Transactions. 57 



through his maternal grandmother, the daughter of the Earl 

 of Huntingdon, and wife of Alan, lord of Galloway. 



The daughter, who was named Marjory, was married to 

 John Comyn, lord of Badenoch, and her son was murdered 

 by Bruce in the church of the Franciscan Monastery in 

 Dumfries, an edifice that owed its erection to the piety of 

 his grandmother. 



How Quackery was Treated in Dumfries in 1739. By 

 William R. M'Diarmid, Dumfries. 



At a meeting of the Dumfries Town Council on the 8th of 

 October 1739, a complaint ^vas produced from Elizabeth 

 Moffat, Indweller in the Burgh, against Nicholas Holding, 

 residenter there, representing that she having applied to him 

 to cure her arm and that by his mismanagement the same 

 was spoiled and which obliged her to apply to Surgeons to 

 get the same cut off; which they having done upon Saturday 

 last and therefore craved that he might be brought before 

 the Council to answer to this complaint. The Magistrates 

 and Council having sent for the said Nicholas Holding and 

 examined him and the surgeons employed by the said Eliza- 

 beth Moffat, it appears that by the said Nicholas his mis- 

 management and taking upon him to practise surgery though 

 he never had education for that business and that he had no 

 credentials to show of his good behaviour or having served 

 any apprenticeship ; That the said Elizabeth Moffat is not 

 yet out of danger. Therefore the Magistrates and Council 

 unanimously ordain the said Nicholas Holding to be impri- 

 soned in the Tolbooth of this burgh until he find sufficient 

 caution Judicio Sisti et Jus Judicatum solvi and appoint 

 Mr Ebenezer Gilchrist, Physician, in this Burgh, Joseph and 

 William Johnstons and Thomas Morrison, Surgeons, in the 

 said Burgh or any two of them to examine and take trial of 

 the said Nicholas Holding his ability and qualifications for 



