Blair Collection > Critical dissertations on the origin, antiquities, language, government, manners, and religion, of the antient Caledonians, their posterity the Picts, and the British and Irish Scots

Principality of the Ifles. 277
Boece, who has, in too many inftances, forgotten
or negicded the firll rule which an hiilorian Ihoiild
have in view.
We learn indeed from the little Chronicle ^o
ofter quoted, that the people of Man, four years
after all tlie Ebudes had been ceded by Magnus of
Norway, to Alexander, Kin^ of Scots, fought
with great fpirir, though unruccefsfully, agamfl
an army fent by that Monarch to reduce them *.
From that time, till the crown of Scotland, with
all the dominions pertaining to it, was extorted
from the unhappy John Baliol, by Edward the
Firft of England, the lile of Man continued in
the poffelTion of die Scots. But about the latter
end of King Edward's reign, one of the family of
Montacute, who was oF the blood royal of Man,
faith Cambden t, having raifcd a body of Englilh
adventurers, aflerted his right to the ifland by
force of arms, and drove the Scots out of it : bur
leaving plunged himfelf into a valt deb: by the
expence attending this conquefl, he mortgaged
the ifland to the famous Anthony Bee, bifhop of
Durham, and patriarch of Jerufalem. Some time
after the death of this bifliop, Edward the Second
made over the kingdom of Man to his favourite
Peter de Gavefton ; and when that minion could
no longer enjoy the grant, gave it to Henry de
Beaumont, with all the demefnes and royal jnr if-
diflion thereunto belonging X.
In the year 1 31 3, Robert Bruce, King of Scots,
after having befieged the caflle of Rullin, which
* Chron.Mann. ad ann. 1270.
•|- Cambden, in his Continuation of the hiftory of Man.
X Cambden, ibidem.
S 3 was