Little as we know of these times, we see that things must have come to
a pretty pass, for when the Scandinavian dynasty came in the
ecclesiastical authorities were forbidden to exercise civil control over
any subjects of the king that were not also the tenants of their own
baronies. So the Bishops were required to confine themselves to keeping
their own house in order. The Norse Constitution established in Man by
King Orry made no effort to overthrow the Celtic Church founded by St.
Patrick, and corrupted by his Welsh successors, but it curtailed its
liberties, and reduced its dignity. It demanded as an act of fealty that
the Bishop or chief Baron should hold the stirrup of the King's saddle,
as he mounted his horse at Tynwald. But it still suffered the Bishop and
certain of his clergy to sit in the highest court of the legislature.
The Church ceased to be purely Celtic; it became Celto-Scandinavian,
otherwise Manx. It was under the Archbishop of Drontheim for its
Metropolitan, and its young clergy were sent over to Drontheim to be
educated. Its revenues were apportioned after the most apostolic manner;
one-third of the tithes to the Bishop for his maintenance, the support
of his courts, his churches, and (miserable conclusion! ) his prisons;
one-third to the priests, and the remaining third to the relief of the
poor and the education of youth. It is a curious and significant fact
that when the Reformation came the last third was seized by the lord.
Good old lordly trick, we know it well!