John McCristyn, Deemster

Deemster John McCrystyn was born circa 1368 at Isle of Man.1 He died after 1422 at Altadale, Lezayre, Isle of Man.2

    He held the office of Deemster in 1408.3

    Owing to the disappearance of all early Manx records, this John McCrystyn is the earliest of whom a written record exists, when he is recorded in 1408 as a Deemster. An "indenture" is to be seen at the British Museum, signed by him as "John McCrystyn, Justiciarius Insulae". [TAB]From the earliest records extant, the Christians held the Office of Deemster, an office of the greatest dignity and authority. In the ancient court rolls, the deemsters were styled "Justiciarii Domini Regis". They were not only the chief judges, but were also the Lord's Privy Councillors, and their influence over the people resembled the civil authority of the ancient Druids. They alone knew, and were guardians of the unwritten laws, which only on important occasions were verbally divulged to the people. The Deemstership was hereditary in the Christian family, either by some decree of which all knowledge is lost, or because it was convenient for a son, as soon as old enough, to attend his father, the Deemster, at Courts, acting as his amanuensis and assistant, in order to be initiated into the duties, to learn the unwritten laws and customs, and to prepare himself for the serious and important oiffice. Notes from a Christian family genealogical table prepared in the early 1900s

The family name had many spellings which, for ease of continuity and understanding, have been standardised as McCrystyn.2 Child of Deemster John McCrystyn

   Deemster William McCrystyn+1 d. 1448

Citations

   [S35] Peter Townend, editor, Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry, 18th edition, 3 volumes (London, England: Burke's Peerage Ltd, 1965-1972), volume 2, page 96. Hereinafter cited as Burke's Landed Gentry, 18th ed.

   [S125] Richard Glanville-Brown, online <e-mail address>, Richard Glanville-Brown (RR 2, Milton, Ontario, Canada), downloaded 17 August 2005.

   [S64] Glynn Christian, Fragile Paradise: The discovery of Fletcher Christian, Bounty mutineer, 2nd ed. (U.S.A.: Bounty Books, 2005), page xiv-xv. Hereinafter cited as Fragile Paradise.