Ayrshire > Volume 1

ROBERT THE BRUCE 101
he issued another charter, " whereby," to quote the
abstract given in the " Charters of the Abbey of
Crossraguel," issued by the Ayrshire and Galloway
Archaeological Association (1886), " in view of divine
charity, and for the salvation of his soul, and the souls
of his ancestors and successors, he grants and confirms
to the religious men, the abbot and convent of
Crossraguel, all and sundry, the churches, lands, rents,
and possessions, which they had by the gifts, grants,
and infeftments of Duncan, Nigel, and Edward, Earls
of Carrick, and also of Sir Robert Bruce his father, and
Lady Marjory his mother, of venerated memory, and of
all other nobles and faithful in Christ, of his Kingdom ;
to be held in free, pure, and perpetual alms, freely,
quietly, purely, wholly, and honourably, with all their
freedoms, rights and easements, according to their
charter thereof, and as they were wont to enjoy the
same in the time of Alexander, of good memory,
illustrious King' of Scots, who last deceased ; charging
all justiciars, sheriffs, and other officers, to beware of
contravening the terms of this grant/1 "
The ancient burgh of Prestwick is proud, as it well
may be, to claim connection with the Bruce. According
to tradition, it was in recognition of the services rendered
to him in the field by a gallant band of Prestwick men,
that he bestowed upon the community the lands known
as " Freedoms." In later life the King suffered severely
from leprosy, or from some skin disease after the same
character, and he found great benefit from repairing to a
well in the parish, no doubt one of the old wells of healing
which were formerly in such high repute, and drinking
of its waters. In gratitude for the benefit he had received,
the King built and endowed an hospital, or lazar-house,
not far from the well, still known as the well of Kingcase;
and the remains of this establishment endure to this day.
The endowment came from the lands of Robertloan —
obviously a reminiscence of the monarch himself— and
from Spittalshiels in the neighbouring parish of St.
Ouivox, and its purpose was to support eight lepers,