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IT is here very pertinent to the purpose, to insert a small History of this Iland, that the atchievemēts heretofore had, may not be utterly buried, although they are waxen very old, & almost torn from remēbrance by the teeth of Time. It is con∣fessed by all, that the Britains held this Iland, as they did all Britain But when the Nations from the North over fl••w∣ed these South parts, like violent tempests, it became subiect to the Scots. Afterwards the Norwegians, who did most hurt from the Northern sea by their manifold robberies made this Iland and the He••rides to be their haunt, and erect∣ed Lords and petty Kings in the same, as is expressed in this Chronicle, Written (as is reported) by the Monkes of the Abbey of Russin.
A Chronicle of the Kings of MAN.
ANno Dom, 1••65. Edward, of blessed memory, King of England, departed this life, and Harald the sonne of Godwyn succeeded him in the Kingdome, against whom Harald Harfager (King of Norway) came in∣to the field, and fought a battle at Stainford bridge: but the English obtaining the victory, put them all to f••ight. Out of which chase Godred,1 1.1 surnamed Crovan, the son of Harald the Black of Iseland, came unto Godred the sonne of Syrric, who reigned then in Man, and honourably received him.
2 1.2(2) The same yeer William the Bastard conquered Eng∣gland, and Godred the sonne of Syrric died, his sonne Fingall succeeding him.
(3) An. 1066. Godred Crovan assembled a great Fleet, and came to Man, and fought with the people of the Land, but received the worst, and was overcome.
The second time renewing his forces and his Fleet, he say∣led into Man & joyned battell with the Manksmen, but was vanquished as before, and driven out of the field. Howbeit, what he could not at first bring to passe with power in those two severall Onsets, he afterward effected by policie. For the third time gathering a great multitude together, he ar∣rived by night in the haven called Ramsey, and hid three hundred men in a Wood, which stood upon the hanging hollow brow of an hill called Sceafull. The Sun being risen, the Manksmen put their people in order of battle, and with a violent charge encountred with Godred.3 1.3 The sight was hot for a time, and stood in a doubtfull suspense, till those three hundred men starting out of the Ambush behinde their backs, began to foyl the Manksmen, put them to the worst, and forced them to flie. Who seeing themselves thus discomfited, and finding no place of refuge left them to escape, with pitifull lamentation submitted themselves un∣to Godred, and besought him not to put to the sword such poore remainder of them as was left alive. Godred having compassion on their calamities, (for he had been nursed for a time and brought up among them) founded a retreat, and prohibited his host any longer pursuit. He being thus possessed of the Ile of Man, dyed in the Iland that is called Ile, when he had reigned sixteen yeers. He left behinde him three sonnes, Lagman, Harald, and Olave.
4 1.4(4) Lagman the eldest, taking upon him the Kingdome, reigned seven yeares. His brother Harald rebelled against him a great while; but at length was taken prisoner by Lag∣man, who caused his members of generation to be cut off, and his eyes to be put out of his head; which crueltie this Lagman afterwards repenting, gave over the Kingdom of his own accord, and wearing the badge of the Lords Crosse, took a journey to Ierusalem, in which he died.
(5) An. 1075. all the Lords and Nobles of the Ilands hea∣ring of the death of Lagman, dispatched Ambassadours to Murecard O••brien King of Ireland, and requested that he would send some worthy and industrious man of the Blood Royall to be their King, till Olave the son of Godred came to full age.5 1.5 The King yeelding to their request, sent one Dop∣nald the son of Tade, and charged him to govern the King∣dome (which by right belonged to another) with lenitie and gentlenesse. But after he was come to the Crowne, for∣getting, or not weighing, the charge that his Lord and Ma∣ster had given him, swayed his place with great tyrannie, committing many outrages and cruelties, and so reigned three yeers: till all the princes of the Ilands agreeing toge∣ther, rose up against him, and made him flie into Ireland.
6 1.6(6) An. Do. 1111. Olave the son of Godred Crovan afore∣said, began his reigne, and reigned fourtie yeers, a peaceable Prince. He took to wife Affrica, the daughter of Fergus of Galway, of whom he begat Godred. By his Concubines he had Raignald, Lagman and Harald, besides many daughters, whereof one was married to Summerled, Prince of Herer∣gaidel, who caused the ruine of the Kings of the Ilands. On her he begat four sons, Dungal, Raignald, Engus, and Olave.
7 1.7(7) An. Dom. 1144. Godred the son of Olave, was created King of Man, and re••gned thirty yeers. In the third yeer of his reign the people of Dublin sent for him, and made him their King, Which Mure-card King of Ireland maligning, raised war, and sent Osibeley his half brother by the mothers side with 3000. men at Armes to Dublin, who by Godred and the Dublinians was slaine, and the rest all put to flight. These atchievemēts made, Godred returned to Man, and be∣gan to use tyranny, turning the Noblemen out of their inhe∣ritances. Whereupon one called Thorfin (Otters sonne) be∣ing mightier then the rest, came to Summerled, and made Dulgal (Summerleds son) king of the Ilands: whereof Godred having intelligence, prepared a Navie of 80. Ships to meet Summerled. And in the yeer 1156 there was a battle fought at Sea on Twelfth day at night, & many slain on both sides. But the next day they grew to a pacification, and divided the Kingdome of the Ilands among themselves. This was the cause of the overthrow of the Kingdom of the Iles.
(8) An. 1158. Summerled came to Man, with a Fleet of fiftie three sayle, put Godred to flight, and wasted the land. Godred upon this crossed over to Norway for aide against Summerled. But Summerled in the mean time arriving at Rhinfrin▪ and having gathered together a fleet of a 160. ships coveting to subdue all Scotland, by the just judgement of God, was vanquished by a few, and both himself and his son slain, with an infinite number of people.
(9) The fourth day after, Raignald began to reigne, but Godred coming upon him out of Norway with a great mul∣titude of armed men, took his brother Raignald, and bereft him both of his eyes, and genitall members. On the fourth Ides of November, An. Dom. 1187. Godred King of the I∣lands died, and his body was translated to the Ile of Ely. He left behinde him three sons, Raignald, Olave, and Yuar. He ordained in his life time that Olave should succeed him, because he onely was born legitimate. But the people of Man seeing him to be scarce ten yeers old, sent for Raig¦nald, and made him their King.8 1.8 This caused great division, and many turbulent attempts between the two Brethren for the space of thirty eight yeers; which had no end, till at a place called Tnigua••••a there was a battle struck between them, wherein Olave had the victory, and Raignald was slaine. The Monkes of Russin translated his body unto the Abbey of S. Mary de Fournes, and there interred it in a place which himself had chosen for that purpose.
(10) An. 1230. Olave and Godred Don (who was Raignalds sonne) with the Norwegians came to Man,9 1.9 and divided the Kingdom among themselves. Olave held Man, and Godred being gone unto the Ilands, was slaine in the Ile Lodhus. So Olave obtained the Kingdome of the Iles. He dyed the twelfth Calends of Iune, An. 1237. in S. Patricks Iland, and was buryed in the Abbey of Russin.
(11) Harrold his sonne succeeded him,10 1.10 being foureteene yeers of age, and reigned twelve yeers. In the yeer 1239. he went unto the King of Norway, who after two yeares confirmed unto him, his heyres and successours, under his Seal, all the Ilands which his Predecessours had possessed.
(12) An. Do. 1242. Harrold returned out of Norway, and being by the inhabitants honourably received, had peace with the Kings of England, and of Scotland. The same yeer he was sent for by the King of Norway, and married his daughter. In the yeer 1249. as he returned homeward with his wife, he was drowned in a tempest neer unto the coasts of Radland.
(13) An. Dom. 1249. Raignald the sonne of Olave, and brother to Harrold,11 1.11 began his reign, and on the thirtieth day thereof was slaine by one Yuar a Knight, in a meadow neer unto the holy Trinity Church, and lyeth buried in the Church of S. Mary of Russin.
(14) In the yeer 1252. Magnus the son of Olave, came to Man,12 1.12 and was made King. The next yeer following he went to the King of Norway and stayed there a yeer.
(15) In the yeer 1265. Magnus, (Olaves son) King of Man, and of the Ilands, departed this life, at the Castle of Russin, and was buryed in the Church of S. Mary of Russin.
(16) In the yeer 1266. the Kingdome of the Ilands was translated, by reason of Alexander King of Scots, who had gotten into his hands the western Ilands, and brought the Ile of Man under his dominion, as one of that number.
(17) An. 1340. William Montacute Earl of Salisbury wre∣sted it from the Scotish by strong hand and force of Armes: and in the yeer 1393. (as Thomas Walsingham saith) he sold Man and the Crown thereof unto William Scroope for a great summe of money. But he being beheaded for high Treason and his goods confiscate, it came into the hands of Henry the fourth King of England, who granted this Iland unto Henry Percy Earl of Northumberland. But Henry Percy entring into open rebellion the fift yeer following, the king sent Sir Iohn Stanley & William Stanley to seize the Ile and Castle of Man, the inheritance whereof he granted af∣terwards to Sir Iohn Stanley & his heirs by Letters patents, with the Patronage of the Bishopricke, &c. So that his heires and successours, who were honoured with the Title of Earles of Darby, were commonly called Kings of Man.