Ward & Lock's descriptive and pictorial guide to the Isle of Man ...

from116 Guide to the Isle of Man.columns would not seem to be particularly out of place.Besides, the faculty of belief has received a strengtheningtonic, and, having accepted the legend of the demon dog in theguardroom, we are prepared to acquiesce with comparativereadiness in the equally authentic, if not so ghostly, storieswe are likely to hear before we quit the domain of romantichistory.There is, of course, a considerable amount of genuinehistoric lore in connection with Peel Castle, the cathedral,the other churches, the monuments, the towers and dungeonswhich crown this memorable sea-beaten rock ; and thevisitor will find at the outset much matter of interest in theremains ofSt. German's Cathedral.This is not the earliest church built on the site ; but ofthe original edifice not a trace is now to be discerned. Thereare, however, records of the burial of two bishops, besidesGermanus, already mentioned, in the older church. BishopWymundus was interred here in 1151, and Bishop John in1164. The former, if tradition may be accepted, was a remarkableperson. A Manxman by birth, he became a monk ofFurness Abbey, in Lancashire, whence he was sent to hisnative place as a missionary. He had a fine presence, wasvery eloquent, and was so admired by the islanders, that theychose him for their bishop, and the Archbishop of York coneecratedhim;which circumstance, it is supposed, itcame to pass that the island diocese has been ever sinceconsidered to be a portion of the northern archicpiscopal province.His elevation did not satisfy the ambitious Wymund,who, we read, extended his personal influence by marryingthe daughter of the Thane of Argyle—an act which, if true,proves that the celibacy of bishops was not enforced by theearly church of the island. He claimed also to be the sonof Angus, Earl of Murray, and heir to his estates, Avhich hadpassed into the possession of others. He was popular withthe ]\Ianxmen, and Manxmen had a liking for adventurousexpeditions. There might have been some who knew thathis father was really one Jole, a Manxman, but if they didthey judiciously held their tongues ;and the Bishop, at thehead of a goodly array of followers, landed on the coast ofScotland, killed many of the people, ravaged the country,and carried on a plundering warfare with such vigour andaudacity that King David himself was compelled to enterinto negotiii lions with him, and the Scotch folks generally