Oldalképek
PDF
ePub

to deliver to Reginald, King of Man, his knight's fee, two tons of wine, and one hundred and twenty quarters of corn, granted him every year, by the charter of King John his father.

Now if it be allowable to compare so small a prince with an English monarch, there never was a nearer resemblance than in the fortunes of these two; both had obtained their government by injustice to the lawful heirs, both lost it by their ill treatment of the people, both of mischievous designing tempers, and both lived to feel the effects thereof on their own heads: only in this they differ,-John had offended the clergy, and Reginald his people. John had, some years before, made the most infamous submission to the pope that was ever heard of in story; Reginald, to complete the similitude, must do the like, either because it was the fashion, or that he could hope for no assistance without it.

[graphic]
[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors]

Reginaldus, Rex Insulæ Man, constituit se vasallum sedis Romanæ, et ex insula sua facit feudum oblatum, Londini 10. Cal. October, 1219.

[ocr errors]

SANCTISSIMO Patri et Domino Honorio Dei gratia summo Pontifici, Reginaldus, Rex Insularum, commendationem cum osculo pedum. Noverit sancta Paternitas vestra, quod nos, ut participes simus honorem quæ fiunt in Ecclesia Rom. juxta admonitionem, et exortationem dilecti patris Domini P. Norwicen electi, Camerarij et Legati vestri, dedimus et obtulimus nomine Ecclesia Romana, et vestro, et Catholicorum vestrorum successorum, Insulam nostrum de Man, quæ ad nos jure hereditario pertinet, et de quæ nulli tonemur aliquod servitium facere, et deinceps nos, et hæredes nostri in perpetuum tenebimus, in feudum dictam insulam ab Ecclesia Romana, et faciemus ei per hoc homagium et fidelitatem, et in recognitionem dominij, nemine census nos et hæredes nostri in perpetuum annuatim solvemus Ecclesia Romana duodecim marcas sterlingerum in Anglia apud Abbatiam de Furnes Cistertiensis Ordinis in festo purificationis B. V. 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, Ecclesia Romana

nomine. Hanc donationem, et oblationem dictus Dominus Legatus recipit ad voluntatem et bene placitum vestrum, et post receptionem factum ab eo sic ipse Dominus Legatus dictam insulam dedit mihi, et hæredibus meis in feudum. perpetua possidendam et tenendam nomine Ecclesia Rom. et me inde per annulum aureum investivit, &c. Actum Lond. in domo militiæ templi 10 Kal. Octob. An. Dom. Millesimo, ducentesimo, decimo nono. Et ne super his aliquando possit dubitari, has literas fieri fecimus et sigillo nostro muniri.

Codex juris Gentium Diplomaticus per Godefridum Gulielmum Liebnitzium, impressus Hanoveræ 1693, folprodromus, page 5.

Reginald, King of the Isle of Man, constitutes himself at Vassal of the See of Rome, and of his island makes the offered Grant, at London, 22nd of September, 1219.

To the most Holy Father and Lord Honorius, by the grace of God supreme Pontiff, Reginald, King of the Isles, kisseth his feet, and sendeth greeting. Be it known to your Holy Paternity, that we, as being partakers of the benefits derived from those things that are done in the Roman church, according to the admonition and exhortation of the beloved Father in God, Peter, Lord Bishop of Norwich, Elect Chamberlain and Apostolic Legate, have given and offered in the name of the church of Rome, and your's, and of your Catholic successors, our Island of Man, which belongs to us by right of inheritance, and for which we are not bound to do service to any; and henceforwards we and our heirs for ever will hold the said island as a grant from the church of Rome, and will do homage and fealty to it. And ́as a recognition of dominion, in the name of a tribute, we and our heirs for ever will pay

annually to the church of Rome twelve marks sterling in England, at the Abbey of Furness, of the Cistertian Order, upon the feast of the Purification of the B. V. Mary. And if there should not be any person there on the behalf of you or your successors, the said twelve marks shall be deposited by us and our heirs with the Abbot and Convent, in the name of the church of Rome. This grant and oblation the said Lord Legate accepts, according to your will and pleasure; and after acceptance so made by him, he the said Lord Legate gave to me and my heirs the said island, to be possessed and held in fee for ever, in the name of the church of Rome; and thereupon invested me therewith by a ring of gold, &c. Done at London, in the house of the Knights Templars, the 22nd of September, Anno 1219; and that no doubt may remain concerning the premises, we have caused this instrument to be made and sealed with our seal.

Vid. Codice juris Gentium Diplomaticus per Godefridum Gulielmum Liebnitzium, impressus Hanoveriæ 1693, fol. Prodromus, page 5.

Whilst Reginald by this infamous surrender was endeavouring to recover his lost estate, his brother Olave, for above two years, enjoyed an undisturbed possession in the government of the Isles, till at last compelled by the disorder of affairs to visit the remote parts of his scattered kingdom, and being well affected by the nobility and soldiery, he left the Isle of Man exposed to the fury of his brother Reginald, who upon this occasion embraced the opportunity, by returning from London; and, by the assistance of Allen, Lord of Galloway, and Thomas Earl of Athol, landed a great army in the Isle of Man, with which he laid the whole south side waste, murdering all the men they met, burning even the very churches, and committing all the inhumanities a tyrant, heated by resentment and

revenge, could invent. Till at last, glutted with so much barbarity, or perhaps apprehending his brother Olave's return, he drew off his forces, and Allen, Lord of Galloway, left his bailiffs to collect the revenue; but Olave speedily returning, drove away those collectors, and used all possible means to recal such as had escaped the fury of Reginald, so that the country began to be repeopled, and the natives to settle themselves in peace and security.

But the ambitious spirit of Reginald rested not here, for the same year, in the midst of winter, and in the dead of the night, Reginald, accompanied by the Lord of Galloway, landed a second time, and by his plausible insinuations debauched the whole southern division to his service. Of so mutable a nature are the vulgar, that those very people that had been just before so harrassed by burning their houses, murdering their kindred and relations, now publicly take arms in his defence.

King Olave flies for protection to the men of the northern division, who unanimously resolve to defend him and his cause; whereupon the two brothers engage in battle, at the place called the Tinwald, the public field of council and of arms. Reginald lost the day, and was slain in the heat of the action; and thus fell that restless and ambitious soul, who for above thirty years had disquieted himself and his people. His body was carried by the monks of Rushen to the Abbey of Furness, and buried in a place formerly chosen by himself.

Olave now hoping to enjoy all the fruits of his labours, and the rights justly due to him, resolves on a voyage to Norway, anno 1220; where, during the contest between the two brothers, the accustomed respect had not been paid, which occasioned the king of Norway to appoint a nobleman, one Heusback, to be king of the Isles, and gave him his own name, Haco, who on his arrival there was slain in storming a certain castle in the Isle of Bute, and never reached the Isle of Man.

« ElőzőTovább »