moss-troopers; wherein, among many other conjuring feats, was prescribed, a certain remedy for an ague, by applying a few barbarous characters to the body of the party distempered.  These, methought, were very near a-kin to Wormius’s Ram Runer, which, he says, differed wholly in figure and shape from the common runae.  For, though he tells us, that these Ram Runer were so called, Eo quod molestias, dolores, morbosque hisce infligere inimicis soliti sunt magi; yet his great friend, Arng.  Jonas, more to our purpose, says, that—­His etiam usi sunt ad benefaciendum, juvandum, medicandum tam animi quam corporis morbis; atque ad ipsos cacodaemones pellendos et fugandos.  I shall not trouble you with a draught of this spell, because I have not yet had an opportunity of learning whether it may not be an ordinary one, and to be met with, among others of the same nature, in Paracelsus, or Cornelius Agrippa.”—­Letter from Bishop Nicolson to Mr. Walker; vide Camden’s Britannia, Cumberland.  Even in the editor’s younger days, he can remember the currency of certain spells, for curing sprains, burns, or dislocations, to which popular credulity ascribed unfailing efficacy[50].  Charms, however, against spiritual enemies, were yet more common than those intended to cure corporeal complaints.  This is not surprising, as a fantastic remedy well suited an imaginary disease.

[Footnote 48:  This small church is founded upon a little hill of sand, in which no stone of the size of an egg is said to have been found, although the neighbouring soil is sharp and gravelly.  Tradition accounts for this, by informing us, that the foundresses were two sisters, upon whose account much blood had been spilt in that spot; and that the penance, imposed on the fair causers of the slaughter, was an order from the pope to sift the sand of the hill, upon which their church was to be erected.  This story may, perhaps, have some foundation; for, in the church-yard was discovered a single grave, containing no fewer than fifty skulls, most of which bore the marks of having been cleft by violence.]

[Footnote 49:  An epithet bestowed upon the borderers, from the names of their various districts; as Tiviotdale, Liddesdale, Eskdale, Ewsdale, Annandale, &c.  Hence, an old ballad distinguishes the north as the country,

  “Where every river gives name to a dale,”

Ex-ale-tation of Ale.]

[Footnote 50:  Among these may be reckoned the supposed influence of Irish earth, in curing the poison of adders, or other venomous reptiles.—­This virtue is extended by popular credulity to the natives, and even to the animals, of Hibernia.  A gentleman, bitten by some reptile, so as to occasion a great swelling, seriously assured the editor, that he ascribed his cure to putting the affected finger into the mouth of an Irish mare!]