322 SODOR AND MAN. The patronage of the bishopric was in the lord of the Isles; for though pope Celestine III granted it to the abbey of Furness in Lancashire, yet his bull does not appear to have been acted upon. The bishop was nominated by the lord of Man ; the King gave his royal assent to such nomination, and the archbishop of York consecrated him as one of his suffragans^*, but he had no place in parliament, as neither his diocese nor barony was within the realm of England. Tradition asserts that in the time of the persecution, in the reign of the emperor Diocletian, many Christians fled into Scotland, and the Isle of Man was assigned to them for their refuge, where a church was erected, and also a bishop's seat ; and Amphibalus is reported to have presided there about the year 360. Other writers however state that St. Patrick, the Irish apostle, founded the see and ap- pointed Germanus about the year 447 ; and after him conse- crated CoNiNDicus or CoNiNDRicus ; and after him Romulus. Machutus, called also Machilla, and Maucholdus, is reported to have sat here from 498 to 518. CoNANus, tutor to Eugenius king of Scotland and his went to James Murray duke of in 1825 he sold to the crown the Athol, as great-grandson of James whole of his sovereign rights in Stanley, seventh earl of Derby, that island. (Stat. 6 Geo. IV. c. by his daughter Amelia Sophia 35.) The next appointment there- who married John marquis of fore, that of Dr. Ward in 1828, Athol. The duke of Athol soldthe was made by letters patent of said island and its dependencies the crown. to the crown of England in 1 763, <> By act of Parliament 33 Hen. (Stat. 5 Geo. III. c. 26.) reserv- VIII, the Isle of Man was dis- ing however certain sovereign severed from the jurisdiction of rights inter alia, the nomination Canterbury and was annexed to of the prelates of the see ; and the province of York.
