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THOMAS RHYMER
B. `Thomas the Rhymer,' Campbell MSS, II, 83.
C. `Thomas the Rhymer,' Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, II, 251, 1802, "from a copy obtained from a lady residing not far from Erceldoune, corrected and enlarged by one in Mrs. Brown's MS."
Thomas of Erceldoune, otherwise Thomas the Rhymer, and in the popular style True Thomas, has had a fame as a seer, which, though progressively narrowed, is, after the lapse of nearly or quite six centuries, far from being extinguished. The common people throughout the whole of Scotland, according to Mr Robert Chambers (1870), continue to regard him with veneration, and to preserve a great number of his propheticsayings, which they habitually seek to connect with "dear years" and other notable public events (note 2). A prediction of Thomas of Erceldoune's is recorded in a manuscript which is put at a date before 1320, and he is referred to with other soothsayers in the Scalacronica, a French chronicle of English history begun in 1355. Erceldoune is spoken of in Robert Mannyng's translation of Langtoft's chronicle, finished in 1338; and in the Auchinleck copy of `Sir Tristrem,' said to have been made about 1350, a Thomas is said to have been consulted at Ertheldoun touching the history of Tristrem. So that we seem safe in holding that Thomas of Erceldoune had a reputation both as a prophet and poet in the earlier part of the fourteenth century. The vaticinations of Thomas are cited by various later chroniclers, and had as much credit in England as in Scotland. "During the fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth centuries," says Chambers, "to fabricate a prophecy in the name of Thomas the Rhymer appears to have been found a good stroke of policy on many occasions. Thus was his authority employed to countenance the views of Edwards III against Scottish independence, to favor the ambitious views of the Duke of Albany in the minority of James V, and to sustain the spirits of the nation under the harassing invasions of Henry VIII." During the Jacobite rising of 1745 the accomplishment of Thomas'sas then unfulfilled predictions was looked for by many. His prophecies, and those of other Scotch soothsayers, were consulted, says Lord Hailes, "with a week if not criminal curiosity." Even as late as the French revolutionary war a rhyme of Thomas's caused much distress and consternation in the border counties of Scotland, where people were fearing an invasion. The `Whole Prophecie' of Merlin, Thomas Rymour, and others, collected and issued as early as 1603, continued to be printed as a chap-book down to the beginning of this century, when, says Dr Murray, few farm-houses in Scotland were with a copy of it.
All this might have been if Thomas of Erceldoune had been not more historical than Merlin. [NOT FINISHED]
Alexander Fraser Tytler's Brown Ms., No 1, Jamieson's Popular Ballads, II, 7.
1 True Thomas lay oer yond grassy bank, And he beheld a ladie gay, A ladie that was brisk and bold, Come riding oer the fernie brae. 2 Her skirt was of the grass-green silk, Her mantel of the velvet fine, At ilka tett of horse's mane Hung fifty silver bells and nine. 3 True Thomas he took off his hat, And bowed him low down till his knee: 'All hail, though mighty Queen of Heaven! For your peer on earth I never did see.' 4 'O no, O no, True Thomas,' she says, 'That name does not belong to me; I am but the queen of fair Elfland, And I'm come here for to visit thee. * * * * * 5 But ye maun go wi me now, Thomas, True Thomas, ye maun go wi me, For ye maun serve me seven years, Thro weel or wae as may chance to be.' 6 She turned about her milk-white steed, And took True Thomas up behind, And aye wheneer her bridle rang, The steed flew swifter than the wind. 7 For forty days and forty nights He wade thro red blude to the knee, And he saw neither sun nor moon, But heard the roaring of the sea. 8 O they rade on, and further on, Until they came to a garden gree: 'Light down, light down, ye ladie free, SOme of that fruit let me pull to thee.' 9 'O no, O no, True Thomas,' she says, 'That fruit maun not be touched by thee, For a' the plagues that are in hell Light on the fruit of this countrie. 10 'But I have a loaf here in my lap, Likewise a bottle of claret wine, And now ere we go farther on, We'll rest a while, and ye may dine.' 11 When he had eaten and drunk his fill, 'Lay down your head upon my knee,' The lady sayd, 'ere we climb yon hill, And I will show you fairlies three. 12 'Oh see not ye yon narrow road, So thick beset wi thorns and briers? That is the path of righteousness, Tho after it but few enquires. 13 'And see not ye that braid braid road, That lies across yon lillie leven? That is the path of wickedness, Tho some call it the road to heaven. 14 'And see not ye that bonny road, Which winds about the fernie brae? That is the road to fair Elfland, Whe[re] you and I this night maun gae. 15 'But Thomas, ye maun hold your tongue, Whatever you may hear or see, For gin ae word you should chance to speak, You will neer get back to your ain countrie.' 16 He has gotten a coat of the even cloth, And a pair of shoes of velvet green, And till seven years were past and gone True Thomas on earth was never seen.
Notes:
7 stands 15 in the Ms.
8 line 2. golden green, if my copy is right.
11, line 2, 3 are 11, line 3, 2 in the MS.: the order of words is
still not simple enough for a ballad.
14, line 4: goe.
Jamieson has a few variations, which I suppose to be his own.
1, line 1: oer yonder bank.
3, line 4: your like.
4, line 4: And I am come to here.
6, line 4: Her steed.
8, line 2: garden, rightly.
10, line 2: clarry.
11, line 2: Lay your head.
12, line 1: see you not.
12, line 4: there's few.
13, line 1: see ye not yon.
14, line 1: see ye not.
14, line 2: Which winds.
Campbell MSS, II, 83.
1 As Thomas lay on Huntlie banks-- A wat a weel bred man was he-- And there he spied a lady fair, Coming riding down by the Eildon tree. 2 The horse she rode on was dapple gray, And in her hand she held bells nine; I thought I heard this fair lady say These fair siller bells they should a' be mine. 3 It's Thomas even forward went, And lootit low down on his knee: 'Weel met thee save, my lady fair, For thou'rt the flower o this countrie.' 4 'O no, O no, Thomas,' she says, 'O no, O nno, that can never be, For I'm but a lady of an unco land, Comd out a hunting, as ye may see. 5 'O harp and carp, Thomas,' she says, 'O harp and carp, and go wi me; It's be seven years, Thomas, and a day, Or you see man or woman in your ain countrie.' 6 It's she has rode, and Thomas ran, Until they cam to yon water clear; He's coosten off his hose and shon, And he's wooden the water up to the knee. 7 It's she has rode, and Thomas ran, Until they cam to yon garden green; He's put up his hand for to pull down ane, For the lack o food he was like to tyne. 8 'Hold your hand, Thomas,' she says, 'Hold your hand, that must not be; It was a'that cursed fruit o thine Beggared man and woman in your countrie. 9 'But I have a loaf and a soup o wine, And ye shall go and dine wi me; And lay yer head down in my lap, And I will tell ye farlies three. 10 'It's dont ye see yon broad broad way, That leadeth down by yon skerry fell? It's ill's the man that dothe thereon gang, For it leadeth him straight to the gates o hell. 11 'It's dont ye see yon narrow way, That leadeth down by yon lilllie lea? It's weel's the man that doth therein gang, For it leads him straight to heaven hie.' * * * * * 12 It's when she cam into the hall-- I wat a weel bred man was he-- They've asked him questions, one and all, But he answered none but that fair ladie. 13 O they speerd at her where she did him get, And she told them at the Eilden tree; [Corrupted]
Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, II, 251, ed. 1802.
1 True Thomas lay on Huntlie Bank, A ferlie he spied wi' his eye And there he saw a lady bright, Come riding down by Eildon Tree. 2 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. 3 True Thomas, he pulld aff his cap, And louted low down to his knee: `All hail, thou mighty Queen ofHeaven! For thy peer on earth I never did see.' 4 `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. 5 `Harp and carp, Thomas,' she said, `Harp and carp along wi' me, Andif ye dare to kiss my lips, Sure of your bodie I will be.' 6 `Betide me weal, betide me woe, That weird shall never daunton me;' Syne he has kissed her rosy lips, All underneath the Eildon Tree. 7 `Now, ye maun go wi me,' she said, ~True Thomas, ye maun go wi me, And ye maun serve me seven years, Thro weal or woe, as may chance to be.' 8 She mounted on her milk-white steed, She's taen True Thomas up behind, And aye wheneer her bridle rung, The steed flew swifter than the wind. 9 O they rade on, and farther on-- The steed gaed swifter than the wind-- Untill they reached a desart wide, And living land was left behind. 10 `Light down, light down, now, True Thomas, And lean your head upon my knee; Abide and rest a little space, And I will shew you ferlies three. 11 `O see ye not that narrow road, So thick beset with thorns and briers? That is the path of righteousness, Tho after it but few enquires. 12 `And see not ye that braid braid road, That lies across that lily leven? That is the path to wickedness, Tho some call it the road to heaven. 13 `And see not ye that bonny road, That winds about the fernie brae? That is the road to fair Elfland, Where thou and I this night maun gae. 14 `But, Thomas, ye maun hold your tongue, Whatever ye may hear or see, For, if you speak word in Elflyn land, Ye'll neer get back to your ain countrie.' 15 O they rade on, and farther on, And they waded thro rivers aboon the knee, And they saw neither sun nor moon, But they heard the roaring of the sea. 16 It was mirk mirk night, and there was nae stern light, And they waded thro red blude to the knee; For a' the blude that's shed on earth Rins thro the springs o that countrie. 17 Syne they came on to a garden green, And she pu'd an apple frae the tree: `Take this for thy wages, True Thomas, It will give the tongue that can never lie.' 18 `My tongue is mine ain,' True Thomas said; `A gudely gift ye was gie to me! I neither dought to buy nor sell, At fair or tryst where I may be. 19 `I dought neither speak to prince or peer, Nor ask of grace from fair ladye:' `Now hold thy peace,' the lady said, `For as I say, so must it be.' 20 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.
Thornton MS., leaf 149, back, as printed by Dr. J. A. H. Murray.
[A prologue of six stanzas, found only in the Thornton MS., is omitted, as being, even if genuine, not to the present purpose.]
1 Als I me wente this endres daye Full faste in mynd makand my mone In a mery mornynge of Maye By Huntley bankkes myselfe allone, 2 I herde the jaye and the throstyll cokke; The mavys menyde hir of hir songe; The wodewale beryde als a belle, That alle the wode abowte me ronge. 3 Allone in longynge thus als I laye Undyrenethe a semely tree, [Saw] I whare a lady gaye [Cam rydyng] over a lovely lee. 4 If I solde sytt to domesdaye, With my tonge, to wrobbe and wrye, Certanely that lady gaye, Never bese scho askryede for mee. 5 Hir palfraye was a dappill graye; Swylke one ne saughe I never none. Als dose the sonne on someres daye, That faire lady hirselfe scho schone. 6 Hir selle it was of roelle bone-- Full semely was that syghte to see-- Stefly sett with precyous stones And compaste all with crapotee, 7 Stones or oryente, grete plentey. Hir hare abowte hir hede it hange. Scho rade over that lovely lee; A whylle scho blewe, another scho sange. 8 Hir garthes of nobyll sylke thay were, The bukylls were of berelle stone; Hir steraps were of crystalle cleve And all with perelle over-by-one. 9 Hir payetrelle was of yral fyne, Hir cropoure was of orphare; And als clere golde hir brydill it schone. One aythir syde hange bellys three. 10 Scho led three grehoundis in a lesshe, And sevene raches by hir thay rone. Scho bare an horne abowte hir halse And undir hir belte full many a flone. 11 Thomas laye and sawe that syghe Undirnethe ane semly tree. He sayd, "Yone es Marye, moste of myghte, That bare that Childe that dyede for mee. 13 Bot if I speke with yone lady bryghte, I hope myne herte will bryste in three! Now sall I go with all my myghte, Hir for to mete at Eldoune Tree." 14 Thomas rathely upe he rase, And he rane over that mountayne hye. Gyff it be als the storyee says, He hir mette at Eldone Tree. 15 He knelyde downe appone his knee Undirnethe that grenwode spraye And sayd, "Lufly ladye! rewe one me, Qwene of Hevene, als thou wele maye!" 16 Then spake that lady milde of thoghte: "Thomas, late swylke wordes be. Qwene of Hevene ne am I noghte, For I tuke never so heghe degree, 17 Bote I ame of ane other countree. If I be payrelde most of prysse, I ryde aftyre this wylde fee; My raches rnnys at my devyse." 18 "If thou be parelde moste of prysse, And here rydis thus in thy folye, Of lufe, lady, als thou erte wysse, Thou gyffe me leve to lye thee bye." 19 Scho sayde, "Thou mane, that ware folye. I praye thee, Thomas, thou late me bee; For I saye thee full sekirye, That synne will fordoo all my beauty." 20 "Now, lufly ladye, rewe on mee, And I will ever more with thee dwelle-- Here my trouthe I will thee plyghte-- Whethir thou will in hevene or helle." 21 "Mane of Molde, thou will me marre, Bot yitt thou sall hafe all thy will; And trowe it wele, thou chevys the werre, For alle my beauty will thou spylle." 22 Downe thane lyghte that lady bryghte Undernethe that grenewode spraye; And als the storye tellis full ryghte, Sevene sythis by hir he laye. 23 Scho sayd, "Man, thee lykes thy playe. Whate byrde in boure maye delle with thee? Thou merrys me all this longe daye; I praye thee, Thomas, late me bee!" 24 Thomas stode upe in that stede, And he byhelde that lady gaye. Hir hare it hange all over hir hede; Hir eghne seme owte that are were graye; 25 And alle the riche clothynge was awaye That he byfore sawe in that stede; Hir a schanke blake, hir other graye, And all hir body lyke the lede. 26 Thomas laye and sawe that syghe Undirnethe that grenewod tree. . . . . . . . . . . 27 Then said Thomas, "Allas! Allas! In faythe this es a dullfull syghte. How arte thou fadyde thus in the face, That schane byfore als the sonne so bryghte!" 28 Scho sayd, "Thomas, take leve at sonne and mone And als at lefe that grewes on tree. This twelmoneth sall thou with me gone, And medill-erthe sall thou none see." 29 He knelyd downe appone his knee Undirnethe that grenewod spraye And sayd, "Lufly lady, rewe on mee, Mylde qwene of Hevene, als thou beste maye. 30 Allas," he sayd, "and wa es mee! I trowe my dedis wyll wirke me care; My saullle, Jhesu, byteche I thee, Whedir-some that ever my banes sall fare." 31 Scho ledde hym in at Eldone Hill Undernithe a derne lee Whare it was dirke als mydnyght myrke, And ever the water till his knee. 32 The montenans of dayes three He herd bot swoghynge of the flode. At the laste, he sayde, "Full was es mee! Almaste I dye, for fawte of fode." 33 Scho lede hym intill a faire herbere, Whare frwte was growand gret plentee: Pere and appill, bothe ryppe thay were, The date, and als the damasee; 34 The fygge, and alsso the wyneberye; The nyghtgales byggande on thair neste. The papejoyes faste abowte gane flye, And throstylles sange wolde hafe no rest. 35 He pressede to pulle frowyte with his hande, Als mane for fude that was nere faynt. Scho sayd, "Thomas, thou late thame stande, Or elels the fende thee will atteynt. 36 If thou it plokk, sothely to saye, Thi saule gose to the fyre of helle. It commes never owte or domesdaye, Bot ther in payne ay for to dwelle. 37 Thomas, sothely, I thee hyghte, Come lygge thne hede downe on my knee, And thou sall se the fayreste syghte That ever sawe mane of thi contree." 38 He did in hye als scho hym badde. Appone hir knee his hede he layde, For hir to paye he was full glade. And thane that lady to hym sayde: 39 "Seese thou nowe yone faire waye That lygges over yone heghe mountayne? Yone es the waye to hevene for aye, Whene synfull sawles are passede ther payne. 40 "Seese thou yitt yone other waye, That lygges lawe bynethe yone rysse? Yone es the waye, the sothe to saye, Unto the joye of paradyse. 41 "Seese tou yitt yone thirde waye That ligges undir yone grene playne? Yone es the waye, with tene and traye, Where synfull saulis suffiris thaire payne. 42 "Bot seese thou nowe yone ferthe waye That legges over yone depe delle? Yone es the waye, so waylawaye, Unto the birnande fyre of helle. 43 "Seese thou yitt yone faire castelle That standis over yone heghe hill? Of towne and towre, it beris the belle; In erthe es none lyke it untill. 44 Forsothe, Thomas, yone es myne awenne, And the kynges of this countree. Bot me ware lever be hanged and drawene Or that he wyste thou laye me by. 45 When thou commes to yone castelle gaye, Ip pray thee curtase mane to bee. And whate-so any many to thee saye, Luke thou answere none bott me. 46 My lordes es sevrede at ylk a mese With thritty knyghttis faire and free. I sall saye, syttande at the desse, I tuke thi speche byyone the see." 47 Thomas still als stane he stude, And he byhelde that lady gaye. Scho come agayne als faire and gude And also ryche one hir palfraye, 48 Hir grewehoundis fillide with dere blode, Hir raches couplede, by my faye. Scho blewe hir horne with mayne and mode; Unto the castelle scho tuke the waye. 49 Into the haulle sothely scho went. Thomas folowed at hir hande. Than ladyes come, both faire and gent, With curassye to hir knelande. 50 Harpe and fethill both thay fande, Gettern, and alsso the sawtry, Lutte and rybyby both gangande, And all manere of mynstralsye. 51 The most mervelle that Thomas thoghte When that he stode appone the flore, For feftty hertis in were broghte That were bothe grete and store. 52 Raches laye lapande in the blode. Cokes come with dryssynge knyfe; Thay brittened thame als thay were wode. Revelle amanges thame was full ryfe. 53 Knyghtis dawnsede by three and three. There was revelle, gamene, and playe, Lufly ladyes faire and fre That satte and sange one riche araye. 54 Thomas dwellide in that solace More than I yowe saye, parde, Till one a daye, so hafe I grace, My lufly lady sayde to mee: 55 "Do buske thee, Thomas. The buse agayne, For thou may here no lengare be. Hye thee faste with myghte and mayne. I sall thee brynge till Eldone Tree." 56 Thomas sayde thane with hevy chere, "Lufly lady, nowe late me bee, For certis, lady, I hafe bene here Noghte bot the space of dayes three!" 57 "Forsothe, Thomas, als I thee telle, Thou hase bene here thre yere and more, Bot langere here thou may noghte dwelle. That skylle I sall thee telle wharefore. 58 Tomorne of helle the foulle fende Amange this folke will feche his fee; And thou arte mekill mane and hende; I trowe full wele he wolde chese thee. 59 For alle the gold that ever may bee Fro hethyne unto the worldis ende, Thou bese never betrayede for mee. Therefore with me I rede thou wende." 60 Scho broghte hym agayne to Eldone Tree Undirnethe that grenewode spraye. In Huntlee bannkes es mery to bee, Wharte fowles synges bothe nyght and daye. 61 "Ferre owtt in yone mountane graye, Thomas, my fawkone bygges a nest. A fawconnes es an erlis praye; For-thi in na place may he rest. 61 Fare wele, Thomas, I wend my waye, For me byhoves over yon benttis browne." Loo here a fytt. More es to say, All of Thomas of Erselldowne. FYTT II 1 `Farewele, Thomas, I wend my waye, I may no lengare stand with the:' `Gyff me a tokynynge, lady gaye, That I may saye I spake with the.' 2 `To harpe or carpe, whare so thou gose Thomas, thou sall hafe thee chose sothely:' And he saide, Harpynge kepe I none, Ffor tonge es chefe of mynstralsye. 3 `If thou will spelle, or tales telle, Thomas, thou sall neuer lesynge lye; Whare euer thou fare, by frythe or felle, I praye the speke none evyll of me. 4 Ffare wele, Thomas, with-owttyne gyle, I may no lengare duelle with thee:' `Lufly lady, habyde a while, And telle thou me of some ferly.' 5 `Thomas, herkyne what I thee saye:' etc. Here begin the prophecies.
Note 2: Chamber's Popular Rhymes of Scotland, 1870, pp. 211--224. See, also, Scott's Minstrelsy, IV, 110-116, 129-151, ed. 1833. But, above all, Dr. J. A. H. Murray's Introduction to the Romance and Prophecies of Thomas of Erceldoune, 1875.