Topographical, statistical, and historical gazetteer of Scotland > Volume 2

208
LANARK.
from disease and danger. This ancient relic is a
small triangularly shaped stone, of what kind lapida-
ries are unable to determine, and is set in a silver
coin, which from the appearance of a cross upon it,
is supposed to be a shilling of Edward I. The way
of applying the remedy was by drawing the stone
once round and dipping it three times in a goblet
of water, of which the patient drank, or applied the
liquid to the wound. This process was known by
the phrase of three dips and a swell. This talisman
has been in the family of the Lockharts of Lee ever
since the days of Robert the Bruce, and according to
well-authenticated tradition it came into their pos-
session in the following manner: — Sir Simon Locard
of Lee accompanied the good Sir James Douglas in
his mission to deposit the heart of the Bruce in the
Holy Land ; and to defray his expenses, a deed still
in existence, dated 1323, shows that he borrowed a
sum of money from Sir William de Lindsay, prior of
Ayre, to whom he gave an annuity bond for £10
over his lands of Lee. From Sir Simon's services in
this mission, the name of Locard was changed to
Lock-heart or Lockhart, and the armorial bearings
of the family show a heart within a lock, and the
motto, Corda scrota pando. Although the good Sir
James Douglas was killed fighting with the infidels
in Spain, Sir Simon made his way to the Holy Land,
and in the course of his encounters there took pri-
soner a Saracen chief, for whose liberty a large sum
of money was offered by his lady. In counting out
the amount of the ransom-money, the lady dropped
this gem from amongst it, and evincing great eager-
ness to pick it up, the Scottish knight made inquiry
regarding it, and reluctantly these Were explained,
upon which Sir Simon declared that it must form
part of the ransom, otherwise the Saracen chief
would remain in his fetters. Her affection for her
husband being stronger than her regard for the talis-
man, the lady yielded it up, and it has ever since
remained the property of the Lockhart family. ' The
house of Lee used often to be resorted to by the
diseased to be healed by its virtues, and more than
once the Lee penny has been lent to individuals or
public bodies for the same purpose, but always for a
short period, and upon due security being given for
its safe return. In the reign of Charles I., when the
plague was raging in Newcastle, the corporation ob-
tained the loan of the Lee penny, and gave a bond of
£6,000 in security. Its effects seem to have been
extremely beneficial, for the corporation were dis-
posed to forfeit the bond, and retain the stone ; but
the laird of Lee would not agree to this appropria-
tion, and his penny was accordingly returned. On
another occasion, about the beginning of last century,
it was applied for by the husband of a Lady Baird of
Saughtonhill, near Edinburgh, and was exhibited in
her case with great efficacy. The lady had been
bitten by a rabid dog, and symptoms of hydrophobia
are said to have commenced before the magic stone
arrived; but by drinking the water in which it had
been dipped, and by bathing her in it, Lady Baird
was completely restored ! The coin, to which a
small silver chain is attached, is preserved in a gold
box, the gift of the Empress Maria Theresa to the
father of the celebrated Count Lockhart. The Lee
penny has been beautifully introduced by Sir Walter
Scott in his novel of ' The Talisman.' Up to a
very late period, the supposed virtues of this ancient
relic were occasionally called into requisition, espe-
cially by the peasantry, and its effects were often
those which have been ascribed to it; but it is now
well known that where a cure was performed the
patient was more indebted for it to his imagination
than to the Lee penny.*
• The using of the Lee penny was at one time the subject of
Lanark, a royal burgh, and capital of the par-
ish and of the upper ward of the county of the
same name, is beautifully situated upon a rising
slope of ground, about 300 feet above the level
of the Clyde, adjacent to the town, and about
650 feet above the level of the same river at Glas-
gow. It is situated in 55° 34' of N. latitude,
and 3° 5' of AV. longitude. It is nearly in the centre
of the Lowlands, being 25 miles distant from Glas-
gow, 31 from Edinburgh, 35 from Stirling, and 47
from Ayr. It is one of the most ancient burghs in
Scotland, and was in the days of our fathers a place
of much greater importance than at the present time,
as may be learned from the fact of which we are in-
formed by Buchanan, that, in 978, Kenneth II. held
a parliament or assembly at Lanark, which is the
first mentioned in history. At a very early date,
but when no record exists to tell, it was accorded
the importance of a royal town, and Malcolm IV.,
in granting a toft in Lanark, mentions it as in burgo
mio; and his successor, William, speaks of it in the
same terms. According to the best authority, how-
ever, Lanark was erected into a royal burgh as early
as the reign of Robert I., who, in the fourth year of
his reign, granted it a charter, which is confirmed by
the latest charter in favour of the burgh, granted by
Charles I. The burgh had obtained charters from
monarchs subsequent to Robert, containing special
privileges, and these are also confirmed in the char-
ter of Charles I. In the reign of David II., Lanark
had attained such importance that it was enacted by
a parliament held at Perth in 1348, that while the
burghs of Berwick and Roxburgh continued in the
possession of the English, the burghs of Lanark and
Linlithgow should be admitted in their place, as
members of the court of four burghs. The charter
of Charles I. is not now in existence, but the instru-
ment of sasine is among the records of the town.
From the precept of sasine the charter appears to
have conveyed or confirmed to the burgh large landed
property, which is particularly described. A consi-
derable portion ot this property is alienated, but a
large portion still remains. By the charter — besides
the usual privileges of a royal burgh in regard to
fairs and customs — there is granted a right of sheriff-
ship within the territory of the burgh. There is
also specially renewed a grant of Queen Alary made
to the royal burghs, and each of them, " Pro avxilio
suorum buryorum et sustentatione eorum ministrorum,
et pauperum," of the rents, altarages, and chapels
within the liberties of the burghs. Further, there
are granted to the provost, bailies, councillors, and
community of the burgh certain lands, gardens,
inquiry before the church-courts, and the following extract
from the minutes of the period miry be interesting : —
" Copy of an act of the Synode and Assembly apud Glas-
gow, the 25th of October, Synode session 2d.
" Quliilk daye amongest the reteries of the brethern of the
ministrieof Lanark, it was propondit to the Synode that Gawvn
Hiiinmiltoune of Rnploch had prefprit ane complaint before
thorn against Sir Thomas Lockhart of Lee, anent the supersti-
tious using- of ane stone, set in silvpr, for the curing of deseased
cattel, qulk the said Gawen affirmed could not be lawfullie used,
and that they had delerit to give any desisioune tlietiu till the
advise of the Asseioblie might be heard concerning the same.
The AsBemblie having inquerit of tile inauer of using therof,
and particularlie understood be examinatinune of the said laird
of Lie and otherwise, that the custom is olihe to cast the stone
in suine water, and give the deseasit cattel therof to drink, and
yt the same is done wt-oitt using onie wordes, such as charm-
ers use in their unlawful practisses— and considering that in
nature thpre are mouie tbinges sein to work strange effect, qrof
no humane witt can give a reason, it having pleasit God to
give unto stones and berbes a special virtues lor the healling of
moiiy infirmities in man and beast — and advises the brethern
to surcease thair process, as qr-in they pereeive no ground of
offence — and admonishes the said Laird ot Lie in the using of
the said stone, to tak held it be usit heir after \vt the lea*-t
scandall that possiblie may be — Extract out of the bookes of
the Assemblie holden at Ghsgnw. and subscribed by thair clerk
at thair command. — Mr. Robert Young, clerk to the Assemblie
at Glasgow.''