# Manx Primary Source Archive — Transcription

**Source image:** `20260219_143722.jpg`  
**Transcribed:** 2026-02-25 19:26  
**Method:** Automated (Claude Batch API — claude-opus-4-6)

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42

(who also themselves, and alone, constitute an
Appellate Court in that Island) to "deem the
law:" and on this occasion, one Deemster and
the Keys concurring, pronounce this Criminal
Court illegal, and incompetent to proceed. In
England, in cases of difference of opinion of
Judges in equal numbers, the right and the pos-
session of parties remain in statu quo.

In 1721 it appears that the venerable Bishop
Wilson and others, were convened before a Tri-
bunal constituted as this recent Court has been,
without the Keys. This his Lordship termed
emphatically, "a new and unheard-of Court,"
and required that the Keys should be called "to
deem the law." The Court proceeding not-
withstanding, and imposing fines on his Lordship
and some inferior ecclesiastics, they appealed to
His Majesty in Council. This appeal came to
a hearing in 1724; the sentence made by this
pretended Tribunal was reversed, and the fines
remitted.

Deficient as is the information of the Keys
with regard to the nature of the correspondence
on this subject between the Secretary of State
and their Governor, they have reason to believe
that by the latter the right of the Keys alone to
attend this Court is put in question; not that of
the Council. His Grace's reasons for objecting
in the one instance, and admitting in the other,