In the yeere 1066. Godredus Crouan gathered a fleete of ships, and sailed
vnto Man, and giuing battell vnto the people of the countrey, was
vanquished and put to flight. The second time also hauing gathered his
armie and ships together, hee came vnto Man, fought with the inhabitants,
lost the victorie, and was chaced away. Yea, the third time [Footnote: in
1077] he assembled a great multitude, and comming by night vnto the port
which is called Ramsa, [Footnote: Ramsay] hid 300. of his men in a wood
standing vpon the side of the hill called Scacafel. The Sunne was no sooner
vp, but the Mannians arranged themselues and with great furie set vpon
Godred. And in the midst of the skirmish, the foresaid 300. men rising out
of their ambush, and comming vpon the backes of the Mannians, molested them
so sore, that they were enforced to flie. But when they saw that they were
ouercome and had no place of refuge to retire vnto (for the tide of the sea
had filled the chanel of the riuer of Ramsa [Footnote: The riuer Colby])
and seeing the enemie so fiercely pursuing them on the other side, they
which remained, with lamentable outcries beseeched Godred to spare their
liues. Then hee being mooued with compassion, and pitying their extreme
calamitie, because hee had bene of late sustained and nourished among them,
sounded a retreat and forbad his souldiers to make any longer pursuit. The
day following Godred put his souldiers to their choice, whether they would
diuide Man among themselues and inhabite it, or whether they would take the
wealth of the countrey, and so returne vnto their owne home. Howbeit, it
pleased them better to waste the whole Island and to enrich themselues with
the commodities thereof, and so to returne from whence they came. Nowe
Godred himselfe with a fewe Islanders which had remained with him, tooke
possession of the South part of the Island, and vnto the remnant of the
Mannians he granted the North part thereof, vpon condition, that none of
them should at any time afterward dare once to chalenge any parcell of the
said ground by title of inheritance. Whereupon it commeth to passe, that
vnto this day the whole Island is the kings owne Fee-simple, and that all