sweeping charge. He was deprived of the crown of Man for refusing to do homage to the English monarch Edgar, who afterwards not only restored him to the throne, but made him admiral of a great fleet, with which he swept the seas of the Danes and Normans.

Sir Henry Spelman calls him " totius Angliæ Archipirata," which, in another place, he interprets," Prince of Seamen;" and from him the ancient bearing of the island was a ship in her ruff sables, with this inscription, "Rex Manniæ et insularum."

Macon was one of the eight kings who rowed Edgar on the Dee, and he was next, after the King of Scotland, a subscribing witness to Edgar's confirmation of the charter of Glastonbury. But whatever may have been the meritorious conduct and abilities of Macon, or of another very eminent prince, Goddard Crownan, mentioned by Camden, Reginald, of the family of Goddard, in the year 1219, made himself particularly notorious; for, so far from legislating for the benefit of himself and subjects, he absolutely surrendered his rights, by a formal abdication, to the see of Rome, as exemplified by the following instru

ment:

·66

趣

Reginaldus, Rex Insula Man, constituit se vasallum sedis Romanæ, et ex insulâ suâ facit Feudum oblatum, Londini 10 cal. Octob. 1219.

The old coat of arms of Sicily were the same as are now quartered by the Duke of Atholl, viz. three armed legs of man, bending in the hams. Mr Camden was in possession of a seal with the ancient bearing and inscription....Spelman.

Sanctissimo Patri et Domino Honorio Dei gra tiâ summo pontifici, Reginaldus Rex insularum commendationem cum osculo pedum. Noverit sancta paternitas vestra, quod nos, ut participes simus bonorum quæ fiunt in Ecclesiâ Rom: juxta admonitionem, et exhortationem dilecti patris Domini P. Norwicen electi Camerarii et Legati vestri, dedimus et obtulimus nomine Ecclesiæ Romanæ, et vestro, et Catholicorum vestrorum successorum, Insulam nostram de Man, quæ ad nos jure hæreditario pertinet, et de qua nulli tenemur aliquod servititium facere, et deinceps nos, et hæredis nostri in perpetuum tenebimus in feudam dictam Insulam ab Ecclesiâ Romanâ, et faciemus ei per hoc homagium et fidelitatem, et in recognitionem dominii, nomine census, nos et hæredes nostri in perpetuum annuatim solvemus Ecclesiæ Rom. duodecim Marcas Sterlingorum in Anglia apud Abbatiam de Furnes Cistertionsis ordinis in festo Purificationis B. Mariæ. Et si non esset ibi aliquis ex parte vestra vel successorum vestrorum, deponentur dictæ duodecim Marchæ per nos et hæredes nostros penes Abbatem et Conventum, Ecclesiæ Rom. nomine. Hanc donationem et oblationem dictus dominus Legatus recipit ad vo luntatem et bené placitum vestrum, et post receptionem factam ab eo sic ipsi dominus Legatus dictam Insulam dedit mihi et hæredibus meis in feudum perpetuo possidendedam et tenendam nomini Ecclesiæ Rom. Et me inde per annulum aureum investivit, &c. Actum Lond. in domo militia Templi, 10. Kal. Octob, Anno Dom. millesimo ducentesimo decimo

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nono. Et ne super his aliquando possit dubi tari, has literas fieri fecimus et sigillo nostro muniri. "Codex juris Gentium Diplomaticus, per Godefredum Gulielmum Liebnitzium, impressus Hanoveræ, 1693, fol, prodromus, pag. 5."

It is remarkable, that this prince was also the first that submitted to the crown of England, in the sixth year of the reign of King John, on the express condition that he should be admiral of the seas. John not only gave Reginald a knight's fee in Ireland, " pro feodo et servitio," but took him into his particular favour and protection." Johannes Rex. Sciatis quod suscipimus dilectum consanguineum nostrum Reginaldum Regem Manniae in custodiam, protectionem, &c. Apud Woodstock, Feb. 8, 1205*

The friendship between these princes being thus established, it may reasonably be concluded, that the pusillanimous sacrifice and example of the English monarch, in surrendering his crown to the Pope, induced Reginald to complete the similitude, by tendering the like resignation.

Owing to the destruction of the records, we have no account of the laws by the Manks' princes during the Norwegian and Scotish dynasties. History merely informs us, that Alexander the Third, King of Scotland, having conquered the island, Mary Waldebeof, the last of the great family of Goddard Crownan, claimed the protection of the King of England, and offered to do homage for the Isle of

* Rymeri Foedera.

Man; but was answered, that she must claim it of the King of Scotland, who then held it." John, her grandson, sued again for his right in parliament; but Edward the First said (as by the record), " He might prosecute is title before the Justices of the King's Bench; let it be heard there, and let justice be done* " Afterwards, her grand-daughter, Mary, went to England with her deeds and charters, and threw herself at the feet of Edward the Third. The king not only afforded the Manks princess his generous protection, but gave her in marriage to her kinsman, Sir William Montacute, whom Speed styles, "the chief star in the firmament of England; for that he was magnanimous, affable, active, and generous; and that his merits had acquired him the esteem of the greatest of our EngFish monarchs."

The king gave Sir William soldiers and shipping to prosecute his lady's right; which he did so successfully, that in a short time he reduced the island; and, in the year 1344, was crowned King of Man +.

In the year 1393, William Montacute, Earl of Salisbury, sold the Isle of Man to Sir William Scroop, chamberlain to the King of England, as appears by the record: “Wilhelmus Le Scroop emit de Domino Wilhelmo Montacuto insulam Eubonia, id est, Manniæ: Est nempe jus ipsius insulæ, ut quisquis illius sit Dominus Rex pocetur, cui etiam fas est Corona Aurea coronari,*

Gibson's Camden, p. 1059.

+ Sir William was of the royal family of Man.-Gib. Cam 1059.

+ Daniel, Stow, Gib. Cam., Antiq. Sarisburiensis.

Sir William, afterwards Earl of Wiltshire, having been attainted and beheaded for treason, the Isle of Man was granted by King Henry IV. to Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, by the following record: "We, of our special grace, have given and granted to Henry, Earl of Northumberland, the isle, castle, peel, and lordship of Man, with all such islands and seignories thereunto belonging, as were Sir William le Scrope's, knight, deceased; whom in his life we conquered, and do declare to be conquered; and which by and reason of this our conquest fell to us. Which very conquest and decree, as touching the person of the said William, and all his lands, tenements, goods, and chattels, as well within as without the kingdom, are, at the petition of the Commons, and by consent of the Lords of Parliament, ratified and confirmed, &c. to have and to hold to the said Earl and his heirs, by service of carrying at every coronation day of us, and our heirs, either by himself in person, or by some sufficient or honourable deputy, that sword naked (which we wore when we arrived at Holderness), called Lancaster Sword."

Four years after the Earl of Northumberland had obtained this grant, he was banished and attainted; and although the attainder was afterwards taken off, the earl was deprived of the island by act of parliament, and it was ordered to be seized for the king's use; but in the sixth of Henry the Fourth, the king made a grant of the island to the noble chevalier Sir John de Stanley (who had so eminently signalized himself throughout Europe) for life. Soon