Some few centuries before the Christian era, the Celts
were the rulers of practically the whole of Western
Europe, and their language was at that time possibly spoken by a larger number
of persons than any other branch of Indo European speech in Europe. A thousand
or twelve hundred years later a very different picture presents itself. In the
seventh century A.D., the speakers of Celtic
are confined to the western and northwestern portions of the British Isles and
the peninsula of Armorica, and the language
of the Teutonic invaders has ever since been making headway at the expense of
the earlier tongue, more especially during the last two or three centuries. In
the case of Ireland and Wales
there is perhaps not so much reason to repine, seeing that these countries long
retained a sufficient measure of political independence for them to be able to
develop a national literature. But such was not the position of either the Isle
of Mann or Brittany, with the almost necessary consequence, that for lack of aristocratic
patronage Manx and Breton
many centuries ago sank to the level of the peasant dialects of twentieth century
Ireland.
This Prince was of the Danish line, and after subduing
the Orcades and Hebrides, at last established his throne in Mona.
Though he assumed the government by violence, his reign was undisturbed by any
domestic commotion: and to his polity the Manks are indebted for the origin of
their Constitutional Representatives; who for several succeeding ages sometimes
feebly opposed, but more frequently sanctioned regal oppression. After a long
reign, Orry was succeeded
by his son, Guttred;
A Prince who devoted his attention to the welfare of his subjects: He erected
the noble relic of Danish architecture, Castle-Rushen;
and in that durable monument of his regal grandeur lies obscurely buried.
The
third Prince of the Danish line was Reginald,
who sacrificed the dignity of his character to lust and intemperance. His vices
accelerated his ruin: for having seduced a lady whose brothers were soldiers of
fortune, they revenged her dishonour by the death of her seducer. On this event,
Olave, having assumed the crown, without the approbation of the King of Denmark,
was with much apparent friendship invited to his court: but on his arrival was
arraigned, and executed as a traitor to the supremacy of the Danish throne. His
brother OLAIN, succeeded him, who, after an equitable reign, died in Ireland,
and had for his successor Allen; whose memory has been branded with every crime.
He was poisoned by his Governor, and most probably succeeded by MACON,
a gallant Prince, who, for refusing homage to the English crown, was deprived
of the diadem of the Isles. It was however soon afterwards restored to him with
a plenitude of honour. He was created by the English Monarch, Admiral of a numerous
fleet, with which he annually circumnavigated the British Isles; to guard them
from the rapine and barbarity of the Scandinavian pirates, who, at this period,
were a terror to the neighbouring kingdoms.
In the eleventh century, Gødred
Crovan, a Norwegian hero, having accompanied his king in the invasion of England,
and being there defeated, sought an asylum in this Island, where he was hospitably
received by the natives. The reigning Prince of Man at this period was Gødred
the son of Sytrric, who from his cowardice, barbarity, and in justice, became
odious to his subjects. With a penetrating eye Gødred Crovan observed the
discontents of the people; and animated by regal ambition, formed the daring project
of dethroning the King. But this ambitious plan he concealed from the inhabitants,
till he should be invested with force sufficient to commend success. To obtain
this, he withdrew to his native country; and arming a numerous fleet, with great
expedition returned to this Island. In his absence the tyrant died, and Fingal,
his son, was seated on the throne; from whose youth, mildness, and generosity,
the Manks promised themselves many blessings. The virtues of this Prince, inspiring
his subjects with heroic loyalty, for some time frustrated the hopes of the invader;
who, being twice repulsed, effected by stratagem what he could not accomplish
by violence. In a dark night he concealed in a wood, under a hill near Ramsay,
three hundred of his troops; and on the morning landed the remainder of his forces;
which, being opposed by the Manks with their usual heroism, were again almost
vanquished. But in the moment of supposed victory Gødred vigorously renewing
the combat, the troops that formed the ambuscade now burst upon the rear of the
Manks army. A well-disputed conflict ensued: and at length the tide of conquest
turned against the Manks. Their King with the prime of his nobility fell in the
battle, and the residue yielded to the generosity of the Conqueror.
In
late medieval times we find a considerable amount of literary intercourse between
Ireland and the Highlands of
Scotland, and there is evidence that Irish bards not infrequently enjoyed for
a season the hospitality of Scottish chieftains, whilst Highianders crossed Over
to Erin in large numbers to graduate in the schools of poetry.
Manx agrees
with northern Irish and Highland Gaelic
in giving up the considerable variety of verb inflexions found in medieval
Irish. The speech of Munster, on the other hand, is even at the present day
remarkably conservative in this respect, preserving many endings which are elsewhere
unknown. When we turn to examine the written Manx that is regarded as standard,
we find that it has abandoned certain synthetic verb-forms which are retained
in the spoken Gaelic of Donegal and
the Highlands, the most remarkable case being that of the Irish passive forms
in -ar and -adh. There is unfortunately no means of ascertaining when such a loss
took place in Manx. From a cursory examination of the earliest document we possess,
viz, the translation of the Book of
Common Prayer made by Bishop Phillips in 1610, it appears that the verb forms
employed in this text are practically identical with those of the eighteenth century
version.