Act of Settlement 1703
Encyclopedia
The Act of Settlement of 1703 (passed in 1704) was an Act of Tynwald
passed clarifying the status of the population of the Isle of Man
. It has been referred to as a Manx Magna Carta
as its aim was to preserve the rights of the peasants in relation to their Lord. In the 16th century, tenants on the Isle had begun to consider their estates as their own but at the end of that century restrictions began to be enforced. An ordinance in 1582 stated that lands were not to be alienated (bought and sold, or left in wills) except by the Lord's license, which came with a fine. This was repealed in 1608 but reimposed in 1645. This situation was not popular among tenants who found themselves losing rights they had previously considered their own. By the last quarter of the century alienation fines were being successfully imposed. These fines made it difficult for tenants to get by and many had to abandon their land. This situation could not continue and in 1703 Bishop Wilson travelled to speak with the Earl on behalf of the tenants with a view to settling the issue. The Earl agreed to restore to his tenants their ancestral estates and impose significantly smaller fines (a third of the previous levels) and, in the case of inheritance, to allow a year for these fines to be paid. The Act was re-enacted in 1777 after revestment, and is today considered the foundation of the Island's constitution.
Act of Tynwald
An Act of Tynwald is a statute passed by Tynwald, the parliament of the Isle of Man.-Structure:Acts of Tynwald are structured in a similar format to Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.-Commencement:...
passed clarifying the status of the population of the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
. It has been referred to as a Manx Magna Carta
Magna Carta
Magna Carta is an English charter, originally issued in the year 1215 and reissued later in the 13th century in modified versions, which included the most direct challenges to the monarch's authority to date. The charter first passed into law in 1225...
as its aim was to preserve the rights of the peasants in relation to their Lord. In the 16th century, tenants on the Isle had begun to consider their estates as their own but at the end of that century restrictions began to be enforced. An ordinance in 1582 stated that lands were not to be alienated (bought and sold, or left in wills) except by the Lord's license, which came with a fine. This was repealed in 1608 but reimposed in 1645. This situation was not popular among tenants who found themselves losing rights they had previously considered their own. By the last quarter of the century alienation fines were being successfully imposed. These fines made it difficult for tenants to get by and many had to abandon their land. This situation could not continue and in 1703 Bishop Wilson travelled to speak with the Earl on behalf of the tenants with a view to settling the issue. The Earl agreed to restore to his tenants their ancestral estates and impose significantly smaller fines (a third of the previous levels) and, in the case of inheritance, to allow a year for these fines to be paid. The Act was re-enacted in 1777 after revestment, and is today considered the foundation of the Island's constitution.