on Good Friday, hallowed, with great
ceremony, certain rings the wearing of which was believed to prevent
the falling sickness. The custom originated from a ring, long
preserved in Westminster Abbey, which is reported to have been brought
to King Edward by persons from Jerusalem. The rings consecrated by the
sovereigns were called "cramp rings." Andrew Boorde, speaking of the
cramp, says, "The King's Majesty hath great help in this matter in
hallowing 'cramp rings' without money or petition."

Writing of Fladda Chuan, Martin writes: "There is a chapel in the
isle, dedicated to St. Columbus. It has an altar in the east end, and
therein a blue stone of a round form on it, which is always moist. It
is an ordinary custom, when any of the fishermen are detained in this
isle by contrary winds, to wash the blue stone with water, all round,
expecting thereby to procure a favourable wind. And so great is their
regard for this stone that people swear decisive oaths upon it."
Martin also says it was an ancient custom among the islanders to hang
a he-goat's skin to the boat's mast, in the hope of securing a
favourable wind.

There was a stone in Iona, over which, if a man stretched his arm
three times, he would never err in steering a vessel. In the island of
Bernera there was a stone in the form of a cross, near St. Mary's
Church, about five feet high, which the natives called the water
cross. The old inhabitants were in the practice of erecting it when
they wished rain, and of laying it flat on the ground when they
desired dry weather. Martin further mentions a green stone, about the
size of goose's egg, in the island of Arran, which possessed rare
virtue, and was consequently handed down to posterity for many ages.
By laying it on the side of a person troubled with pains in that part
of his body, the patient immediately recovered, unless doomed to die.
If the latter event were to happen, the stone removed of its own
accord from the side; but if the patient was to recover, it rested
where placed until the cure became complete. Disputed cases between
the islanders were settled by oath at this stone. It possessed another
virtue--causing powerful enemies to run away when it was thrown at
their front. The custody of this valuable relic long remained a
privilege of the Chattans.

In the Highlands of Scotland a large oval crystal--probably a
Cairngorm stone--was kept by the ancient priests by which to work
charms. Water poured upo