Commissions

Important Manx officials and soldiers were appointed by a commission from the Lord of Man. The Governor (as the Lord's representative) would also commission new officers. These commissions consisted of written instructions from the Lord or Governor, usually addressed to the new employee's superior. These instructions sometimes further explain the reason for the appointment or stipulate the tasks required of him. In a few cases the document simply orders that a pension be paid to a particular individual. Liber Irrotulamentorum is the name given to a book of these records.

Many of the earlier (eg circa 1600) commissions are recorded in the Libri Scaccarii. Collected records from about 1660 appear in MS9864. One such Liber Irrotulamenoerum dated 1669-1672 is titled A Booke of Comissions, orders and warrants relating to the several offices and places in the respective Garrisons forts comands and otherwise within the Isle of Man.

Example of a warrant by the Lord of Man

It is my will & pleasure that the bearer hereof Hum=
=phey Seddan bee admitted into Castle Rushen in my Isle
of Man, there to doe the do the dutie of a [?] soldier under
the command of Capt Rich: Hoe. Given under my hand 
at Knowsley this xth day of June 1669.
                                        Cha Derby
To my Governor deputie
Governer and ye rest of my
officers, (whome these may
concern) wthin my Isle
of Mann.

The above example was subsequently endorsed by the Governor

Example of a pension granted by the Lord of Man

It is my pleasure to allow unto my
servant Samuell Wattleworth the
sume of ten pound p annum, and doe
order my comissioners for my Revenue
in my Iale of Mann to pay the same
quarterly out of my Revenue thereunto
whomsoever he will appoint, and this to
comence from Midsumer last. Given
under my hand at Knowsley the 24th
of January 1669/70
                        Derby
To my deputie
Governr & the rest
of my comissionrs