[From Manx Note Book vol ii, 1886]

WE much regret to record the death of Mr. Llewellynn Jewitt, F. S.A., editor of the Reliquary, a distinguished and painstaking antiquary. He was the author of the paper on the " Fylfot," which appeared in the first number of this magazine.

THE DOUGLAS FREE LIBRARY. — We would remind our readers that this excellent and much-needed institution will be opened shortly, and that gifts of books will be thankfully received. The Committee of Management have selected a capable and energetic Librarian in Mr. J. de Maine Browne, and we understand that it is their intention to provide reference and standard books, as well as light literature.

INSULAR LOCALITIES MENTIONED IN OLD DOCUMENTS AND HISTORIANS (VOI. II, P. 94). — The church of St. Crore (not "Crove") was situate in the ancient glebe of Kirk Patrick. The glen adjoining and the rivulet are still called Glione Keeil Crore and Struan Keeil Crore. Cullufby (not "Cullufly") was the old name of a portion of the German Abbey lands. In an old record, the date of which I cannot remember, a parcel of land in Kirk Arbory was called , Uncialem Terrae Sanctae Columbae." I cannot identify any of the other names mentioned by "Student."

J. Q.

OLD SCHOOL CUSTOMS. — At the old Grammar School, in Castletown, some fifty or sixty years ago, it was a custom for the boys, some little time before the Christmas and other vacations, to put up in a conspicuous place on the wall, where it might attract the master's notice, the following Latin doggrel, which I have never met with elsewhere: —

Omne bene — sine Jesua?
Tempus est ludendi ;
Venit Hora, Sine mora
Libros deponendi."

The "barring out," a custom then very general in all parts of the kingdom, usually took place on the eve of the holidays.

SHENNAGHEE

ANTIQUITIES IN THE PARISH OF RUSHEN. — WE hope in a future paper to give an account of some antiquities in the parish of Rushen, especially of remains on the Carnanes and Bradda, which seem hitherto to have been unknown to antiquarians.

"MAN '' AND "MANN " (VOI. I., PP. 74-116) "MANKS" AND "MANX.'' — While looking through some old letters I came across the following notes of Thomas Quayle, written in 1791, concerning the spelling " Mann " or "Man,'' which has been discussed in " THE MANX NOTE BOOK," also on "Manks " and "Manx." I send it to you as it may be found interesting by your readers. E. Q.

I observe you spell 'Isle of Mann' and 'Manx.' I confess I have always spelt Man and Manks, thinking them more proper, for which I shall now (under correction) assign my reasons, — 1st, Sacheverel spells them both so, and he is the only author worth quoting on the subject ; 2nd, as to 'Man.' It is an axiom of physics that 'nonsunt multiplicanda .entia sine necessitate.' The second n is utterly useless, it neither alters the sound, nor prevents any ambiguity in writing; why then encumber the word with it? 3rd and principallv ; in all public documents from the Court of Great Britain it is always called 'Man.' Particularly thro' the 20 volumes, in folio, of Rymer's Foedera; and the space of six centuries in a period when they were fond of reduplications of letters, there is not one instance out of very many hundreds, when the word recurrs, of Man being spelt with two n's. And so it invariably remains to this day. This observation I take to be decisive on the question. Next as to Manks. On the proper spelling of this word I feel a little bolder than the last, because I can form a conjecture from whence it comes, and how it is formed, — 1st, The adjective possessive, of countries, in the Saxon dialect is universally formed by subjoining ish — Spanish, Irish, Scottish, British ; many of these for euphony's have been again contracted: Welch (for Waleish), French (for Francish). What then has been the possessive adjective for the Isle of Man ? Mankish. What is the proper way of writing this when shortened and contracted in one syllable? No doubt, Manks. x is not a favourite Saxon letter, and I cannot see any excuse for bringing it in here. Mankish being shortened in the pronunciation, there must be an analogy kept up between the word as now written, and the word in its original state, which can,only be done by dropping the letters not now pronounced, the i and h. 2nd, I have the authority of Sacheverel and others in my favor, which ought to weigh a little."

[Since Mr. Quayle wrote, ancient documents have come to light, which, for the most part, contain " Mann," not "Man." We must confess that Sacheverell's authority is not considered as weighty by us as by.him. With regard to "Manks" and " Manx," the former is doubtless the older form, but ks is practically represented by x, and no confusion can arise from the use of the shorter word, as might be possible in the case of " Mann" and " Man." — ED.]

A COMMISSION IN THE MANX GENTLEMEN AND YEOMANRY. —

GEORGE R

GEORGE the Third, by the Grace of God, King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c. To Our Trusty and well-beloved GEORGE QUAYLE, Esqre., Greeting: We reposing especial Trust and Confidence i it your Loyalty, Courage, and good Conduct, do, by these Presents, constitute, and appoint you to be Captain Commanding of the Manx Gentlemen and Yeomanry, but not to take Rank in our Army except during the Time of the said Corps being called out into actual Service. You are therefore, to take the said Corps into your Care and Charge, and duly to exercise as well the Officers as Soldiers thereof in Arms, and to use your best Endeavours to keep them in good Order and Discipline; And We do hereby Command Them to obey You as their Captain Commandant, and you are to observe, and follow such Orders and Directions from Time to Time as you shall receive from Us, or any other your Superior Officers, according to the Rules and Discipline of War, in pursuance of the Trust hereby reposed in You.

Given at Our Court at Saint James's the Seventeenth Day of January, 1799, in the Thirty-ninth Year of Our Reign.
By His Majesty's Command,
PORTLAND.

Entered with the
Secretary at War
M. LEWIS.

Entd with the Comm'ry
General of Musters,
Wm. WOODMAN. George Quayle, Esqre., Captain Commandant of the Manx Gentlemen and Yeomanry

I should be glad to know when the above Corps was formed; what was its numerical strength; if it saw any active service; and when it was disbanded? E. Q.

CURIOUS COMPURGATION FROM DEBT. A.D. 1616. M^d that Mr Christopher Younge chaplaine of the Castell of Rushen left in his last will that Mr Thomas Samsburie Demster did owe unto him The sume of sevene pounds and Mrs jaine Samsbucrie weiff to the said Tho Samsbucrie twelve shillings neine pence The said Thoms and jaine came to the Grave of the forsaid Christopher and die lye upon theire backes wth ye bibel on their brest wth theire compurgatours and did sweare that they ought (sic) him nothinge when they did recken wth the Executore and immediately the same daye being the second of July Ano 1616 they did recover of the Executore vij ij after the accounte was made by me

EWD CALOE Vicr (of Malew).

BALLAUGH OLD CHURCH (see Illustration, P. 97). — lt is impossible to say when the first Church was erected in this parish, but that a Church was built on the site which is now occupied by old St. Mary's, at a very early, period after the introduction of Christianity into the Island, there is no reason to doubt. It would appear from the few remaining dressed stones (red freestone) which have been built tip in the existing walls — used chiefly as cornerstones — that a building of some ecclesiastical pretensions must at one time have stood there. Neale (a well-known authority) in his "Ecclesialogical Notes,'' published in 1848, speaks of it as "evidently rebuilt on the old plan, and its west facade is extremely interesting. It has a western porch, which I suppose resembled that at Kirk Maughold, and from this two flat square-edged pilasters run up to the campanile, just of the same character as in our own Saxon churches." At the north-east corner, about :18 inches above the ground, may be noticed a duly dressed and squared block of red sandstone, with the word " Salvation'' boldly incised, the T in the centre of the word forming the head of a cross. This has probably been the foundation stone of a former Church on the same site, and the inscription doubtless refers to Isaiah lx., 18, "Thou shall call thy walls Salvation. " No account is to be found of the rebuilding of the present old church. Some short notices occur in one of the old registers, of alterations and repairs, and nothing more. In Bishop Wilson's " Memorandum Book," we find the following entry: " 1717, June ig. Then laid the foundation of an addition of 21 feet to the Church of Ballaugh. The worthy rector, Mr. Walker, and I, engaged to finish it, the parish only contributing twelve pounds." Thus it remained until the present Parish Church was substituted for it. It then appears to have been allowed to fall into decay. In 1849, the Rev. T. Howard (then rector) taking down the chancel end, and reducing it a third, had it re-roofed and repaired, when it was used for a time for occasional services. The windows, however, having got broken, its use was discontinued, and it was again left to become dilapidated. The present rector, on coming to the parish, had it once more put in order, much to the satisfaction of the parishioners, who still retain a clinging affection to the place where their forefathers worshipped.

HUMAN REMAINS AT THE NUNNERY CHAPEL.An interesting discovery of human remains has been made in the course of the restoration of the Chapel at the Nunnery, a detailed account of which it is proposed to give in our next issue.

THE FIRST ROYAL MAIL BOAT BETWEEN GREAT BRITAIN AND THE ISLE OF MANN. — "The only packet Boat employed by Government between Great Britain and the Isle of Mann, sails from Whitehaven and Douglas weekly; it was established in 1766. The packet is appointed to leave Whitehaven the first tide after the arrival of the Saturday's post from London, which is received on the Monday evening; is to remain two day is Inthe port of Douglas, in the Isle of Mann, and then to make her passage to Whitehaven as speedily as circumstances will permit. There are frequently from 15 to 20 passengers weekly by this vessel, sometimes a much greater number." — (Extract from Hutchinson's Cumberland, Vol. ll., P. 83.)

THE MANX SOCIETY. — At a meeting of the Council of this Society, held in the Government Office, on the 8th of June, present: His Excellency the Lieut. -Governor, the Attorney-General, Deemster Gill, Major Taubrnan, Mr. Clucas, Mr. Noble, Mr. Watts, Mr. Savage, Mr. A. W Moore, and Mr. C. T. C. Callow (hon. sec.). The following resolutions were passed : That Deemster Gill be requested to ask Mr. Talbot whether he would be willing to complete the Manx Domesday Book, in connection with the Attorney -General, Deernster Gill, Mr. Clucas, and Mr. C. W. Coole, who, the Society are informed, would render Mr. Talbot any assistance in their power; that the thanks of the Society be given to Mr. C. W. Coole, for the translation of the Manx Domesday Book which he had prepared ; that a copy of each of the Society's publications, of which there are more than three copies, be presented to the Douglas Free Library. Deemster Gill, Mr Talbot, Mr. Savage, and Mr. A. W. Moore were eleded members of the council.

BOOKS RECEIVED. — How to form a Library, by Mr. Henry B. Wheatley; Old Cookery Books and Ancient Cuisine," by Mr. W. Carew Hazlitt; The Pleasures of a Bookworm, by Mr. J. Rogers Rees; and Our Forefatliers in the Dark Ages, by Mr. R. G. Blunt. This singularly tasteful and handy series is published by Mr. Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row. London; the Reliquary,, the Antiqiiarian Magazine, the Western Magazine, and the Naturalist.