Garrison Roll - People Mentioned therein

 

At the period of these enquests surnames had not fully settled into the modern form - most of the names mentioned are of English soldiers or officers sent over by the Stanley's - most names are geographic (of '') where the place referred to is almost always within the south west part of Lancashire (West Derby Hundred) dominated by the Stanleys. Extracts were used by the indefatigable John Quayle, Clerk of the Rolls, in his 18th Century Book of Precedents, now in Manx Museum [MM MS510C] — from which extracts were printed in the unpublished documents series.Sacheverell almost certainly used this parchment roll as the basis for his comments re John Coate, the over-zealous Comptroller who provoked the problems, before the Lord's Lieutenant, Henry Byron, was sent over to sort it out - one result was the further codification of the Laws of Mann which were promulgated at Tynwald in 1429

The Lord from 1405 to 1414 was Sir John Stanley, who never visited the Island, he was succeeded by his son, John (Lord 1414-1437) who is reported as having visited the Island in 1417 and 1422

 

 

Thomas Litherland orders the earlier enquests; - in later impeachments a Thomas Litherland is described as ' Constable and Steward of the Peel' (his counterpart at Castle Rushen was Rys), as such he was in charge of the Military force at the Peel and as Steward reponsible for the good running of what appears to be a fairly extensive household. Litherland is 5 miles west of Knowsley and thus intimately linked to the Stanley's

John Litherland is noted in 1405 as one of those ordered to proceed to the Island to take possession for the Stanleys, a John Litherland is noted as Lieutanant of Mann (= Governor) in 1417

Though by 1422 John Walton is described as Lieutenant in the indictment of Howlac Mackissacke

 

 

Those taking the earlier enquests were: John of Fasakerley, Roger of Aughton and Roger of Hulton.

1428 John Cote states that John Fasakerley and Roger Aughton were sent over together with others - Cote being at that time Controller

 

John Fazackerly (or Fasakerley) is noted as Lieutenant in 1418 - - Feltham assumed 1418 presumeably based on Quayle's MS to which he appears to have access, as does Moore in his note on Sir John Stanley though in his list of Governors within his 1900 History

By September1428 Henry of Byrom was Lieutenant. Byrom is in the South East of the West Derby Hundred; a, presumably later, Henry Byrom presented a James Stanley to Winwick.)

 

Roger Aghton and Roger Hulton would appear to have been the Captains (deputy Lieutenants) under John Fasakerley, they would appear to have brought men of 'their owne affynite' with them. They appeared to take full advantage of their situation keeping hawks and greyhounds for sport as well as having an undue livery but by 1428 were back in England.

 

John Cote was Controller or Comptroller - he was in charge of the Lord's revenue, auditing accounts of the receiver and waterbaliff and rendering such accounts, annually, to the Lord. Had a joint responsibilty with the Receiver to ensure that garrisons were properly victualled, castles kept in good repair etc.Cote is very critical of the Receiver even to the point of raising official complaints - "I went to my lord to complayn me and this I put to my lord and here my lordes letters" - these complaints would appear to predate the arrival of Fasakerley and Aghton, the latter even suggesting that Coke go to Sir John Stanley

His deputy was Ranlyn of Bolton, Clerk of the Rolls The Receiver Henry Storreys was responsible for the collection of the Lord's revenue as well as being paymaster, producing quarterly accounts for scrutiny by the comtroller. The Lieutenant and his Captains 'fell of one affinity' and Cote accuses their followers (and by implication them) of accepting bribes etc in the country - he openly accuses the Captains of being more concerned to line their own pockets than to look after the Lord's affairs

Most of the actual collection was done by the Mooars and the receiver had considerable powers of oversight over them. For much of the Stanley period until 1610 there were two receivers - that for the Northside based at Peel Castle and that for Southside at Castle Rushen. these Captains considerably deputed for the Lieutenant - Cote also states that the Bishop and the Abbot of Rushen played a significant part in the governance of the Island. The other witnesses all vouched as to the bad relationship between the Constables, the Controller, the Receiver and the Clerk of the Rolls

 

 

 

 

 

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