle his order in yt behalfe & y^e prceedinges of y^e Court by ye Deemsters & 24 Keyes hereunto annexed, y^e words of sentence under ye Govrn's hand in y^e conclusive pte thereof was pronounced by the Deemster i wth a formall & patheticall speech touchinge y^e nature of y^e misdemeanor y^e formd abillity of y^e prisoner & his present condicõn, wth recitall of y^e proceedings (wch before in this booke are recorded, and all this in a full Court before y^e Officers Civill and Millitary, y^e 24 Keyes & divers of the Countrey being then present.

1 Thomas Norris, Deemster 1660, sat as Judge, and delivered sentence of death on William Christian, 31st December 1662. Deemster John Christian did not appear, and Edward Christian his son and assistant did not sit in Court.