A Short Treatise on the Isle of Man: Digested Into Six Chapters

A Short Treatise On The Isle Of Man: Digested Into Six Chapters by James Chaloner is a foundational 17th-century history of the Isle of Man. Originally published in 1666, the work was later edited for the Manx Society in 1864 by the Rev. J. G. Cumming, who supplied an introductory notice and copious notes, along with appendices containing primary documents and plates. Chaloner, one of the commissioners under Lord Fairfax for settling the island’s affairs and subsequently governor (1658–1660), compiles a six-part digest describing the island: its geography, inhabitants, ecclesiastical state, civil government, trade, and military strength. The text blends natural history, ethnography, church and state, and legal institutions, drawing on episcopal records, charters, and classical sources. The edition enhances the work with editor’s notes and references to Manx history, including Norse and Scottish influences, Patrick’s missionary role, and the evolution of island governance and law. This volume remains a critical source for early Manx history and constitutional practice.