438 THE aUIGRICH. 



the papers lost." Mr. Dewar, however, retains in his possession a 

 copy of the royal investment granted to Malice Doire, one of his 

 ancestors, hy James III. in 1487, in confirmation of more ancient 

 royal deeds by Robert the Bruce ; and registered by the Lords of 

 Council and Session, at Edinburgh, in 1734. In this royal invest- 

 ment, — endorsed on the back of the old copy in Mr. Dewar' s posses- 

 sion : " Charter of King James anent possessing the Relic of St. 

 Phillan, in favor of Mahce Deore, 1488,"*— it is set forth that "For 

 as mekle as we have understand that oure servitoure Malice Doire and 

 his forbearis has had an Relick of St. Filane, callit the Quegrich, in 

 keeping of us and oure progenitors of maist nobill mynde, quham 

 G*^ assoleze, sen the tyme of King Robert the Bruys and of before, 

 and made nane obedience nor answere to na persoun spirals nor tem- 

 porale in ony thing concerning the said haly Relick utherwayis y^ is 

 qteind in the auld infeftment thereof made and [grantit be oure 

 said progenitouris. "We charge you herefore] and commandis that in 

 tyme to come ye and ilk ane of you reddy answere intend and do 

 obey to the said Malice Doire in the peciable brooking and joising of 

 the said Relick, and z* ye nain of you tak upon hand to compell nor 

 distreze him to male obedience nor answere to you nor till ony either 

 bot alanerly to us and our successoures, according to the said infeft- 

 ment and foundation of the said Relick. . . . And that ye mak 

 him nane impediment, letting, nor distroubance in the passing with 

 the said Relick throw the Countre, as he and his forebearis was a 

 wont to cIo."f 



The virtues ascribed to the Crozier of St. Fillan, in his native dis- 

 trict, were of a most varied description. It was regarded as an 

 effectual cure for fever, by administering, or sprinkling with water in 

 which it had been dipped ; and was no less infallible in cases of 

 scofula, or the King's evil, by being rubbed on the affected parts. It 

 was serviceable also as a charm for the discovery and restoration of 

 stolen cattle ; and generally in all cases of disease of such. On this 

 point Mr. Dewar replies to my queries : " It is quite true that the 

 relic was looked on as a charm, but since it came into my possession 



* On the endorsemeut the date is given in Arabic numerals, 1488 ; in the deed itself it is 

 " MCCCCLXxxvii, and of oure regne ye xxvii zere— sic subscribitur Jacobtis R." 



t The whole document is printed in the Archseologia Scotica, vol.iii- p. 290; but the copy- 

 in Mr. Dewar's possession, though old enough, differs sufficiently to indicate its being 

 another than that seen in 1782. The portion in brackets, which is a blank in the MS, 

 has been supplied from the printed copy, otherwise I have followed Mr. Dewar's MS. 



