[from History of IoM, 1900]

APPENDIX E.

" As the Act of Settlement did not extend [to the bishop's barony and] to the baronies of Bangor and Sabal, St. Trinion's, or the Staff Lands and barony of Maughold, the tenure of the customary estates in these districts continue still to be undefined and unguaranteed by any statutory enactment. The writer, however, believes that it has never been questioned, and certainly is not now, that the tenants of these estates have an estate in fee-simple in these lands similar to that possessed by tenants of lands included in the Act of Settlement.'' These lands are subject to certain smaH quit-rents payable according to the ancient custom, partly in money, and partly in kind, and in some cases fixed alienation fines have been agreed upon between the tenants and their ancient lords.¹ These rents and fines appear on the Rolls of their respective baronies, which are still kept separate from the Manorial Records of the customary lands. The freehold mines, minerals and other manorial rights in these lands are vested (with the exception of the bishop's barony) in the Crown to the same extent as in the other customary lands. The bishop in his barony has the mines and minerals, &c." + (Mann Law Tenures., pp.1-15). This view of the case is confirmed by the fact that the customary " tenants of the bishop's barony § and of the several baronies of Bangor and Sabal and St. Trinion's possess and enjoy the right of alienation without any manorial restraint. In the case of the bishop's barony a composition of an ox or forty shillings was paid by every tenant to each bishop at his instruction in lieu of the restraining power. It is not known whether the lords of the other baronies possessed this power or how it has been compounded for (Ibid., p. 356). (For an interesting dissertation on the nature of the title of the present holders of the Maughold barony and " Staff Lands " we refer our readers to the Mann Law Tenures, pp. 15-17.)

* Customary freehold.
t There are no alienation fines in the baronies of Bangor and Sabhal and St. Trinian's
+ It is stated that he has lead and iron only, the right of the Crown to other minerals being reserved.
~ The bishops demesne remains in his own hands, and is let by him on leases to ordinary tenants.