"At Edinburgh, the 1st day of November, 1734, in presence of the lords of council and session, compeared Mr. John Lookup, advocat, as procurator for Malise Doire after designed, and gave in the letters of gift underwritten, desiring the same to be registrat in their lordships' books, as a probative writ; which desire the said lords found reasonable, and therefore they ordain the same to be done accordingly, conform to act of Parliament, made anent the registration of probative writs, in all points, whereof the tenor follows:

"James, be the grace of God, king of Scottis, to all and sindrie oure leigis and subditis spirituale and temporale, to whais knawledge thir oure letters sall come greeting: for as meikle as we haif understud that oure servitor, Malise Doire, and his forbears, hes had ane relic of Saint Filane, callit the Quigrich, in keping of us and of oure progenitouris of maist noble mynde, quham God assoilzie, sen the tyme of King Robert the Bruce, and of before, and made nane obedience nor answer to na persoun spirituale nor temporale, in ony thing concerning the said haly relic, uthirwayis than what is contenit in the auld infeftment thereof maid and grantit be oure said progenitouris. We charge you thairfore straitly, and commandis that in tyme to cum ye, and ilk ane of you, redily answer, intend, and obey to the said Malise Doire, in the peceable bruiking and joising of the said relick. And that ye, or nane of you, tak upon hand to compel nor distrenzie him to mak obedience nor answer to you, nor til ony uther bot allenarly to us and oure successouris, according to the said infeftment and fundatun of the said relick, and siclike as wes use

and wont in the tyme of oure said progenitouris of maist noble mynde of before. And that ye make him nane impediment, letting nor distroublance in the passing with the said relick thro the cuntrie, as he and his forbears was wont to do. And that ye, and ilk ane of you, in oure name and autorite, kepe him unthrallit, bot to remane in siclike freedom and liberty of the said relick, like as is contenit in the said infeftment, under all the hiest pain and charge, that ye, and ilk ane of you, may amit and inrin anent us in that pairt. Givin under oure privie seale at Edinburgh, the xi day of July, the yeir of God, im.iiii.lxxxvii yeiris, and of oure regn the xxvii yere. Sic subscribitur,

JAMES R.

"Litera pro Malisio Doire,
in Strathfinane."

The privy seal is appended to the principal.' It thus appears that from a period anterior to the reign of Robert Bruce this remarkable relic had been handed down from father to son, in the family of Malise Doire, for nearly five centuries; an extraordinary instance of uninterrupted possession and traditionary superstition.

I am informed by my much-respected and intelligent friend Mrs. Douglass Maclean Clephane, an enthusiastic antiquary in everything connected with Scottish history, that when in Strathfinane, in the year 1800, she saw the Quigrich. It was then in the possession of a very old Highland woman, who exhibited also the copy of the Royal Charter: by a pencil note on the letter to the Earl of Buchan, it appears that the owner of the relic afterwards emigrated to America, carrying the quigrich along with him.

III. BATTLE OF BANNOCKBURN.

To the enthusiast in Scottish history and antiquarian research, who wishes to spend a pleasant day in his favourite pursuits, I would recommend a walk over the field of Bannockburn, taking in his hand the admirable poem of Barbour,' and the English historian Hemingford. It is necessary, however, to warn him, that on reaching the toll at the Torwood, about a mile beyond the village of Larbert, he ought to turn to the left hand, leaving the main road, which would lead him to the modern village of Bannockburn, and ascend the hill through the Torwood, along the ancient road, which was undoubtedly the line of march pursued by Edward on his advance to the battle. He will thus traverse the Plean muir, by the back of the Plean hill, and passing a small line of houses, still called the camp, discern an elevated field on his left, situated on the property of Major Lowes. There tradition still points out the spot where Edward halted and encamped the night before the battle; and her voice, too often imaginative and uncertain, is here confirmed by the more solemn evidence of history; whilst it is pleasing to find that every countryman round can show where the royal tent was pitched, and the royal standard of England unfurled. The spot enjoys a commanding prospect. It is about two miles and a half or three miles from the New Park, where Bruce was encamped. On the right is the beautiful line of the Ochil hills; Stirling Castle, with a noble background of Highland hills, being seen to the north. A small red-tiled cot

tage, which overtops Bannockburn Wood, marks a spot still distinguished in the neighbourhood by the name of the Bloody Faulds, where such was the slaughter of the English in their flight, that the little burn or stream which is hard by, is said to have been choked by the dead bodies, and to have run red with blood for twenty-four hours. Beyond the Bloody Faulds, and to the north, is a spot denominated the Cat's Crag, where a stone still stands which is said to mark the position of another standard-probably that of the advance or vanguard of the English, under the command of the Earls of Gloucester and Hereford. Bruce's posi tion was completely defended from any attack in the direct line, by the rugged ravine in which the Bannock runs; but at Milton, or Beaton's Mill, is a narrow pass, where the enemy might cross, avoiding the ravine of the Bannock, and extending themselves on some firm ground which stretches to the left. I am persuaded they adopted this line of attack, as the nature of the ground left them no other alternative. In accomplishing it, however, their columns must have been crowded into a very small space, which probably occasioned the appearance mentioned in the text, vol. ii., pp. 39, 40. It is still reported in the traditions of the neighbourhood that the English came down by the old Torwood road, from their encampment on the Plean Muir; and this road runs down past Coalheugh farm to Pirnhall, and thence to Milton. Taking this line of walk, therefore, the reader will traverse very nearly the line of advance of the army of Edward against the strong position occupied by Bruce.

IV. DEATH OF THE GOOD SIR JAMES
DOUGLAS.*

It is to be wished that some Spanish antiquary would amuse himself by investigating the circumstances and locality of the death of this renowned warrior. The common Spanish historians, Mariana, Rodericus Santius, and Francis Tarapha, give us little information on the subject; but I have met with some passages in the Ancient Chronicle of Alfonso XI., ( Cronica del Rey Alfonso El Onceno,') published at Madrid in 1787, which throw a little light on the subject. We find from this source that Alfonso concluded a temporary truce with the Sultan of Granada, in 1330, and that soon after, in the course of the same year, this Mahometan prince passed over to Africa, and entered into a league with Alboacen, King of Marocco, who promised to assist him in his wars with Alfonso, and to send over his son with 6000 cavalry to Spain. The title of Alboacen, as we learn by a passage in the same chronicle, was El Rey Albohacen de Benamarin, and his son was named Abomelique. Now turning to p. 184 of the same chronicle, we find that when the two Saracen princes were making these arrangements in Africa, there arrived at the camp of Alfonso, in 1330, a body of French, German, Gascon, and English knights, who partook in the tournaments and festivities, and received from the king presents of horses and arms with which they justed. E el Rey,' says the Chronicle, mandaban les dar caballos et armas con que justasen.' We know * Vol. ii. pp. 206, 207.

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VOL. III.

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