Thomas the Rhymer

“ I have dwelt at some length on the story of Thomas the Rhymer, as the oldest tradition of the kind which has reached us in detail, and as pretending to show the fate of the first Scottish poet, whose existence, and its date, are established both by history and records; and who, if we consider him as writing in the Anglo-Norman language, was certainly one among the earliest of its versifiers. But the legend is still more curious, from its being the first and most distinguished instance of a man alleged to have obtained supernatural knowledge by means of the fairies. ”

“ In 1804 he published, from the Auchinleck Manuscript in the Advocates' Library, the ancient metrical tale of "Sir Tristrem;" and, in an elaborate introduction, he endeavoured to prove that it was the composition of Thomas of Ercildoune, better known as Thomas the Rhymer. He published in 1805 "The Lay of the Last Minstrel," an original ballad poem, which, speedily attaining a wide circulation, procured for him an extensive reputation, and the substantial reward of £600.
The prosperity of the poet rose with his fame. ”

“ Brown," to whose admirable memory ballad-lovers are so deeply indebted. It is given in the Brown MS. as Thomas Rymer and Queen of Elfland; in the Campbell MS. as Thomas the Rhymer. Scott obtained his excellent version from "a lady residing not far from Ercildoune." This Thomas the Rhymer, or True Thomas, or Thomas of Ercildoune, was a veritable personage, who dwelt in the village of Ercildoune situate by "Leader's silver tide" some two miles above its junction with the Tweed. Tradition has it that his date was the thirteenth century and his full name Thomas Learmont. ”

“ At this time, all the haill commons of Scotland that had rede or understanding were daily speaking and exponing of Thomas the Rhymer his prophecy, and of other prophecies whilk were prophecied in auld times; as namely it was prophecied in Henry the 8 days—Hempe is begun, God give it long to last; Frae Hempe begun, England may tak rest. To make it that it may be understood, H for Henry, E for England, M for Mary, P for Philip, king of Spain, that marryit with Queen Mary, and E for worthy good Queen Elizabeth: sae it is come that England may tak rest ”

“ It is also inaccurately quoted in the prophecy of Waldhave, published by Andro Hart, 1613:
"This is a true talking that Thomas of tells,
The hare shall hirple on the hard (hearth) stane."
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 ”

“ On the contrary, all ancient authors, who quote the Rhymer's prophecies, uniformly suppose them to have been emitted by himself.
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 ”

“ The first of his prophecies ever taken to be faithfully observed was, That there should be a storm on a certain day, that would surprise all Scotland. Now, some gentlemen being with him that day, they began to jok him, and said Sir Thomas, you are now mistaken, and we shall stay and see your mistake, as we have heard so much of your prophecies. He told them to stay an hour longer, aud they would see and believe. ”

“ Upon receiving the news, Sir Thomas told them that this was the storm, and it would give rise to greater commotions in Scotland.
After the death of Queen Margaret, the King married Isabel, daughter to the Earl of Driux; and Sir Thomas told within a few months of an earthquake at Kinghorn, that would make Scotland tremble. An express accordingly came to Cryle to Sir Thomas, that the King had fallen from his horse at Kinghorn, and broke his neck. After the death of Alexander, he left no heirs except a grandchild, Margaret, daughter of the King of Norway, who also soon died ”

“ Few personages are so renowned in tradition as Thomas of Ercildoune, known by the appellation of The Rhymer. Uniting, or supposing to unite, in his person, the powers of poetical composition and of vaticination, his memory, even after the lapse of five hundred years, is regarded with veneration by his countrymen. To give anything like a certain history of this remarkable man would be indeed difficult ”

“ True Thomas he pulld aff his cap,
⁠And louted low down on his knee:
"Hail to thee, Mary, Queen of Heaven!
⁠For thy peer on earth could never be."
"O no, O no, Thomas," she says,
⁠"That name does not belong to me ”

“ John says, As I'm a Christian man,
Who never likes to curse nor ban,
Nor steal, nor lie, nor drink, nor whore,
I'll never gang within its door,
But sit by the fire-side a' night,
An' gang awa whene'er 'tis light. ”

“ The Youngster' sartless heart o'erflows with joy.
But dash'd and bashful scarce can well behave.
The Mother, with a woman's wiles can spy,
What makes the Youth so bashful and so grave,
Well-pleas'd to think her Child such suitor's like to have. ”

“ For stoutest hearts have aft been shy
To venture in within the room
After the night begins to gloom;
For in it they can ne’er get rest,
’Tis haunted by a frightful ghaist!
Ourselves are terrified a’ night ”

“ Lately a lamb of rich increase,
⁠A nation stout and true,
⁠Has lost their former dear estate,
⁠Which they did hold of due.
6 By hard conflict, and by the chance
⁠Of noble fortune’s force,
⁠Thy hap and thy prosperity
⁠May turn into worse.
7 Tho’ wont to won, may be subdued,
⁠And come in under yoke;
⁠Strangers may reign, and you destroy. ”

“ I am sorry it was your fate to receive it from me, my conscience would not suffer me to act otherwise-behave better for the future, and instead of blaming, pity my being reduced to so cruel a necessity. ”

“ And come in under yoke;
Strangers may reign, and you destroy,
What likes him by sword's stroke.
8A foreign foe; whom neither thy force
Nor manners do approve,
Woe is to thee, by guile and slight,
Will only win above. ”

“ The mother with her needle and her shears,
Makes old clothes look almost as well as new,
The Father mixes all with admonition due.
Their Master's and their Mistress's command,
The Youngers all are warned to obey ”

“ Edward II. of England kept up the same claim upon Scotland, which his father had begun; and after several unsuccessful attempts to establish it, he resolved to make a great effort and with one blow reduce that turbulent nation, which had put so many signal affronts upon his father and himself. ”

“ Guid faith, says John, I’m thinking sae;
Better in the neuk to sit,
Than fly’d, guid keep’s, out o’ our wit;
Preserve us ever frae all evil,
I widna like to see the devil:
Whisht gowk, quo’ Thrummy, haud your peace,
That sanna gar me quit this place:
To great nor sma’ I ne’er did ill,
No ghaist, nor deil my sert shall spill. ”

“ There is plainly pointed out, that in his time, a great battle should be seen in Fife.
Where saddled horses should be seen,
Ty’d unto the trees green.
Not only in Fife, but the four chief rivers of the realm, there should be a battle on each of them, that should make the rivers run with blood, iz. Tweed, Clyde, Forth, and Tay.
Last of all, a bloody desperate battle in Nor- humberland, on the river Tyne. Also great avock and slaughter about the broad walls of Berwick. All these things are yet to come to ass; and when the first appears, the rest will soon follow after. ”

“ An English Knight named Bohun, who was ranked among the bravest in Edward's army, came galloping furiously up to him, in order to engage with him in single combat, expecting by so eminent an act of chivalry, at once to put an end to the contest and gain immortal renown to himself; but the enterprising champion having missed his blow, was immediately struck dead with the battle axe which the King carried in his hand. This was a sort of signal for the charge. So bold an attack upon their King, filled the Scots with sentiments of revenge ”

“ All this was executed upon the spot; after which, the Naib, leaping from his horse, threw himself at his feet, and watering them with his tears, addressed him thus:—'Father, I have discharged my duty to my God, my sovereign, my country, and my station; permit me now, by my respect and submission, to acquit the debt I owe a parent. Justice is blind, it is the power of God on earth; it has no regard to father or son—God, and our neighbour's right, are above the ties of nature. ”

“ Th' expectant young ones tottering stagger thro'
To meet their Dad with prattling noise and glee
His little wood-fire sparkling cheerfully,
His clean hearth-stone, his thrifty wife's glad smile,
The lisping infant prattling on his knee,
Does all his weary anxious cares beguile,
And makes him quite forget his labour and his toil.
The elder children soon come dropping in,
At service out, among the farmers round ”

“ As to his prophetical sayings, they are hard to be understood, because they are pointed out by the Coats of Arms which appertain to so many different kingdoms and persons. Yet we may observe how he has pointed out plainly, many things which have come to pass in our days ”

“ The Scots pursued; and great was the slaughter among the enemy, especially in passing the river, where they could keep no order, because of the irregularity of the ground. King Edward himself escaped with much difficulty being closely pursued above-forty miles, by Sir James Douglas, with a party of light horse, He was upon the point of being taken prisoner when he was received into the Castle of Dunbar by the Earl of March, who conveyed him to England, by sea, in a fisher's boat; his immense army being entirely discomfited. The Scots lost only four thousand men ”

“ Are we to starve in Christian land?
As lang's my stick bides in my hand,
An' silver plenty in my pouch,
To nane about your house I'll crouch;
Landlord, you needna be sae rude,
For faith we'll make our quarters good. ”

“ Some are of opinion, that it was by taking away the power or superiority from the chiefs of the Highland clans, so that they cannot raise men in such a short time as formerly.
These are a few observations on things already come to pass; and as to what is yet to come, there is some remark will yet happen, when the time draws nigh; such as, “When Tarbet’s craigs are tumbled into the sea. And the next season or summer thereafter, great sorrow and bloodshed happen to this realm, the chief thereof especially, such as harling on sleds, and chopping off heads.” ”

“ A Grocer of the city of Smyrna had a son who, with the help of the little learning the country could afford, rose to the post of Naib, or deputy to the Cady, or mayor of the city, and as such visited the markets, and inspected the weights and measures of all retail dealers. One day, while going his rounds, his father was advised by the neighbours to remove his weights, which they knew to be deficient. ”