excited a general sentiment of aversion in the minds of his people, which must have defeated the efficacy of his doctrines, however pure. He died, and was succeeded by Dr. George Mason, who sat till the year 1785. The last part of his life was disgraced by a scene of necessity, and derangement of circumstances, utterly inconsistent with his station. In his hands were placed the funds subscribed towards building the church dedicated to St. George, on an elevation above Douglas; and by his insolvency and death, the persons employed in that erection were actually deprived of the sums due to them, to their great injury, and, in one or two instances, their complete ruin. The last incumbent was, the Rev. Claudius Crigan, a man of simple and unostentatious manners; but, from the absence of all energy of mind or character, not very well calculated to sustain his dignity, or embellish his office. He sat twenty-eight years, and then resigned his life and his see, without exciting any considerable regret in the minds of his flock. The present bishop is a gentleman of distinguished rank and polished manners; he is a son of the late highly respectable and Rev. Lord George Murray, bishop of St. David's. At the death of Dr. Crigan, the bishop elect being under the age at which, by the canons, he might assume the pall, the see was held unoccupied for twelve months. The church of Man is governed under a bishop, by an archdeacon, two vicars general, and sixteen ministers; the militia under the governors, by three majors and eighteen captains of parishes; the towns by the four constables; and the civil constitution by two deemsters, six coroners, seventeen moars or bailiffs, with several inferior officers under them. The Bishops of Man, besides their spiritual jurisdiction, are barons of this isle. In all trials for life they may assist in the temporal court till the sentence. They hold courts in their own names for their temporalities. If any of their tenants are tried for life, they may demand them from the king's court, and try them by a jury of their own tenants; and in case of conviction, the lands they hold are forfeited 'to the bishop. The arms of the bishopric are upon three ascents, the Virgin Mary standing with her arms extended between two pillars, on the dexter whereof is a church in base, the ancient arms of Man. The archdeacon is the second spiritual magistrate. He has, in all inferior cases, alternate jurisdiction with the bishop; and many other privileges, as well in temporals as spirituals. He holds his courts either in person or by his official, as the bishop does his by his vicars-general, which are always two, one for each division of the isle, and are in the nature of chancellors to the bishop; these with the registers compose the consistory court, and have under their jurisdiction seventeen parishes. There were formerly many chapels in the isle, and there are now in each town one standing, as also one in the centre of the land dedicated to St. John, near which, on a little hill, they hold their Tynwald court, or public assembly, at which their laws are promulged on every midsummer-day, as being raised with several ascents for the different orders of people, and is indeed a pretty curiosity. But, above all, the abbeys seem to have exceeded the ability of the country, among which the abbey of St. Mary, of Rushen, was the chief. It consisted of twelve monks and an abbot, who at first were meanly endowed, and lived mostly by their labour, but in process of time they had good revenues. The buildings are very handsome, the rooms convenient, and the chapel larger than any thing (the cathedral excepted) in the island. It was called the daughter of Furness, which is said to be the mother of this and many other abbeys in the Isle of Man. In the records thereof is found, that one John Fargher was Abbot of Rushen and deputy governor; and in a piece of timber in Kirk Arbory, which separates the church from the chancel, one Thomas Radcliffe was Abbot of Rushen. These abbots were barons of the island, held courts for their temporalities in their own names, might demand a prisoner from the king's court, if their own tenant, and try him by a jury of their own tenants, as the steward of the abbey lands may do at this day. The Prioress of Douglas was a baroness of the island, and enjoyed the same privilege. The priory was said to be built by St. Bridget, when she came to receive the veil of virginity from St. Maughold. The situation of the nunnery is much the pleasantest in the island. There were likewise the friars minors of Beemaken, and a small plantation of the Cistertian order in Kirk Christ lez Ayre, but neither of these had baronies annexed to them. There were likewise several foreign barons as beforementioned; but few or none of them appear now, nor have any lands or tenants to represent. Thus I have given my readers the history, constitution, and settlement of this little state in all its branches, civil, military, and ecclesiastic; with all the subordinate officers necessarily employed therein, by which the people in church and state are to be governed; with an historical account of their kings and bishops. خصة |