• General Notes

  [BILLIE J. HALL.ged]
  [lareau-02.ged]
  
  Deemster (1605-53); Deputy Governor of Man (1634-7).  Probably the most diplomatic deemster as he held power during the Commonwealth.  Although many members of the family were imprisoned and executed, he escaped retribution. Yet he was by no mean s cool of temper.  The records are full of tales of litigation, charges, and countercharges, with the Deemster often admitting guilt and paying a bloodwite for having struck someone with whom he disagreed. (Christian: Fragile Paradise).
  
  [lareau-02.ged]
  
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  William "Illiam Dhone", was the leader of a Manx rebellion and was shot to death.
  
  A quote from that time:
  
  Mr. William Christian of Ronaldsway, late Recr. was shott to death att Hangoe Hill the 2nd of January; he dided most penitently, and most courageously, made a good end prayed earnestly, made an excellent speech and the next day was buried in the Chancle of Kirk Malew."
  
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  Three hundred and fifty years ago, on October 31st 1651, the Isle of Man was taken by the forces of Oliver Cromwell: it was the last place in the whole of the British Isles to fall to Parliament at the end of the Civil War, although the Channel Isles did not fall until December 1651. The fact that it surrendered quickly and almost without bloodshed was a tribute to the pragmatism of the Manx - as well as to the honour and restraint of the invading soldiers. It was especially remarkable because it was only two years earlier that the feudal Lord - and effective King - of Man, the staunchly Royalist James Stanley, 7th Earl of Derby, had responded to a request to yield the Island by replying, that if he was troubled "with any more messages", he would "burn the paper and hang the bearer". It happened because the Manx rebelled: the Earl might have been prepared to resist at all costs, but they weren't - all they really wanted was to be left in peace. This was later to be called the "Manx Rebellion" and the man who led it was William Christian, Illiam Dhone.
  
  The rising was not, however, a spontaneous affair: it had been brewing for a long time. The Manx had become increasingly unhappy with being ruled by the Earls of Derby, who had been pressing to change the whole system by which their property was let (and to increase the rents). Unhappiness changed to alarm at the outbreak of the English Civil War in 1642: the Island was strategically placed and exposed to invasion by a number of opposing forces, including Catholic Irish (who had mounted a terrifying and bloody revolt against the Protestant settlers of Ulster in 1641) and the Scots (who were then fighting on the side of the English Parliament). And from 1644 onwards the Earl was himself living on the Island and the Manx had to harbour a man who was an inflexibly loyal supporter of the King and who had also been condemned by parliament as a traitor. Not only was his presence a threat to their own peace but they had to support him, as well as his wife and young family, household, soldiers and sundry Lancashire English expatriates.
  
  Things became desperate by 1649. The initial phase of the war had been won by Parliament and the King had been publicly beheaded. Successive poor harvests brought the island to the brink of starvation - and news began to filter in of the massacres by Cromwell of all those who resisted him at Drogheda and Wexford in Ireland. If the Earl was planning to hold out - as he showed every sign of doing - then the Manx faced a similar fate. In 1650, someone tried to assassinate him while he sat in a small boat at Derbyhaven, but the shot missed and killed someone else by mistake.
  
  The Earl left the Island in the middle of August 1651 and joined Prince Charles at the Battle of Worcester on 3rd September. The battle was lost; the Prince escaped to France but Derby was caught and later executed. However the Manx had already started to make their move: there was a "murmuring" on the Island, and it seems that the initial plan being to take the castles at Castletown and Peel. However this changed when an English invasion fleet of 44 boats and three divisions set out from Chester on October 18th. Christian summoned the captains of each parish, together with their men, and they agreed at a mass meeting of some 800 people at his farm at Ronaldsway to disregard the Countess and make sure that the English invaders knew that they had no intention of offering any resistance.
  
  The invasion fleet was held up by bad weather for a week at Beaumaris, but it eventually arrived off Castletown Bay at about 2 o'clock in the morning of October 25th. The night was clear and it must have been a frightening sight for the Manx who were ranged on the shore watching them. The initial plan was to land at Derbyhaven but the wind sprang up again and so the ships sailed north towards the safer anchorage at Ramsey. As they passed Douglas at 1 am on the 26th, one of Christian's co-conspirators, Hugh Moore, sailed out to them in a small boat and presumably reinforced the message that the Manx militia would not resist. They were also told that the rebels had captured Peel Castle but lost it again, while Castle Rushen remained in the hands of the Countess. The same message was relayed to them after they anchored in Ramsey Bay later the same day. All the Manx wanted was to be "allowed to enjoy their laws and liberties as formerly they had?" - especially as they now knew that the reign of the Earls of Derby had come to an end. The garrisons at Castletown and Peel held out for a couple of days, even though it was so clear that resistance was useless, that a number of men jumped over the walls and ran away. The castles surrendered on October 31st.
  
  In 1663, William Christian was himself to be shot for his involvement in this rising, but a dispassionate analysis of the events indicates that the Manx really had no option. The fact that they (temporarily) escaped the Derby yoke at the same time was a coincidental bonus.
  
  * * * * * *
  
  If you have any recollections about Castletown that you would like to share, please contact any Member of the Council of Management or Eva Wilson at the Lifeboat House, The Quay, Castletown - Telephone No. 01624 822800 - Fax No. 01624 824664
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  [From Manx Soc, vol. 26]
  
  No. IX.
  The LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR'S ORDER for the DEEMSTERS to pronounce Sentence of Death Upon William Christian.
  
  Castle Rushen, 31st Decembr 1662.
  
  MR. DEEMSTERS,
  
  fforasmuch as yourselves & the 24 Keys have enabled me to declare the maner of death touching the prisoner now at Barr and the place alsoe, And that such doome and sen-tence as I shall make known unto you, is prime and authen-ticke in Law, I doe therefore comand & require you or the one of you to pronounce the sentence of death unto & against him the said prisoner, And to lett him understand that bee stands guilty of most notorious treason comitted in the yeare 1651, which demeritts in the strictness of law, a most haynues & ignominious death, being hanged & quartered & his head smitten of, & afterwards drawn wth wild horses, and ye quarters of his body severed & sect one on one of the Towers of this Castle, and soe in the sevrall markett townes as is recorded in an ancient Statute of this Isle for Treason, Nevertheless, upon the earnest peticõn of his wife & consideracon of her very disconsolate condition, I have thought fitt, And so require and order you to pronounce for sentence (usinge such accustomed fforme as apperteynes to a sentence) that bee bee brought to the place of execution called Hango Hill, and there Shott to death that thereuppon his liffe may departe from his bodie.
  
  HEN. NOWELL.'
  
  1 Capt. Henry Nowell, younger son of Roger Nowell of Read, Esq., by his second wife, Catherine Hyde of Hyde and Norbury. He was Deputy-Governor of the Isle of Man when Wm. Christian was tried, and ordered sentence upon him.
  
  Att Castle Rushen, 31st Decemb' 1662.
  
  Mm.
  
  That this day Wm. Christian late of Raynoldsway & prisoner in ye sd Castle came to ye publique barr wth a guard of soldiers, And there according to ye purport of the right bon"' ye Lord of ye Isle his order in yt behalfe & ye prceedinges of ye Court by ye Deemsters & 24 Keyes hereunto annexed, ye words of sentence under ye Govrn's hand in ye conclusive pte thereof was pronounced by the Deemster i wth a formall & patheticall speech touchinge ye nature of ye misdemeanor ye formd abillity of ye prisoner & his present condicõn, wth recitall of ye proceedings (wch before in this booke are recorded, and all this in a full Court before ye Officers Civill and Millitary, ye 24 Keyes & divers of the Countrey being then present.
  
  1 Thomas Norris, Deemster 1660, sat as Judge, and delivered sentence of death on William Christian, 31st December 1662. Deemster John Christian did not appear, and Edward Christian his son and assistant did not sit in Court.
  
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  [From Manx Soc, vol. 26]
  
  No. X.
  The LAST SPEECH Of William Christian, Esq., who was Executed 2d January 1662-3.
  
  GENTLEMEN, and the rest of you who have accompanied me this day to the gate of death.-I know you expect I should say something at my departure; and indeed I am in some measure willing to satisfy you, having not had the least liberty, since my imprisonment, to acquaint any with the sadness of my sufferings, which flesh and blood could not have endured, without the power and assistance of my most gracious and good God, into whose hands I do now commit my poor soul, not doubting but that I shall very quickly be in the arms of His mercy.
  
  I am, as you now see, hurried hither by the power of a pretended court of justice, the members whereof, or at least the greatest part of them, are by no means qualified, but very ill befitting their new places. The reasons you may give yourselves.
  
  The cause for which I am brought hither, as the prompted and threatened jury has delivered, is high treason against the Countess Dowager of Derby, for that I did, as they say, in the year fifty-one, raise a force against her for the suppressing and rooting out that family. How unjust the accusation is, very few of you that hear me this day but can witness; and that the then rising of the people, in which afterwards I came to be engaged, did not at all, or in the least degree, intend the prejudice or ruin of that family; the chief whereof being, as you well remember, dead eight days or thereabout, before that action happened. But the true cause of that rising, as the jury did twice bring in, was to present grievances to our Honourable Lady; which was done by me, and afterwards approved by her Ladyship, under the hand of her then secretary, M. Trevach, who is yet living, which agreement hath since, to my own ruin, and my poor family's endless sorrow, been forced from me. The Lord God forgive them the injustice of their dealings with me, and I wish from my heart it may not be laid to their charge another day.
  
  You now see me here a sacrifice ready to be offered up for that which was the preservation of your lives and fortunes, which were then in hazard, but that I stood between you and your (then in all appearance) utter ruin. I wish you still may, as hitherto, enjoy the sweet benefit and blessing of peace, though from that minute until now I have still been prosecuted and persecuted, nor have I ever since found a place to rest myself in. But my God be for ever blessed and praised, who hath given me so large a measure of patience
  
  What services I have done for that noble family by whose power I am now to take my latest breath, I dare appeal to themselves, whether I have not deserved better things from some of them than the sentence of my bodily destruction, and seizure of the poor estate my son ought to enjoy, being purchased and left him by his grandfather. It might have been much better had I not spent it in the ser-vice of my Honourable Lord of Derby and his family, these things I need not mention to you, for that most of you are witnesses to it. I shall now beg your patience while I tell you here in the presence of God, that I never in all my life acted anything with intention to prejudice my sovereign lord the king, nor the late Earl of Derby, nor the now Earl; yet notwithstanding, being in England at the time of his sacred Majesty's happy restoration, I went to London with many others, to have a sight of my gracious king, whom God preserve, and whom until then I never had seen. But I was not long there when I was arrested upon an action of twenty thousand pounds, and clapped up in the Fleet; unto which action, I being a stranger, could give no bail, but was there kept nearly a whole year. How I suffered God he knows; but at last having gained my liberty, I thought good to advice with several gentlemen concerning his Majesty's gracious Act of Indemnity, that was then set forth, in which I thought myself concerned; unto which they told me, there was no doubt to be made that all actions committed in the Isle of Man, relating in any kind to the war, were pardoned by the Act of Indemnity, and all other places within his Majesty's dominions and countries. Whereupon, and having been forced to absent myself from my poor wife and children near three years, being all that time under persecution, I did with great content and satisfaction return into this Island, hoping then to receive the comfort and sweet enjoyment of my friends and poor family. But alas! I have fallen into the snare of the fowler, but my God shall ever be praised, though he kill me, yet will I trust in him.
  
  I may justly say no man in this Island knows better than myself the power the Lord Derby hath in this Island, subordinate to his sacred Majesty, of which I have given a full account in my declaration presented to my judges, which I much fear will never see light, which is no small trouble to me.
  
  It was his Majesty's most gracious Act of Indemnity gave me the confidence and assurance of my safety; on which, and an appeal I made to his sacred Majesty and Privy Council, from the unjustness of the proceedings had against me, I did much rely, being his Majesty's subject here, and a denizen of England both by birth and fortune. And in regard I have disobeyed the power of my Lord of Derby's Act of Indemnity, which you now look upon, and his Majesty's Act cast out as being of no force, I have with greater violence been persecuted; yet, nevertheless, I do declare that no subject whatever can or ought to take upon them acts of indemnity but his sacred Majesty only, with the confirmation of Parliament.
  
  It is very fit I should say something as to my education and religion. I think I need not inform you, for you all know, I was brought up a son of the Church of England, which was at that time in her splendour and glory; and to my endless comfort I have ever since continued a faithful member,-witness several of my actions in the late times of liberty. And as for government, I never was against monarchy, which now, to my soul's great satisfaction, I have lived to see is settled and established. I am well assured that men of upright life and conversation may have the favourable countenance of our gracious king, under whose happy government God of his infinite mercy long continue these his kingdoms and dominions. And now I do most heartily thank my good God that I have had so much liberty and time to disburden myself of several things that have laid heavy upon me all the time of my imprisonment, in which I have not had time or liberty to speak or write any of my thoughts; and from my soul I wish all animosity may after my death be quite laid aside, and my death by none be called in question, for I do freely forgive all that have had any hand in my persecution; and may our good God preserve you all in peace and quiet the remainder of your days.
  
  Be ye all of you his Majesty's liege people, loyal and faithful to his sacred Majesty; and according to your oath of faith and fealty to my Honourable Lord of Derby, do you likewise, in all just and lawful ways, observe his commands; and know that you must one day give an account of all your deeds. And now the blessing of Almighty God be with you all, and preserve you from violent death, and keep you in peace of conscience all your days.
  
  I will now hasten, for my flesh is willing to be dissolved and my spirit to be with God, who hath given me full assurance of his mercy and pardon for all my sins, of which his unspeakable goodness and loving kindness my poor soul is exceedingly satisfied.
  
  Note.-Here he fell upon his knees, and passed some time in prayer; then rising exceedingly cheerful, he addressed the soldiers appointed for his execution, saying, Now for you, who are appointed by lot my executioners, I do freely forgive you. He requested them and all present to pray for him, adding, There is but a thin veil betwixt me and death; once more I request your prayers, for now I take my last farewell.
  
  The soldiers wished to bind him to the spot on which he stood. He said., Trouble not yourselves or me, for I that dare face death in whatever form he comes, will not start at your fire and bullets, nor can the power you have deprive me of my courage. At his desire a piece of white paper was given him, which, with the utmost composure, he pinned to his breast, to direct them where to aim ; and after a short prayer addressed the soldiers thus, Hit this, and you do your own and my work ; and presently after, stretching forth his arms, which was the signal he gave them, he was shot through the heart and fell.
  
  VA-The above note is annexed to the copies of the printed speech which appeared in a broadside in the year 1776, one hundred and thirteen years after Christian's death.
  
  The following entry is in the parish register of Malew :-"Mr. William Christian of Ronaldsway, late Receiver, was shott to death att Haugoe Hill, the 2nd of January (1662). He died most penitently and most curragiously, made a good end, prayed earnestly, made an excellent speech, and the next day was buried in the chancle of Malew."
  
  It has been said that blankets were spread on the green under his feet, that not a drop of blood should be spilt when he fell ; others, again, assert that not a drop of Christian's blood issued from his wounds when he fell, but that he bled inwardly. Of the file of soldiers who were drawn out for the duty, one only took effect, that of William M'Cowle, and who is reported to have been rewarded with a grant of land in the north of the Island for doing his duty; this has been recorded in the following Manx distich :-
  
  " Lhigg fer ayns y Thalloo ferelley 'syn an,
  Agh Illiam M'Cowle lhigg'sy voayl chair.
  Illiam M`Cowle sliught ny va büee
  She dty vaase, Illiam Dhone ren brishey nyn gree."
  It has been surmised by some that Christian's speech has been the composition of some friend at a much later date than that at which it was said to have been delivered, at least the major part of it. Be that as it may, it is here given from the printed broadside of 1776, and that is said to have been taken from a copy preserved in the family of a clergyman, but no such copy is now known to be in existence.
  
  ...

Details of Iom's family with Harrison

Details of Iom's family with Jane Woods