# Manx Primary Source Archive — Transcription

**Source image:** `20260218_132525.jpg`  
**Transcribed:** 2026-02-25 19:26  
**Method:** Automated (Claude Batch API — claude-opus-4-6)

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Chief Justice or a Bishop of England to sit and vote in the house of Commons
according to the System State and Government of this Isle– And this
Defendant doth deny that a Majority of the Keys signed a Judgment
against this Defendant–
......... And this Defendant doth also admit that he preferred a petition
of Dolsance and Complaint against the irregular Proceedings of him the said
prosecutor and of Richard Ambrose Stevenson his Nephew and Ward–
who though under Age & unable to Aliene or Incumber his own Lands
or Tenements yet signed the pretended Judgment of the Keys tending to
the Disherision of this Defendant And this Defendant hath taken all
proper Steps and fully purposes to prosecute the same– And this Defnd^t
also admits that he also to prevent the Laches of Law had likewise
preferred an Appeal from the said pretended Judgment and hath given
Bonds and taken all necessary Steps to prosecute the same to Effect.
............ And this Defendant again denying to have unjustly injured or
aspersed the said prosecutor in his Character or Credit further Answers and
admits that the said prosecutor John Taubman having delivered the said
Honourable Governors Commission for the Office of Deemster upon friday
the 7^th day of October 1763 this Defendant in Consequence thereof and in
Execution of his Office in the presence of the Receiver General and Deemster
Lace administered the Oath of Deemster to the said prosecutor who having
the same day sat in the said Character of Deemster at the Court of Common
Law at Douglas this Defendant entred his Name in the Slit of the said
Court as Deemster in the usual manner And on Saturday the 8^th day of
October aforesaid (as this Deft best recollects) drew a Line under the Name
of the said prosecutor John Taubman and wrote the word "preferred"
opposite thereto in the List or Roll of the Keys in the Liber Scaccarius
1763. in the usual form upon such Occasions And the Defendant looked
upon the Governors said Commission and the prosecutors Oath and Office
and precedents on Record to be his Direction and Warrant for so doing–