[43] That weird, &c.—That destiny shall never frighten me.
[THOMAS THE RHYMER.]
PART SECOND.
ALTERED FROM ANCIENT PROPHECIES.
The prophecies, ascribed to Thomas of Ercildoune, 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 adventure 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 Lazaroni of Naples, had not exalted the bard of Ercildoune 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 narrate, 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 Ercildoune, 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 a Thomas de Essedoune quant la guerre d'Escoce prendreit fyn. E yl l'a repoundy et dyt,
"When man is mad a kyng of a capped man;
"When man is lever other mones thyng than is owen;
"When londe thouys forest, ant forest is felde;
"When hares kendles o' the her'ston;
"When Wyt and Wille weres togedere:
"When mon makes stables 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 chaunged 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 ne shall hym fynde;
"When rycht ant wronge astente the togedere;
"When laddes weddeth lovedies;
"When Scottes flen so faste, that for faute of shep, hy drowneth hemselve;
"When shall this be?
"Nouther in thine tyme ne in mine;
"Ah comen ant gone
"Withinne twenty winter ant one."