The Isle of Man is situated in the Irish Sea, lying about seven leagues north from Anglesea, about the same distance west from Lancashire, nearly the like distance southeast from Galloway, and nine leagues east from Ireland. Its form is long and narrow, stretching from the northeast of Ayre-point to the Calf of Man, which lies southwest, at least thirty English miles. Its breadth in some places is more than nine miles, and in some not above five, and it contains about 160 square miles.

The first author that mentions this island is Caesar; for there can be as little doubt that by the Mona of which he speaks in his Commentaries, placing it in the midst between Britain and Ireland, we are to understand Man, as that the Mona of Tacitus, which he acquaints us had a fordable strait between it and the continent, can be applied only to Anglesea. Pliny has set down both islands; Mono, by which he intends Anglesea, and Monabia, which is Man. In Ptolemy we find Monaceda, or Monaida, that is, the farther or more remote Mon. Orosius styles it Menavia; and tells us that it was not extremely fertile, and that this, as well as Ireland, was then possessed by the Scots. Bede, who distinguishes clearly two Menavian Islands, names this the Northern Menavia, bestowing the epithet of southern upon Anglesea. In some copies of Neunius, this isle is denominated Eubonia, in others Menavia; but both are explained to mean Man. Alured of Beverley also speaks of it as one of the Menavian islands. The Britons, in their own language, called it Manew, or more properly Mainau, i.e. "a little island," which seems to be latinized in the word Menavia. All which clearly proves, that this small isle was early inhabited, and as well known to the rest of the world as either Britain or Ireland.

In the close of the first century, the Druids, who were the priests, prophets, and philosophers, of the old Britons, were finally expelled by Julius Agricola, from the southern Mona; and we are then told, that they then took shelter in the northern. This island they found well planted with firs, so that they had, in some measure, what they delighted in most, the shelter of trees; but, however, not the shelter of those trees in which they most delighted in, viz. oaks; and therefore these they introduced. No historian informs us, but we learn it from more certain authority, great woods of fir having been discovered interred in the bowels of the earth, and here and there small groves of oaks; but, as these trees are never met with intermixed, so it is plain they never grew together; and the former are by far the most numerous, we may presume them the produce of the country, and that the latter were planted and preserved by the Druids. They gave the people, with whom they lived, and over whom they ruled, a gentle government, wise laws, but withal a very superstitious religion. It is also very likely that they hindered them as much as possible from having any correspondence with their neighbours; which is the reason that, though the island is mentioned by so many writers, not one of them, before Orosius, says a word about the inhabitants. A little before his time, that is, in the beginning of the fifth century, the Scots had transported themselves thither, it is said, from Ireland. The tradition of the natives of Man (for they have a traditionary history) begins at this period. They style this first discoverer Munnan Mac Lear; and they say that he was a magician, who kept this country covered with mists, so that the inhabitants of other places could never find it. lint the ancient chronicles of Ireland inform us, that the true name of this adventurer was Orbsenius, the son of Alladius, a prince of their island, and that he was surnamed Mannanan, from his having first entered the Isle of Man, and Mac Lir, i. e. 'The Offspring of the Sea,' from his great skill in navigation, He promoted commerce, and is said to have given a good reception to St. Patrick, by whom the natives were converted to Christianity.

The princes who ruled after him seem to have been of the same line with the kings of Scotland, with which country they had a great intercourse, assisting the monarchs in their wars, and having the education of their princes confided to them in time of peace.

In the beginning of the seventh century, Edwin, King of Northumberland, invaded the Menavian islands, ravaged Man, and kept it for some time, when Beda assures us there were in it about 300 families; which was less than a third part of the people of Anglesea, though Man wants but a third of the size of that island.

The second line of their princes they derive from Orri, who, they say, was the son of the King of Norway; and that there were twelve of the princes of this house who governed Man. The old constitution settled by the Druids, while they swayed the sceptre, was perfectly restored; the country was well cultivated, and well peopled; their subjects were equally versed in the exercise of arms, and in the knowledge of the arts of peace : in a word, they had a considerable naval force, an extensive commerce, and were a great nation, though inhabiting only a little isle. Guttred, the son of Orri, built the castle of Rushin, A. I). 960. Macao was the ninth of these kings, and maintained an unsuccessful struggle against Edgar, who reduced all the little sovereigns of the different parts of Britain to own him for their lord : and who, upon the submission of Macao, made him his high-admiral, by which title (archipirata, in the Latin of those times) he subscribes that monarch's charter to the abbey of Glastonbury.

After the death of Edward the Confessor, when Harold, who possessed the Crown of England, had defeated the Norwegians at the battle of Stamford, there wag among the fugitives one Guddard Crownan, the son of Harold, the Black, of Iceland, who took shelter in the Isle of Man. This island was then governed by another Goddard, who was a descendant from Macao, and he gave him a very kind and friendly reception. Goddard Crownan, during the short stay-lie made in the island, perceived that his namesake was universally hated by his subjects, which inspired him with hopes that he might expel the king, and became master of the island. This he at last accomplished, after having defeated and killed Fingal, the son of Goddard, who had succeeded his father. Upon this he assigned the north part of the island to the natives, and gave the south to his own people; becoming, in virtue of his conquest, the founder of this third race of princes. However he might acquire his kingdom, he governed it with spirit and prudence; made war with success in Ireland; gained several victories over the Scots in the isles; and making a tour through his new-obtained dominions, died in the island of Bay, leaving behind him three sons. A civil war, however, breaking out between the two eldest, and both of them dying in a few years, and Magnus, King of Norway, arriving with a powerful feet, he possessed himself of Man and the Isles, and held them as long as he lived; but being slain in Ireland, the people invited home Olave, the youngest son of Goddard Crownan, who had fled to the Court of England, and been very honourably treated by Henry II. There were in the whole nine princes of this race, who were all of them feudatories to the Kings of England; and often resorted to their Court, were very kindly received, and had pensions bestowed upon them. Henry III. in particular, charged Olave, king of Man, with the defence of the coasts of England and Ireland, and granted him annually, for that service, forty marks, one hundred measures of wheat, and five pieces of wine. Upon the demise of Magnus, the last king of this isle, without heirs male, Alexander III, King of Scots, who had conquered the other isles, seized likewise upon this, which, as parcel of that kingdom, came into the hands of Edward I who (directed William Huntercumbe, guardian or warden of that isle for him, to restore it to Baliol, who had done homage to him for the kingdom of Scotland.

But it appears there was still remaining a lady named Austrica, who claimed this sovereignty, as cousin and nearest of kin to the deceased Magnus. This claimant, being able to obtain nothing from John Baliol, applied herself next to King Edward, as the superior lord. He, upon this application, by his writ, which is yet extant, commanded both parties, in order to determine their right, to appear in the King's-Bench. The progress of this suit does not appear; but we learn, that this lady, by a deed of gift, conveyed her claim to Sir Simon de Montacute; and after many disputes, invasions by the Scots, and other accidents, the title was examined in Parliament, in the seventh of Edward III. and solemnly adjudged to William de Montacute, to whom, by letters-patent, dated the seventh year, that monarch released all claim whatsoever.

In the succeeding reign, William Montacute, Earl of Salisbury, sold it to Sir William Scroop, afterwards Earl of Wiltshire; and upon his losing his head, it was granted by Henry IV. to Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, who, being attained, had, by the grace of that king, all his lands restored, except the Isle of Man, which the same monarch granted to Sir John Stanley, to be held by him of the king, his heirs, and successors, by homage and a cast of falcons, to be resented at every coronation. Thus it was possessed by this noble family, who were created Earls of Derby, till the reign of Queen Elizabeth, when, upon the demise of Earl Ferdinand, who left three daughters, it was, as Lord Coke tells us, adjudged to those ladies, and from them purchased by William, Earl of Derby, the brother of Ferdinand, from whom it was claimed by descent, and adjudged to his Grace the Duke of Athol.

This island, from its situation, directly in the mouth of the channel, is very beneficial to Britain, by lessening the force of the tides, which would otherwise break with far greater violence than they do at present. It is frequently exposed to very high winds, and at ather times to mists, which, however, are not unwholesome.

The soil towards the north is dry and sandy, of consequence infertile, but not unimprovable; the mountains, which may include near two-thirds of the island, are bleak and barren, yet afford excellent peat, and contain several kinds of metals. They maintain also a kind of small swine, called purrs, which are esteemed excellent pork. In the valleys there is as good pasture, hay, and corn, as in any of the northern counties; and the southern part of the island is as fine soil as can be wished. They have marl and limestone sufficient to render even their poorest lands fertile; excellent slate, rag-stone, black marble, and some other kinds for building. They have vegetables of all sorts, and in the utmost perfection : potatoes in immense quantities; and, where proper pains have been taken, they have tolerable fruit. They have also hemp, flax, large crops of oats and barley, and some wheat. Hogs, sheep, goats, black cattle, and horses, they have in plenty; and in their high mountains they have one aerie of eagles, and two of excellent hawks. Their rivulets furnish them with salmon, trout, eels, and other kind of freshwater fish; and on their coast are caught cod, turbot, ling, halibut, all sorts of shell fish, (oysters only are scarce, but large and good,) and herrings, of which they made anciently a great profit, though this fishery is of late much declined.

The inhabitants of Man, though far from being unmixed, were, perhaps, till within the course of the last century, more so than any other under the dominion of the crown of Great Britain, to which they are very proud of being subjects, though like the inhabitants of Guernsey and Jersey, they have a constitution of their own, and a peculiarity of manners naturally resulting from a long enjoyment of it. In ancient times they were distinguished by their stature, courage, and great skill in maritime affairs; and they are at tins time a brisk, lively, hardy, and industrious people. Their frugality defends them from want; and though there are few that abound, there are as few in distress; and those that are, meet with a cheerful unconstrained relief. The Manks tongue is the only one spoken by the common people. It is the old British, mingled with Norse, or the Norwegian language, and the modern language. The clergy preach, and read the common prayers in it.

The revenue of the island, in the Earl of Derby's time, amounted to about 2,500l. a year; from which, deducting his civil list, which was about 700l. the clear income amounted to 1,80l. At the same time the number of his subjects was computed at 20,000. The sovereign of Man, though he has long ago waved the title of king, was still invested with regal rights and prerogatives; but the distinct jurisdiction of this little subordinate royalty, being found inconvenient for the purposes of public justice, and for the revenue, (it affording a commodious asylum to debtors, outlaws, and smugglers) authority was given to the treasury by 12 Geo. I. c. 28, to purchase the interest of the then proprietors for the use of the crown; which purchase was at length completed, in the year 1765, and confirmed by 5 Geo. III. c. 26 and 39, whereby the whole island and all its dependencies (except the landed property of the Athol family), their manorial rights and emoluments, and the patronage of the bishopric and other ecclesiastical benefices, are unalienably vested in the crown, and subjected to the regulation of the British excise and customs.

The most general division of this island is into north and south; and it contains seventeen parishes, of which five are market-towns, the rest villages. Its division, with regard to its civil government, is into six sheetings, every one having its proper coroner, who in the nature of a sheriff, is intrusted with the peace of his district, secures criminals, and brings them to justice, &c. Lord chief justice Coke says, "their laws were such as scarce to be found any where else. '' In July, 1786, a copper coinage for the use of the island was issued from the Tower of London.

There is a ridge of mountains' runs almost the length of the isle, from whence they have abundance of good water from the rivulets and springs, and Snafield, the highest, rises about 580 yards. The air is sharp and cold in winter, the frosts short, and the snow, especially near the sea, does not lie long on the ground.

Here are quarries of good stone, rocks of limestone, red freestone, and good slate, with some mines of lead, copper, and iron. The trade of this island was very great before the year 1726; but the late Lord Derby farming out his customs to foreigners, the insolence of those farmers drew on them the resentment of the government of England, who, by an act of parliament, deprived the inhabitants of an open trade with this kingdom. This naturally introduced a clandestine commerce, which they carried on with England and Ireland with prodigious success, and an immense quantity of foreign goods was run into both kingdoms, till the government, in the year 1765, thought proper to put an entire stop to it, by purchasing the island of the Duke of Athol, as already mentioned, and permitting a free trade with England.

The inhabitants of this isle are of the Church of England; and the bishop is styled Sodor and Man.— This bishopric was first erected by Pope Gregory IV. and for its diocese had this isle, and all the Hebrides, or Western Islands of Scotland; but which were called Sodoroc by the Danes, who went to them by the north from the Swedish Sodor, Sail, or Our Islands, from which the tide of the Bishop of Sodor is supposed to originate. The bishop's seat was at Rushin, or Castleton, in the Isle of Man, and in Latin is entitled Sodorensis. Bur, when this island became dependent upon the kingdom of England, the Western Islands withdrew themselves from the obedience of their bishop, and had a bishop of their own, whom they entitled also Sodorenisis, but commonly Bishop of the Isles. The patronage of the bishopric was given, together with the island, to the Stanleys by King Edward IV. and came (as before named) by an heir female to the family of Athol; and, on a vacancy thereof, they nominated their designed bishop to the king, who dismissed him to the Archbishop of York for consecration.—By an act of parliament, the 35rd of Henry VIII. this bishopric is declared in the province of York.

The chief towns of this island are Rushin, Douglas, and Peele. The regular ports are Douglas, Derby-haven, Peele, and Ramsey, each having several dependent creeks. From Liverpool the passage is generally performed in two tides, but the packet from Whitehaven generally performs its voyage in twelve hours : it sails on Mondays.

Before the south promontory of Man, is a little island, called the Calf of Man; it is about three-miles in circuit, and separated from Man, by a channel about two furlongs broad. At one time of the year it abounds with puffins, and also with a species of ducks and drakes, by the English called barnacles, and by the Scots clakes and Soland Geese.—The puffins, it is said, breed in the holes of the rabbits, which for that time leave them to these strangers. The old ones leave their young all day, and fly to the sea, and, returning late at night with their prey, disgorge it into the stomachs of the young ones, by which means they become almost an entire lump of fat; in August they are hunted as it is called, and no less than five thousand of these young ones are generally taken every year; these are mostly eaten on the island, but many of them are pickled, and sent abroad as presents. About the rocks of this island also breed an incredible number of all sorts of sea-fowl.

— Topography of Great Britain by George Alexander Cooke, written: 1802-29

Man; this Isle is situate just over against the Southern part of Cumberland, from which it is distant 25 miles: it is in length 30, and in breadth 15 miles.

The People hate theft and begging: they use a Language mixt of the Norwegian and Irish Tongues.

The Soyl is abundant in Flax, Hemp, Oats, Barley and Wheat, with which they use to supply the defects of Scotland.

The chief Towns are Balacuri and Russin, or Castle-Town, the Seat of a Bishop.

— A Geographical Description of the World by George Meriton (1634-1711), written: 1671