“_Apud Glasgow, the 25 Octobr._
“_Synod. Sess. 2._
“Quhilk dye, amongest the referries of the brethren of the ministrie of
Lanerk, it was propondit to the Synode, that Gawen Hammiltonne of
Raplocke had preferit an complaint before them against Sir James Lockart
of Lie, anent the superstitious vsing of an stene set in selver for the
curing of diseased cattell, qlk, the said Gawen affirmit, coud not be
lawfully vsed, and that they had differit to give ony decisionne
therein, till the advice of the Assemblie might be had concerning the
same. The Assemblie having inquirit of the maner of vsing thereof, and
particularlie vnderstoode, by examinationne of the said Laird of Lie,
and otherwise, that the custome is onlie to cast the stene in sume
water, and give the diseasit cattil thereof to drink, and qt the sam is
dene wtout vsing onie words, such as charmers and sorcerers vse in their
unlawfull practisess; and considering that in nature they are mony
thinges seen to work strange effects, q^{r}of no humane witt can give a
reason, it having pleasit God to give vnto stones and herbes special
virtues for the healing of mony infirmities in man and beast,--advises
the brethren to surcease thir proces, as q’rin they perceive no ground
of offence; and admonishes the said Laird of Lie, in the vsing of the
said stone, to tak heed that it be vsit heirafter wt the least scandal
that possiblie maye bie.
“Extract out of the books of the Assemblie helden at Glasgow, and
subscribed be thair clerk, at thair comand.
“M. ROBERT YOUNG,
“_Clerk to the Assemblie at Glasgow_.”
When the plague was last at Newcastle, the inhabitants are said to have
sent for the Lee Penny, and given a bond for a large sum in trust for
the loan; and that they thought it did so much good, that they offered
to pay the money, and keep the Lee Penny, but the owner would not part
with it. A copy of this bond is alleged to have been among the family
papers, but supposed to have been spoiled, with many more, by rain
getting into the charter-room, during a long minority, and no family
residing at Lee.
A remarkable cure is alleged to have been performed about a century ago,
on a lady Baird, of Sauchtonhall, near Edinburgh, “who, having been bit
by a mad dog, was come the length of a hydrophobia; upon which, having
sent to beg the Lee Penny might be sent to her house, she used it for
some weeks, drinking and bathing in the water it was dipped in, and was
quite recovered.”[297]
Good reasons are assigned for rejecting the story of Locard having been
the bearer of the heart of Robert Bruce; and there are some ludicrous
instances of wonderful cures performed in the north of England on
credulous people, by virtue of water wherein the Lee Penny was reputed
to have been dipped, and yet neither the water nor the Lee Penny had
crossed the Tweed.
[297] Gentleman’s Magazine, Dec. 1787, from whence these particulars,
and the engraving of the Lee Penny, are derived. Further accounts of
it from correspondents will be acceptable.
* * * * *
_For the Table Book._