Up to the time of the Revestment the Tynwald court passed laws concerning the government of the island in all respects and had control over its finances, subject to the approval of the lord. After the Revestment, Imperial Parliament legislated with re spect to customs, harbours and merchant shipping, and, in meas ures of a general character, it occasionally inserted clauses by which penalties in contravention of the acts of which they formed part might be enforced in the island. It also assumed the con trol of the customs duties. Such were the changes which modi fied the Constitution of the Isle of Man. Its ancient laws and tenures were not interfered with. The hereditary lords were far from being model rulers, but most of them had taken some per sonal share in its government, and had interested themselves in the well-being of its inhabitants. But now officials who regarded the island as a pestilent nest of smugglers, from which it was their duty to extract as much revenue as possible, were in charge. Between 1793 and 1826, the 4th Duke of Atholl, as governor, im proved matters. After his departure the English officials resumed their sway, but were more considerate than before. Since smuggling had by that time almost disappeared, and the Manx revenue was producing a large surplus, the Isle of Man came to be regarded more favourably, and it obtained a less stringent customs tariff and an occasional dole towards erecting its much neglected public works. Since 1866, when they obtained at least a nominal "Home Rule," the Manx people have flourished greatly.
There has been much controversy about the origin of the arms of the island—the "three-legs" found on a beautiful pillar cross near Maughhold churchyard belonging to the latter part of the 14th century. It was probably originally a sun symbol and was brought from Sicily by the Vikings. The motto quocum que jeceris stabit is of comparatively recent origin.
The Christianity of Early Irish associations seems to have suffered beneath the Scandinavian power, though a Chris tianity with both Irish and Scandinavian affinities reasserts itself in the I 1 th century. The two most important events in the his tory of the mediaeval Manx Church were the formation of the diocese of Sodor (q.v.) and the foundation of the abbey of Rushen, a branch of the Cistercian abbey of Furness, in
From this time till the Reformation there was an almost con tinuous struggle between the laity and the spiritual barons and monks, who had obtained great power and much property in the island. In 1458 the diocese was placed under York. The dissolu tion of the religious houses in Man was brought about by the arbitrary action of Henry VIII., and the Reformation was a very slow process. Successful missions by John Wesley and others resulted in the establishment of Nonconformity. In 1878 a Sodor
and Man theological school was established for the training of candidates for holy orders. In 188o four rural deaneries were established, and commissioners were constituted as trustees of en dowments for Church purposes. In 1895 a cathedral chapter, with four canons, was constituted under the name of the "Dean and Chapter of Man," the bishop being the dean of the cathedral church. Several acts give Nonconformists (probably a majority) equal rights with Churchmen. There are a few Roman Catholics and Presbyterians. The position of the bishop in the House of Lords is not clear, and it appears that no bishop of Sodor and Man has sat in that house within about the last 200 years; some claim that, if he is among the 26 senior bishops, apart from those who have seats ex officio, he may sit but not vote. The Manx Church is a separate national Church governed by its own laws, which, however, must be approved by the insular Legislature.
In 1872, when the insular Legislature passed the Public Elementary Education Act, the Manx State undertook direct responsibility for education. Since the date of this act education has made extraordinary strides. It became free in 1892, and a higher-grade school was established in Douglas in
The public elementary schools, are managed by the Isle of Man Education authority. They are examined by English inspectors and compelled to attain the same standard of efficiency as the English and Welsh schools. In 1907 an act establishing a system of secondary education was passed by the Legislature. Besides King William's college, Castletown, a minor public school, opened in 1833, there are high schools in Douglas, and a grammar school at Ramsey. The Manx language (see CELTIC LANGUAGES) still lingers, but there is now no one who does not speak English.
This is vested in a lieutenant-governor, ap pointed by the Crown; in a council (the upper House) ; in the House of Keys (the lower House) ; and in the Tynwald court. The two Houses sit separately as legislative bodies, but they sit in the Tynwald court as distinct bodies with co-ordinate powers to transact executive business and to sign bills. The Tynwald court controls the revenue, and is subject to the supervision of the Treasury, and it appoints boards to manage the harbour, high ways, education, local government, agriculture and lunatic and poor asylums. The Imperial Government, after intimating its intention to Tynwald, fixes the rates of the customs duties, but Tynwald can by resolution "impose, abolish or vary" the cus toms duties, subject to the approval of parliament. The approval of the sovereign of the United Kingdom and of the lieutenant governor is essential to every legislative enactment.