ad only one arm and an iron hook; another
had only one arm and one eye; a third had only one leg and a stump; the
fourth was covered with scars from the iron of the chains of a slave
which he had worn twelve months at Barbadoes. Just about enough humanity
in the four to make one complete man. But with vigour enough, fire
enough, heart enough--I daren't say soul enough--in their dismembered
old trunks to make ten men apiece; born sea-rovers, true sons of Orry,
their blood half brine. Well, is it not conceivable that in those
earlier days of treasure seeking, when Elizabeth's English captains were
spoiling the Spaniard in the Indies, Manx sailors were also there?
If so, why might not Shakespeare, who must have ferreted out many a
stranger creature, have found in some London tavern an old Manx sea-dog,
who could tell him of the Manx Prospero, the Manx Caliban, and the Manx
Miranda?

But I have rambled on about my sailors; I must return to my Bishops.
They seem to have been a line of pious, humble, charitable, godly men
at the beginning. Irishmen, chiefly, living the lives of hermits
and saints. Apparently they were at first appointed by the people
themselves. Would it be interesting to know the grounds of selection?
One was selected for his sanctity, a natural qualification, but another
was chosen because he had a pleasant face, and a fine portly figure;
not bad qualifications, either. Thus things went on for about a hundred
years, and, for all we know, Celtic Bishops and Celtic people lived
together in their little island in peace, hearing nothing of the loud
religious hubbub that was disturbing Europe.

BISHOPS OF THE WELSH DYNASTY

Then came the rule of the Welsh kings, and, though we know but little
with certainty, we seem to realise that it brought great changes to the
religious' life of Man. The Church began to possess itself of lands: the
baronial territories of the island fell into the hands of the clergy;
the early Bishops became Barons. This gave the Church certain powers
of government. The Bishops became judges, and as judges they possessed
great power over the person of the subject. Sometimes they stood in the
highest place of all, being also Governor to the Welsh Kings. Then they
were called Sword-Bishops. Their power at such times, when the crosier
and sword were in the two hands of one man, must have been portentous,
and even terrible. We have no records that picture what came of that.
But it is not dif