Sigillum Abbatis de Londoris Sigillum Abbatis de Newbotill Sigillum Abbatis de Cupro Sigillum Prioris de Insula de Lochlevin Sigillum Gilberti de la Haya Constabularii Scocie Sigillum Roberti de Keth Mariscalli Scocie Sigillum Hugonis de Ros Sigillum Jacobi de Duglas Sigillum Johannis da Sancto Claro Sigillum Thome de Ros Sigillum Alexandri de Settone Sigillum Walteri Haliburtone Sigillum Davidis de Balfour Sigillum Duncani de Wallays Sigillum Thome de Dischingtone Sigillum Andree de Moravia Sigillum Archibaldi de Betun Sigillum Ranulphi de Lyill Sigillum Malcomi de Balfour Sigillum Normanni de Lesley Sigillum Nigelli de Campo bello Sigillum Morni de Musco Campo Note 25. Stanza xxxv. Nor for De Argentine alone, Through Ninian's church these torches shone, The remarkable circumstances attending the death of De Argentine have been already noticed (p. 321). Besides this renowned warrior, there fell many representatives of the noblest houses in England, which never sustained a more bloody and disastrous defeat. Barbour says that two hundred pairs of gilded spurs were taken from the field of battle; and that some were left the author can bear witness, who has in his possession a curious antique spur, dug up in the morass not long since. edition of the Bruce was published by Mr Pinkerton, in 3 vols., in 1790; and the learned editor having had no personal access to consult the manuscript, it is not without errors; and it has besides become scarce. Of Wallace there is no tolerable edition: yet these two poems do no small honour to the early state of Scottish poetry, and the Bruce is justly regarded as containing authentic historical facts.1 The following list of the slain at Bannockburn, extracted from the continuator of Trivet's Annals, will show the extent of the national calamity. Barons and Baronets. Henry de Boun, Earl of Hereford, Lord John Giffard, Robert de Maulee, Henry Fitz-Hugh, Andrew de Abremhyn, Giles de Beauchamp, Roger Corbet, Gilbert de Boun, Bartholomew de Enefeld, Thomas de Ferrers, Radulph and Thomas Bot tetort, John and Nicolas de Kingstone (brothers), Henry de Wileton, Thomas and Odo Lele Robert Beaupel (the son), John Mautravers (the son), William and William Giffard, And thirty-four other knights not named by the historian. ber of earls, barons, and bannerets made captive, was tivity ever since the year 1306. The Targia, or signet, Such were the immediate consequences of the field of Bannockburn. Its more remote effects, in completely establishing the national independence of Scot Thomas the Rhymer. IN THREE PARTS. PART I. that, down to a very late period, the practice of distin guishing the parties, even in formal writings, by the epithets which had been bestowed on them from personal circumstances, instead of the proper surnames of FEW personages are so renowned in tradition as Tho- their families, was common, and indeed necessary, mas of Ercildoun, known by the appellation of The among the Border clans. So early as the end of the Rhymer. Uniting, or supposed to unite, in his person, thirteenth century, when surnames were hardly introthe powers of poetical composition, and of vaticina- duced in Scotland, this custom must have been unition, his memory, even after the lapse of five hundred versal. There is, therefore, nothing inconsistent in years, is regarded with veneration by his countrymen. supposing our poet's name to have been actually LearTo give any thing like a certain history of this re-mont, although, in this charter, he is distinguished by markable man would be indeed difficult; but the cu- the popular appellation of The Rhymer. rious may derive some satisfaction from the particulars here brought together. We are better able to ascertain the period at which Thomas of Ercildoun lived; being the latter end of the little farther back than Mr Pinkerton, who supposes that he was alive in 1300 (List of Scottish Poets); which is hardly, I think, consistent with the charter already quoted, by which his son, in 1299, for himself and his heirs, conveys to the convent of the Trinity of Soltre, the tenement which he possessed by inheritance (hereditarie) in Ercildoun, with all claim which he, or It is agreed, on all hands, that the residence and pro-thirteenth century. I am inclined to place his death a bably the birth-place of this ancient bard was Ercildoun, a village situated upon the Leader, two miles above its junction with the Tweed. The ruins of an ancient tower are still pointed out as the Rhymer's castle. The uniform tradition bears, that his surname was Lermont, or Learmont; and that the appellation of The Rhymer was conferred on him in consequence of his poetical compositions. There remains, never-his predecessors, could pretend thereto. From this we theless, some doubt upon this subject. In a charter may infer, that the Rhymer was now dead; since we which is subjoined at length, the son of our poet de- find his son disposing of the family property. Still, signs himself « Thomas of Ercildoun, son and heir of however, the argument of the learned historian will reThomas Rymour of Ercildoun,»> which seems to imply, main unimpeached, as to the time of the poet's birth. that the father did not bear the hereditary name of For if, as we learn from Barbour, his prophecies were Learmont; or, at least, was better known and distin-held in reputation as early as 1306, when Bruce slew guished by the epithet which he had acquired by his personal accomplishments. I must, however, remark, From the Chartulary of the Trinity House of Soltre, Advocates' ERSYLTON. Omnibus has literas visuris vel audituris Thomas de Ercildoun filius et heres Thoma Rymour de Ercildoun salutem in Domino. Noveritis me per fustem et baculum in pleno judicio resignasse ac per presentes quietem clamasse pro me et heredibus meis Magistro domus Sanctæ Trinitatis de Soltre et fratribus ejusdem domus totam terram meam cum omnibus pertinentibus suis quam in tenemento de Ercildoun hereditarie tenui renunciando de toto pro me et heredibus meis omni jure et clameo que ego seu antecessores mei în eadem terra alioque tempore de perpetuo habuimus sive de futuro habere possumus. In cujus rei testimonio presentibus his sigillum meum apposui data apud Ercildoun die Martis proximo post festum Sanctorum Apostolorum Symonis et Jude Anno Domini Millesimo cc. Nonagesimo Nono. the Red Cummin, the sanctity, and (let me add to Mr Pinkerton's words) the uncertainty of antiquity, must have already involved his character and writings. In a charter of Peter de Haga de Bemersyde, which unfortunately wants a date, the Rhymer, a near neighbour, and, if we may trust tradition, a friend of the family, appears as a witness.-Chartulary of Melrose. It cannot be doubted, that Thomas of Ercildoun was a remarkable and important person in his own time, since, very shortly after his death, we find him celebrated as a prophet, and as a poet. Whether he himself made any pretensions to the first of those charac The lines alluded to are these: I hope that Tomas's prophesie, ters, or whether it was gratuitously conferred upon him by the credulity of posterity, it seems difficult to decide. If we may believe Mackenzie, Learmont only versified the prophecies delivered by Eliza, an inspired nun, of a convent at Haddington. But of this there seems not to be the most distant proof. On the contrary, all ancient authors, who quote the Rhymer's prophecies, uniformly suppose them to have been emitted by himself. Thus, in Winton's Chronicle, Of this fycht quilum spak Thomas Book VIII, chap. 32. There could have been no ferly (marvel), in Winton's eyes at least, how Thomas came by his knowledge of future events, had he ever heard of the inspired nun of Haddington; which, it cannot be doubted, would have been a solution of the mystery, much to the taste of the prior of Lochlevin, Whatever doubts, however, the learned might have, as to the source of the Rhymer's prophetic skill, the vulgar had no hesitation to ascribe the whole to the intercourse between the bard and the queen of Faery. The popular tale bears, that Thomas was carried off, at an early age, to the Fairy Land, where he acquired all the knowledge which made him afterwards so famous. After seven years' residence he was permitted to return to the earth, to enlighten and astonish his countrymen by his prophetic powers; still, however, remaining bound to return to his royal mistress, when she should intimate her pleasure. Accordingly, while Thomas was making merry with his friends in the tower of Ercildoun, a person came running in, and told, with marks of fear and astonishment, that a hart and hind had left the neighbouring forest, and were composedly and slowly parading the street of the village. The prophet instantly arose, left his habitation, and followed the wonderful animals to the forest, whence he was never seen to return. According to the popular belief, he still « drees his weird » in Fairy Land, and is expected one day to revisit earth. In the mean while, his memory is held in the most profound respect. The Eildon Tree, from beneath the shade of which he delivered his prophecies, now no longer exists; but the spot is marked by a large stone, called Eildon Tree Stone. A neighbouring rivulet takes the name of the Bogle Burn (Goblin Brook), from the Henry, the minstrel, who introduces Thomas into the history of Wallace, expresses the same doubt as to the source of his prophetic knowledge. Thomas Rhymer into the faile was than With the minister, which was a worthy man. He used oft to that religious place; And so he told, though that they bless or ban, See a Dissertation on Fairies, prefixed to the ballad of TAMLANE, Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, vol. ii, p. 237. There is a singular resemblance betwixt this tradition and an incident occurring in the life of Merlin Caledonius, which the reader will find a few pages onward. Rhymer's supernatural visitants. The veneration paid to his dwelling-place even attached itself in some de gree to a person, who, within the memory of man, chose to set up his residence in the ruins of Learmont's tower. The name of this man was Murray, a kind of herbalist; who, by dint of some knowledge in simples, the possession of a musical clock, an electrical machine, and a stuffed alligator, added to a supposed communication with Thomas the Rhymer, lived for many years in very good credit as a wizard. It seemed to the author unpardonable to dismiss a person, so important in Border tradition as the Rhymer, without some farther notice than a simple commentary upon the following ballad. It is given from a copy, obtained from a lady, residing not far from Ercildoun, corrected and enlarged by one in Mrs Brown's MSS. The former copy, however, as might be expected, is far more minute as to local description.' To this old tale the author has ventured to add a Second Part, consisting of a kind of Cento, from the printed prophecies vulgarly ascribed to the Rhymer; and a Third Part, entirely modern, founded upon the tradition of his having returned with the hart and hind to the Land of Faerie. To make his peace with the more severe antiquaries, the author has prefixed to the Second Part some remarks on Learmont's phecies. PART I.-ANCIENT. TRUE Thomas lay on Huntlie bank; Her shirt was o' the grass-green silk, Her mantle o' the velvet fyne; At ilka tett of her horse's mane, Hang fifty siller bells and nine. True Thomas he pulled aff his cap, And louted low down to his knee, « All hail, thou mighty queen of heaven! For thy peer on earth I never did see.» « O no, O no, Thomas,» she said; <<That name does not belang to me; I am but the queen of fair Elfland, That am hither come to visit thee. «Harp and carp, Thomas,» she said; «Harp and carp along with me; And if ye dare to kiss my lips, Sure of your body I will be. >> «Betide me weal, betide me woe, That weird shall never danton me.»> Syne he has kiss'd her rosy lips, All underneath the Eildon Tree. pro 1 The author has been since informed, by a most eminent antiquary, that there is in existence a MS. copy of this ballad, of very considerable antiquity, of which he hopes to avail himself on some future occasion. That weird, etc.-That destiny shall never frighten me. He has gotten a coat of the even cloth, And a pair of shoes of velvet green; And, till seven years were gane and past, True Thomas on earth was never seen. PART II. THE prophecies, ascribed to Thomas of Ereildoun, have been the principal means of securing to him remembrance « amongst the sons of his people.» The author of Sir Tristrem would long ago have joined, in the vale of oblivion, «Clerk of Tranent, who wrote the adventures of Schir Gawain,» if, by good hap, the same current of ideas respecting antiquity, which causes Virgil to be regarded as a magician by the Lazzaroni of Naples, had not exalted the bard of Ercildoun to the prophetic character. Perhaps, indeed, he himself affected it during his life. We know at least, for certain, that a belief in his supernatural knowledge was current soon after his death. His prophecies are alluded to by Barbour, by Wintoun, and by Henry the Minstrel, or Blind Harry, as he is usually termed. None of these authors, however, give the words of any of the Rhymer's vaticinations, but merely relate historically his having predicted the events of which they speak. The earliest of the prophecies ascribed to him, which is now extant, is quoted by Mr Pinkerton from a MS. It is supposed to be a response from Thomas of Ercildoun, to a question from the heroic Countess of March, renowned for the defence of the castle of Dunbar, against the English, and termed, in the familiar dialect of her time, Black Agnes of Dunbar. This prophecy is remarkable, in so far as it bears very little resemblance to any verses published in the printed copy of the Rhymer's supposed prophecies. The verses are as follows: La Countesse de Donbar demande à Thomas de Essedoune quant la guerre d'Escoce prendreit fyn. Eyl la repoundy et dyt: When man is mad a kyng of a capped man; when mon makes stabels of kyrkes; and steles castels with styes; when Rokesboroughe nys no burgh ant market is at Forwyleye: When Bambourne is donged with dede men ; When men ledes men in ropes to buyen and to sellen; When a quarter of whaty whete is channged for a colt of ten markes; When prude (pride) prikes and pees is leyd in prisoun; When a Scot ne me hym hude ase hare in forme that the English with great diffidence that I hazard a contrary opinion. There can, however, I believe, be little doubt, that these prophetic verses are a forgery, and not the production of our Thomas the Rhymer. But I am inclined to believe them of a later date than the reign of Edward I. or II. Spottiswoode, an honest, but credulous historian, seems to have been a firm believer in the authenticity of the prophetic wares, vended in the name of Thomas of Ercildoun. << The prophecies, yet extant in Scottish rhymes, whereupon he was commonly called Thomas the Rhymer, may justly be admired; having foretold, so many ages before, the union of England and Scotland in the ninth degree of the Bruce's blood, with the succession of Bruce himself to the crown, being yet a child, and other divers particulars, which the event hath ratified and made good. Boethius, in his story, relateth his prediction of King Alexander's death, and that he did foretel the same to the Earl of March, the The gallant defence of the castle of Dunbar, by Black Agnes, took place in the year 1337. The Rhymer died previous to the year 1299 (see the charter, by his son, in the introduction to the foregoing ballad). It seems, therefore, very improbable, that the Countess of Dunbar could ever have an opportunity of consulting Thomas the Rhymer, since that would infer that she was married, or at least engaged in state matters, pre-day before it fell out; saying,' that before the next day vious to 1299; whereas, she is described as a young, or at noon, such a tempest should blow, as Scotland had a middle-aged woman, at the period of her being be- not felt for many years before.' The next morning, sieged in the fortress, which she so well defended. If the day being clear, and no change appearing in the the editor might indulge a conjecture, he would sup-air, the nobleman did challenge Thomas of his saying, pose, that the prophecy was contrived for the encou-calling him an impostor. He replied, that noon was not ragement of the English invaders, during the Scottish yet passed. About which time, a post came to adverwars; and that the names of the Countess of Dunbar,tise the earl of the king his sudden death. 'Then,' and of Thomas of Ercildoun, were used for the greater said Thomas, this is the tempest I foretold; and so credit of the forgery. According to this hypothesis, it shall it prove to Scotland. Whence, or how, he had seems likely to have been composed after the siege of this knowledge, can hardly be affirmed; but sure it is, Dunbar, which had made the name of the countess that he did divine and answer truly of many things to well-known, and consequently in the reign of Edward come.»-SPOTTISWOODE, p. 47. Besides that notable III. The whole tendency of the prophecy is to aver, voucher, Master Hector Boece, the good archbishop << that there shall be no end of the Scottish war (con- might, had he been so minded, have referred to Fordun cerning which the question was proposed), till a final for the prophecy of King Alexander's death. That hisconquest of the country by England, attended by all torian calls our bard « ruralis ille vates.»-FORDUN, lib. the usual severities of war. When the cultivated coun- x. cap. 40. try shall become forest-says the prophecy:-when the wild animals shall inhabit the abode of men;-when Scots shall not be able to escape the English, should they crouch as hares in their form»-all these denunciations seem to refer to the time of Edward III. upon whose victories the prediction was probably founded. The mention of the exchange betwixt a colt worth ten markes, and a quarter of «< whaty (indifferent) wheat,» seems to allude to the dreadful famine about the year 1388. The independence of Scotland was, however, as impregnable to the mines of superstition, as to the steel of our more powerful and more wealthy neigh-woode, bearing, that the crowns of England and Scotbours. The war of Scotland is, thank God, at an end; but it is ended without her people having either crouched like hares in their form, or being drowned in their flight<«<for faute of shep,»-thank God for that too. The prophecy quoted in p. 350, is probably of the same date, and intended for the same purpose. A minute search of the records of the time would, probably, throw additional light upon the allusions contained in these ancient legends. Among various rhymes of prophetic import, which are at this day current amongst the people of Teviotdale, is one, supposed to be pronounced by Thomas the Rhymer, presaging the destruction of his habitation and family: The bare sall kittle (litter) on my hearth-stane, The first of these lines is obviously borrowed from What Spottiswoode calls « the prophecies extant in Scottish rhyme,» are the metrical predictions ascribed to the prophet of Ercildoun, which, with many other compositions of the same nature, bearing the names of Bede, Merlin, Gildas, and other approved soothsayers, are contained in one small volume, published by Andro Hart, at Edinburgh, 1615. The late excellent Lord Hailes made these compositions the subject of a dissertation, published in his Remarks on the History of Scotland. His attention is chiefly directed to the celebrated prophecy of our bard, mentioned by Bishop Spottis land should be united in the person of a king, son of a Of Bruce's left side shall spring out as a leafe, And shall be fleemed of faire Scotland, With hempen helteres and horse of tre. However it happen for to fall, The French quen shal bearre the sonne, Ane from the Bruce's blood shal come also, Yet shal there come a keene knight over the salt sea, |