Page 1059-1060
A Continuation of the foregoing History, collected out of other Authors.
ALexander the third, King of Scots having made himself master of the Western Islands, partly by his sword, and partly by pur∣chase from the King of Norway, at last in∣vaded Man also, as one of that number; and by the valiant conduct of Alexander Steward, entirely subdued it: and set a King over the Isle, upon this condition, that he should be ready to assist him with ten ships in any of his wars by Sea, when ever he demanded them. However, Mary, the daughter of Reginald, King of Man (who was the Liege-man of John K. of England,) address'd her self to the King of Eng∣land for justice in this case. Answer was made, That the King of Scots was then possess'd of the Island, and she ought to apply her self to him.* 1.1 Her grandchild by a son, John Waldebeof (for Mary married into this family) notwithstanding this, sued again for his right in Par∣liament, held the 33d of Edw. the first, urging it there before the King of England, as Lord Paramount of Scotland. Yet all the answer he could have, was, (as it is in the very Record) That he might prosecute his title before the Justices of the King's Bench; let it be heard there, and let justice be done. But what he could not effect by law, his kinsman••1 1.2 William Montacute (for he was of the royal family of Man) soon did by force of arms. For having raised a body of English, he drove the Scots out of the Isle with these raw soldiers. But having plunged himself into debt by the great expence of this war, and become insolvent, he was was forced to mortgage the Island to Anthony Bec Bi∣shop of Durham, and Patriarch of Jerusalem; and make over all the profits thereof to him for seven years; and quickly after, the King gave the Island to the said Anthony for term of life. Afterwards, King Edw. 2. gave it to his great favourite Peter de Gaveston, having made him Earl of Cornwall at the same time. He being cut off, the King gave it to Henry Beaumont with all the demesn and royal jurisdiction thereunto belong∣ing. Soon after this, the Scots recovered it again under the conduct of Robert Brus; and from that time Thomas Randolph a warlike Scot, as also a long time after, Alexander Duke of Albany, stiled them∣selves Lords of Man,* 1.3 and bore the same Arms that the later Kings of the Island did, namely three arm'd legs of a man link'd together and bending in the hams; just like the three legs naked, which were formerly stamp'd in the coins of Sicily to signifie the three Pro∣montories.* 1.4 But yet the ancient Arms of the Kings of Man was a* 1.5 Ship with the sail hoised, with this inscripti∣on, Rex Manniae & Insularum, The King of Man and of the Islands; as I have seen in the sails they used. Afterwards, about the year 1340, William Montacute the younger, Earl of Salisbury, rescued it by force of arms from the Scots; and in the year of our Lord 1393 sold Man and the Crown thereof to William Scrope for a great sum of money, as Walsingham tells us. Scrope being beheaded afterwards, and his goods confiscated for treason, it fell into Henry the 4th's hands, who be∣stowed it upon Henry Percy Earl of Northumberland, (then triumphing over William Scrope, having him∣self, though only a private person, taken and be∣headed him, for aspiring to the Crown;) up∣on this condition, That he and his posterity at the Coronation of the Kings of Kings of England, should carry the Sword before him, which the said Henry wore by his side at his Restoration or return from Exile, commonly called Lancaster sword. But take the King's own words as they stand in the Record. We of our special grace,* 1.6 have g••ven and granted to Henry Earl of Northumberland, the Isle, Castle, Pile, and Lord∣ship of Man, with all such Islands and seigniories there∣unto belonging as were Sir William Le Sco••p's Kt. now deceased; whom in his life we conquered, and do declare to be conquered; and which by reason of this our conquest fell to us. Which very Conquest and Decree, as touching the person of the said William, and all the lands, t••ne∣ments, goods, and chattels, as well within as without the Kingdom, belonging to him, are now, at the petition of the Communs of our Kingdom, and by the consent of the Lords Temporal now assembled in Parliament, ratified and con∣firmed to have and to hold to the said Earl and his heirs, &c. by service of carrying at every coronation-day of us and our heirs, at the lift shoulder of us and our heirs, either by himself in person, or ••y some sufficient and honourable de∣puty, that sword naked (which we wore when we ar∣rived at H••lderness,) called Luncaster-sword, &c. How∣ever; this Henry Percy was banished four years after;* 1.7 and though it was not long before his attainder was took of, yet he was deprived of Man; which was given first to William Stanley, and after that to John Stanley, together with the advowson of the Bishop∣rick, &c. whose posterity have been honoured with the title of Earls of Derby, and commonly called Kings of Man.