THOMAS OF ERSSELDOUNE.

107, which Dennis.

This beautiful tale is transferred to these pages from Mr. Laing'sSelect Remains of the Ancient Popular Poetry of Scotland. The two "fytts" of prophecies which accompany it in the manuscripts, are omitted here, as being probably the work of another, and an inferior, hand. From the exordium by which the story is introduced, it might be concluded that the author was an Englishman. Indeed, all the poems and prophecies attributed to Thomas the Rhimer which remain to us, are preserved in English manuscripts and an English dress; but, in the judgment of Mr. Jamieson, the internal evidence still almost amounts to proof that the romance itself was of Scottish origin, although no indubitably Scottish copy is now known to be in existence.

The hero of this legend is believed to have lived through nearly the whole of the 13th century. He derived his territorial appellation from the village of Erceldoune, in the county of Berwick, lying on the river Leader, about two miles above its junction with the Tweed. The Huntly bank on which the meeting of Thomas with the Queen of Fairy took place, is situated, according to Mr. Laing, on one of the Eldoun hills, but the same distinction is claimed for another place of like name, which, together with an adjoining ravine, called from time immemorial theRymer's Glen,was included in the domain of Abbotsford. (SeeMinstrelsy of the Scottish Border, iv. 110. v. 1.)

"During the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries, to get up 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 Edward 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. A small volume containing a collection of the rhymes thus put into circulation was published by Andro Hart in Edinburgh, in 1615."—CHAMBERS,Pop. Rhymes of Scotland, p. 6.

"This poem," says Mr. Laing, "is preserved in three ancient manuscripts, each of them in a state more or less mutilated, and varying in no inconsiderable degree from the others. A portion of it was first printed in theBorder Minstrelsy, [iv. 122,] from the fragment in the British Museum, among the Cotton MSS.; and the one which Mr. Jamieson adopted in his collection ofPopular Ballads and Songs[ii. 11,] was carefully deciphered from a volume of no ordinary curiosity, in the University Library, Cambridge, written in a very illegible hand, about the middle of the 15th century. It is now printed from the other copy, as it occurs in a volume, compiled at a still earlier period, which is preserved in the Cathedral Library of Lincoln. On comparison, it will be readily perceived, that the text is in every respect preferable to that of either of the other manuscripts.... An endeavor has been made to fill up the defective parts from the Cambridge copy, though in some instances, as will be seen, withoutsuccess."—Mr. Halliwell has republished the Cambridge text in hisFairy Mythology, (p. 58,) and he cites a fourth manuscript, which, however, appears to be of slight importance.

Lystnys, lordyngs, bothe grete and smale,And takis gude tente what I will say:I sall yow telle als trewe a tale,Als euer was herde by nyghte or daye:5And the maste meruelle fforowttyn naye,That euer was herde byfore or syen,And therfore pristly I yow praye,That ye will of youre talkyng blyn.It es an harde thyng for to saye,10Of doghety dedis that hase bene done;Of felle feghtyngs and batells sere;And how that knyghtis hase wonne thair schone.Bot Jhesu Christ, that syttis in trone,Safe Ynglysche men bothe ferre and nere;15And I sall telle yow tyte and sone,Of battells done sythen many a yere;And of batells that done sall bee;In whate place, and howe and whare;And wha sall hafe the heghere gree;20And whethir partye sall hafe the werre;[Transcriber's note: there appears to be a stanza missing here, lines 21-24.A line note refers to the missing line 22.]25Wha sall take the flyghte and flee;And wha sall dye and byleue thare:Bot Jhesu Christ, that dyed on tre,Saue Inglysche men whare so thay fare.Als I me wente this endres-daye,Full faste in mynd makane my mone,In a mery mornynge of May,By Huntle bankkes my selfe allone,5I herde the jaye, and the'throstelle,'The mawys menyde of hir songe,The wodewale beryde als a belle,That all the wode abowte me ronge.Allone in longynge, thus als I laye,10Vndre nethe a semely tre,'Saw I' whare a lady gaye,'Came ridand' ouer a longe lee.If I suld sytt to Domesdaye,With my tonge, to wrebbe and wrye,15Certanely that lady gaye,Neuer bese scho askryede for mee.Hir palfraye was a dappill graye;Swilke one I saghe ne neuer none:Als dose the sonne, on someres daye,20That faire lady hir selfe scho schone.Hirselleit was of reele bone,Full semely was that syghte to see!Stefly sett with precyous stones,And compaste all with crapotee,25Stones of Oryence, grete plente.Hir hare abowte hir hede it hange;Scho rode ouer that lange lee;A whylle scho blewe, a nother scho sange.Hir garthes of nobyll sylke they were;30The bukylls were of berelle stone;Hir steraps were of crystalle clere,And all with perelle ouer bygone.Hir payetrelle was of iralle fyne;Hir cropoure was of orfaré;35And als clere golde hir brydill it schone;One aythir syde hange bellys three.'Scho led seuen grew houndis in a leeshe;'And seuen raches by hir they rone;Scho bare a horne abowte hir halse;40And vnder hir belte full many a flone.Thomas laye and sawe that syghte,Vnder nethe ane semly tree;He sayd, "yone es Marye most of myghte,That bare that childe that dyede for mee.45"But if I speke with yone lady bryghte,I hope myn herte will bryste in three;Now sall I go with all my myghte,Hir for to mete at Eldoun tree."Thomas rathely vpe he rase,50And he rane ouer that mountayne hye;Gyff it be als the storye sayes,He hir mette at Eldone tree.He knelyde down appon his knee,Vndir nethe that grenwode spraye:—55And sayd, "lufly ladye! rewe one mee;Qwene of heuen, als thu wele maye!"Then spake that lady milde of thoghte:—"Thomas, late swylke wordes bee;Qwene of heuenne, am I noghte,60For I tuke neuer so heghe degre."Bot I ame of ane other contree,If I be payrelde moste of prysse;I ryde aftyre this wylde fee;My raches rynnys at my devyse."65"If thu be parelde moste of prysse,And here rydis thus in thy folye,Of lufe, lady, als thu art wysse,Thou gyffe me leue to lye the bye."Scho sayde, "thu man, that ware folye;70I praye the, Thomas, thu lat me bee;Ffor I saye the full sekirlye,That syne will fordoo all my beaute.""Now lufly ladye rewe on mee,And I will euer more with the duelle;75Here my trouthe I 'plyghte to thee,'Wethir thu will in heuen or helle.""Mane of molde, thu will me marre,But yitt thu sall hafe all thy will;And trowe it wele, thu chewys the werre,80Ffor alle my beaute will thu spylle."Down than lyghte that lady bryghte,Vndir nethe that grene wode spraye;And, als the storye tellis full ryghte,Seuen sythis by hir he laye.85Scho sayd, "man, the lykes thi playe:What byrde in boure maye delle with the?Thou merrys me all this longe daye;I pray the, Thomas, late me bee."Thomas stode wpe in that stede,90And he byhelde that lady gaye;Hir hare it hange all ouer hir hede,Hir eghne semede owte, that are were graye.And all the riche clothynge was awaye,That he byfore sawe in that stede;95Hir a schanke blake, hir other graye,And all hir body lyke the lede;Thomas laye, and sawe that syghte,Vndir nethe that grenewod tree.Than sayd Thomas, "allas! allas!100In faythe this es a dullfull syghte;How arte thu fadyde thus in the face,That schane byfore als the sonne so bryght!"Scho sayd, "Thomas, take leve at sone and mone,And als at lefe that grewes on tree;105This twelmoneth sall thu with me gone,And medill-erthe thu sall non see."He knelyd downe appon his knee,Vndir nethe that grenewod spraye;And sayd, "Lufly lady! rewe on mee,110Mylde qwene of heuen, als thu beste maye.""Allas!" he sayd, "and wa es mee,I trewe my dedis will wirke me care;My saulle, Jhesu, byteche I the,Whedir come that euer my banes sall fare."115Scho ledde hym in at Eldone hill,Vndir nethe a derne lee;Whare it was dirk as mydnyght myrke,And euer the water till his knee.The montenans of dayes three,120He herd bot swoghyne of the flode;At the laste, he sayde, "full wa es mee!Almaste I dye, for fawte of fude."Scho lede hym in till a faire herbere,Whare frwte was 'growyng in gret plentee;'125Pers and appill, bothe rype thay were,The date, and als the damasee;The fygge, and als so the wyne-berye;The nyghtyngales lyggande on thair neste;The papeioyes faste abowte gan flye;130And throstylls sange, wolde hafe no reste.He pressede to pulle frowte with his hande,Als man for fude that was nere faynt;Scho sayd, "Thomas, thu late tham stande,Or ells the fende the will atteynt.135"If thu it plokk, sothely to say,Thi saule gose to the fyre of helle;It comes neuer owte or Domesdaye,Bot ther in payne ay for to duelle."Thomas, sothely, I the hyghte,140Come lygge thyn hede down on my knee,And 'thou' sall se the fayreste syghte,That euer sawe man of thi contree."He did in hye als scho hym badde;Appone hir knee his hede he layde,145Ffor hir to paye he was full glade,And than that lady to him sayde—"Seese thu nowe yone faire waye,That lyggis ouer yone heghe montayne?—Yone es the waye to heuen for aye,150When synfull sawles are passed ther payne."Seese thu nowe yone other waye,That lygges lawe by nethe yone rysse?Yone es the waye, the sothe to saye,Vnto the joye of paradyse.155"Seese thu yitt yone third waye,That ligges vnder yone grene playne?Yone es the waye, with tene and traye,Whare synfull saulis suffiris thare payne."Bot seese thu nowe yone forthe waye,160That lygges ouer yone depe delle?Yone es the way, so waylawaye,Vnto the byrnande fyre of hell."Seese thu yitt yone faire castelle,That standes vpone yone heghe hill?165Of towne and towre, it beris the belle;In erthe es none lyk it vntill."Ffor sothe, Thomas, yone es myn awenn,And the kynges of this countree;Bot me ware leuer hanged and drawen,170Or that he wyste thou laye me by."When thu commes to yone castelle gay,I pray the curtase man to bee;And whate so any man to the saye,Luke thu answere none bott mee.175"My lorde es seruede at ylk a mese,With thritty knyghttis faire and free;I sail saye, syttande at the dasse,I tuke thi speche byyonde the see."Thomas still als stane he stude.180And he byhelde that lady gaye;Scho come agayne als faire and gude,And al so ryche one hir palfraye.Hir grewe hundis fillide with dere blode;Hir rachis couplede, by my faye;185Scho blewe hir horne with mayne and mode,Vnto the castelle scho tuk the waye.In to the haulle sothely scho went;Thomas foloued at hir hande;Than ladyes come, bothe faire and gent,190With curtassye to hit knelande.Harpe and fethill bothe thay fande,Getterne, and als so the sawtrye;Lutte and rybybe, bothe gangande,And all manere of mynstralsye.195The most meruelle that Thomas thoghte,When that he stode appon the flore;Ffor feftty hertes in were broghte,That were bothe 'largely' grete and store.Raches laye lapande in the blode,200Cokes come with dryssynge knyfe;They brittened tham als thay were wode;Reuelle amanges thame was full ryfe.Knyghtis dawnsede by three and three,Thare was revelle, gamen, and playe,205Lufly ladyes, faire and free,That satte and sange one riche araye.Thomas duellide in that solaceMore than I yowe save, perde;Till one a daye, so hafe I grace,210My lufly lady sayde to mee:"Do busk the, Thomas,—thebusk agayne,Ffor thu may here no lengare be;Hye the faste, with myghte and mayne;I sall the brynge till Eldone tree."215Thomas sayde than with heuy chere;"Lufly lady, nowe late me bee;Ffor certis, lady, I hafe bene hereNoghte bot the space of dayes three."Ffor sothe, Thomas, als I the telle,220Thou hase bene here thre yere and more;Bot langere here thu may noghte dwelle;The skylle I sall the telle wherefore."To morne, of helle the foulle fendeAmange this folke will feche his fee;225And thu arte mekill man and hende,I trowe full wele he wolde chese the."Ffor all the gold that euer may bee,Ffro hethyn unto the worldis ende,Thou bese neuer betrayede for mee;230Therefore with me I rede thou wende."Scho broghte hym agayne to Eldone tree,Vndir nethe that grenewode spraye;In Huntlee bannkes es mery to bee,Whare fowles synges bothe nyght and daye.235"Fferre owtt in yone mountane graye,Thomas, my fawkon byggis a neste;—A fawcoun is an eglis praye;Fforthi in na place may he reste."Ffare well, Thomas; I wend my waye;240Ffor me byhouys ouer thir benttis brown."—Loo here a fytt: more es to saye,All of Thomas of Erselldown.—

Lystnys, lordyngs, bothe grete and smale,And takis gude tente what I will say:I sall yow telle als trewe a tale,Als euer was herde by nyghte or daye:

5And the maste meruelle fforowttyn naye,That euer was herde byfore or syen,And therfore pristly I yow praye,That ye will of youre talkyng blyn.

It es an harde thyng for to saye,10Of doghety dedis that hase bene done;Of felle feghtyngs and batells sere;And how that knyghtis hase wonne thair schone.

Bot Jhesu Christ, that syttis in trone,Safe Ynglysche men bothe ferre and nere;15And I sall telle yow tyte and sone,Of battells done sythen many a yere;

And of batells that done sall bee;In whate place, and howe and whare;And wha sall hafe the heghere gree;20And whethir partye sall hafe the werre;

[Transcriber's note: there appears to be a stanza missing here, lines 21-24.A line note refers to the missing line 22.]

25Wha sall take the flyghte and flee;And wha sall dye and byleue thare:Bot Jhesu Christ, that dyed on tre,Saue Inglysche men whare so thay fare.

Als I me wente this endres-daye,Full faste in mynd makane my mone,In a mery mornynge of May,By Huntle bankkes my selfe allone,

5I herde the jaye, and the'throstelle,'The mawys menyde of hir songe,The wodewale beryde als a belle,That all the wode abowte me ronge.

Allone in longynge, thus als I laye,10Vndre nethe a semely tre,'Saw I' whare a lady gaye,'Came ridand' ouer a longe lee.

If I suld sytt to Domesdaye,With my tonge, to wrebbe and wrye,15Certanely that lady gaye,Neuer bese scho askryede for mee.

Hir palfraye was a dappill graye;Swilke one I saghe ne neuer none:Als dose the sonne, on someres daye,20That faire lady hir selfe scho schone.

Hirselleit was of reele bone,Full semely was that syghte to see!Stefly sett with precyous stones,And compaste all with crapotee,

25Stones of Oryence, grete plente.Hir hare abowte hir hede it hange;Scho rode ouer that lange lee;A whylle scho blewe, a nother scho sange.

Hir garthes of nobyll sylke they were;30The bukylls were of berelle stone;Hir steraps were of crystalle clere,And all with perelle ouer bygone.

Hir payetrelle was of iralle fyne;Hir cropoure was of orfaré;35And als clere golde hir brydill it schone;One aythir syde hange bellys three.

'Scho led seuen grew houndis in a leeshe;'And seuen raches by hir they rone;Scho bare a horne abowte hir halse;40And vnder hir belte full many a flone.

Thomas laye and sawe that syghte,Vnder nethe ane semly tree;He sayd, "yone es Marye most of myghte,That bare that childe that dyede for mee.

45"But if I speke with yone lady bryghte,I hope myn herte will bryste in three;Now sall I go with all my myghte,Hir for to mete at Eldoun tree."

Thomas rathely vpe he rase,50And he rane ouer that mountayne hye;Gyff it be als the storye sayes,He hir mette at Eldone tree.

He knelyde down appon his knee,Vndir nethe that grenwode spraye:—55And sayd, "lufly ladye! rewe one mee;Qwene of heuen, als thu wele maye!"

Then spake that lady milde of thoghte:—"Thomas, late swylke wordes bee;Qwene of heuenne, am I noghte,60For I tuke neuer so heghe degre.

"Bot I ame of ane other contree,If I be payrelde moste of prysse;I ryde aftyre this wylde fee;My raches rynnys at my devyse."

65"If thu be parelde moste of prysse,And here rydis thus in thy folye,Of lufe, lady, als thu art wysse,Thou gyffe me leue to lye the bye."

Scho sayde, "thu man, that ware folye;70I praye the, Thomas, thu lat me bee;Ffor I saye the full sekirlye,That syne will fordoo all my beaute."

"Now lufly ladye rewe on mee,And I will euer more with the duelle;75Here my trouthe I 'plyghte to thee,'Wethir thu will in heuen or helle."

"Mane of molde, thu will me marre,But yitt thu sall hafe all thy will;And trowe it wele, thu chewys the werre,80Ffor alle my beaute will thu spylle."

Down than lyghte that lady bryghte,Vndir nethe that grene wode spraye;And, als the storye tellis full ryghte,Seuen sythis by hir he laye.

85Scho sayd, "man, the lykes thi playe:What byrde in boure maye delle with the?Thou merrys me all this longe daye;I pray the, Thomas, late me bee."

Thomas stode wpe in that stede,90And he byhelde that lady gaye;Hir hare it hange all ouer hir hede,Hir eghne semede owte, that are were graye.

And all the riche clothynge was awaye,That he byfore sawe in that stede;95Hir a schanke blake, hir other graye,And all hir body lyke the lede;

Thomas laye, and sawe that syghte,Vndir nethe that grenewod tree.

Than sayd Thomas, "allas! allas!100In faythe this es a dullfull syghte;How arte thu fadyde thus in the face,That schane byfore als the sonne so bryght!"

Scho sayd, "Thomas, take leve at sone and mone,And als at lefe that grewes on tree;105This twelmoneth sall thu with me gone,And medill-erthe thu sall non see."

He knelyd downe appon his knee,Vndir nethe that grenewod spraye;And sayd, "Lufly lady! rewe on mee,110Mylde qwene of heuen, als thu beste maye."

"Allas!" he sayd, "and wa es mee,I trewe my dedis will wirke me care;My saulle, Jhesu, byteche I the,Whedir come that euer my banes sall fare."

115Scho ledde hym in at Eldone hill,Vndir nethe a derne lee;Whare it was dirk as mydnyght myrke,And euer the water till his knee.

The montenans of dayes three,120He herd bot swoghyne of the flode;At the laste, he sayde, "full wa es mee!Almaste I dye, for fawte of fude."

Scho lede hym in till a faire herbere,Whare frwte was 'growyng in gret plentee;'125Pers and appill, bothe rype thay were,The date, and als the damasee;

The fygge, and als so the wyne-berye;The nyghtyngales lyggande on thair neste;The papeioyes faste abowte gan flye;130And throstylls sange, wolde hafe no reste.

He pressede to pulle frowte with his hande,Als man for fude that was nere faynt;Scho sayd, "Thomas, thu late tham stande,Or ells the fende the will atteynt.

135"If thu it plokk, sothely to say,Thi saule gose to the fyre of helle;It comes neuer owte or Domesdaye,Bot ther in payne ay for to duelle.

"Thomas, sothely, I the hyghte,140Come lygge thyn hede down on my knee,And 'thou' sall se the fayreste syghte,That euer sawe man of thi contree."

He did in hye als scho hym badde;Appone hir knee his hede he layde,145Ffor hir to paye he was full glade,And than that lady to him sayde—

"Seese thu nowe yone faire waye,That lyggis ouer yone heghe montayne?—Yone es the waye to heuen for aye,150When synfull sawles are passed ther payne.

"Seese thu nowe yone other waye,That lygges lawe by nethe yone rysse?Yone es the waye, the sothe to saye,Vnto the joye of paradyse.

155"Seese thu yitt yone third waye,That ligges vnder yone grene playne?Yone es the waye, with tene and traye,Whare synfull saulis suffiris thare payne.

"Bot seese thu nowe yone forthe waye,160That lygges ouer yone depe delle?Yone es the way, so waylawaye,Vnto the byrnande fyre of hell.

"Seese thu yitt yone faire castelle,That standes vpone yone heghe hill?165Of towne and towre, it beris the belle;In erthe es none lyk it vntill.

"Ffor sothe, Thomas, yone es myn awenn,And the kynges of this countree;Bot me ware leuer hanged and drawen,170Or that he wyste thou laye me by.

"When thu commes to yone castelle gay,I pray the curtase man to bee;And whate so any man to the saye,Luke thu answere none bott mee.

175"My lorde es seruede at ylk a mese,With thritty knyghttis faire and free;I sail saye, syttande at the dasse,I tuke thi speche byyonde the see."

Thomas still als stane he stude.180And he byhelde that lady gaye;Scho come agayne als faire and gude,And al so ryche one hir palfraye.

Hir grewe hundis fillide with dere blode;Hir rachis couplede, by my faye;185Scho blewe hir horne with mayne and mode,Vnto the castelle scho tuk the waye.

In to the haulle sothely scho went;Thomas foloued at hir hande;Than ladyes come, bothe faire and gent,190With curtassye to hit knelande.

Harpe and fethill bothe thay fande,Getterne, and als so the sawtrye;Lutte and rybybe, bothe gangande,And all manere of mynstralsye.

195The most meruelle that Thomas thoghte,When that he stode appon the flore;Ffor feftty hertes in were broghte,That were bothe 'largely' grete and store.

Raches laye lapande in the blode,200Cokes come with dryssynge knyfe;They brittened tham als thay were wode;Reuelle amanges thame was full ryfe.

Knyghtis dawnsede by three and three,Thare was revelle, gamen, and playe,205Lufly ladyes, faire and free,That satte and sange one riche araye.

Thomas duellide in that solaceMore than I yowe save, perde;Till one a daye, so hafe I grace,210My lufly lady sayde to mee:

"Do busk the, Thomas,—thebusk agayne,Ffor thu may here no lengare be;Hye the faste, with myghte and mayne;I sall the brynge till Eldone tree."

215Thomas sayde than with heuy chere;"Lufly lady, nowe late me bee;Ffor certis, lady, I hafe bene hereNoghte bot the space of dayes three.

"Ffor sothe, Thomas, als I the telle,220Thou hase bene here thre yere and more;Bot langere here thu may noghte dwelle;The skylle I sall the telle wherefore.

"To morne, of helle the foulle fendeAmange this folke will feche his fee;225And thu arte mekill man and hende,I trowe full wele he wolde chese the.

"Ffor all the gold that euer may bee,Ffro hethyn unto the worldis ende,Thou bese neuer betrayede for mee;230Therefore with me I rede thou wende."

Scho broghte hym agayne to Eldone tree,Vndir nethe that grenewode spraye;In Huntlee bannkes es mery to bee,Whare fowles synges bothe nyght and daye.

235"Fferre owtt in yone mountane graye,Thomas, my fawkon byggis a neste;—A fawcoun is an eglis praye;Fforthi in na place may he reste.

"Ffare well, Thomas; I wend my waye;240Ffor me byhouys ouer thir benttis brown."—Loo here a fytt: more es to saye,All of Thomas of Erselldown.—

22, Laing, by tene.[refers to line 22, missing]

5, Linc. MS. throstylle cokke.

21, sette, Laing.

109, Lufly lady, i.e. Mary.

211, buse agayne.

Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, (iv. 117.) "Given from a copy obtained from a lady residing not far from Ercildoune, corrected and enlarged by one in Mrs. Brown's MSS."

True Thomas lay on Huntlie bank;A ferlie he spied wi' his ee;And there he saw a ladye bright,Come riding down by the Eildon Tree.5Her shirt was o' the grass-green silk,Her mantle o' the velvet fyne;At ilka tett of her horse's mane,Hung fifty siller bells and nine.True Thomas, he pull'd aff his cap,10And 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;15I am but the Queen of fair Elfland,That am hither come to visit thee."Harp and carp, Thomas," she said;"Harp and carp along wi' me;And if ye dare to kiss my lips,20Sure of your bodie I will be.""Betide me weal, betide me woe,That weird shall never daunton me."—Syne he has kissed her rosy lips,All underneath the Eildon Tree.25"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."She mounted on her milk-white steed;30She's ta'en true Thomas up behind:And aye, whene'er her bridle rung,The steed flew swifter than the wind.O they rade on, and farther on;The steed gaed swifter than the wind;35Until they reach'd a desert wide,And living land was left behind."Light down, light down, now, true Thomas,And lean your head upon my knee;Abide and rest a little space,40And I will shew you ferlies three."O see ye not yon narrow road,So thick beset with thorns and briers?That is the path of righteousness,Though after it but few enquires.45"And see ye not that braid braid road,That lies across that lily leven?That is the path of wickedness,Though some call it the road to heaven."And see not ye that bonny road,50That winds about the fernie brae?That is the road to fair Elfland,Where thou and I this night maun gae."But, Thomas, ye maun hold your tongue,Whatever ye may hear or see;55For, if you speak word in Elfyn land,Ye'll ne'er get back to your ain countrie."O they rade on, and farther on,And they waded through rivers aboon the knee,And they saw neither sun nor moon,60But they heard the roaring of the sea.It was mirk mirk night, and there was nae stern light,And they waded through red blude to the knee;For a' the blude that's shed on earthRins through the springs o' that countrie.65Syne they came on to a garden green,And she pu'd an apple frae a tree—"Take this for thy wages, true Thomas;It will give thee the tongue that can never lie."—"My tongue is mine ain," true Thomas said;70"A gudely gift ye wad gie to me!I neither dought to buy nor sell,At fair or tryst where I may be."I dought neither speak to prince or peer,Nor ask of grace from fair ladye."—75"Now hold thy peace!" the lady said,"For as I say, so must it be."—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,80True Thomas on earth was never seen.

True Thomas lay on Huntlie bank;A ferlie he spied wi' his ee;And there he saw a ladye bright,Come riding down by the Eildon Tree.

5Her shirt was o' the grass-green silk,Her mantle o' the velvet fyne;At ilka tett of her horse's mane,Hung fifty siller bells and nine.

True Thomas, he pull'd aff his cap,10And 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;15I am but the Queen of fair Elfland,That am hither come to visit thee.

"Harp and carp, Thomas," she said;"Harp and carp along wi' me;And if ye dare to kiss my lips,20Sure of your bodie I will be."

"Betide me weal, betide me woe,That weird shall never daunton me."—Syne he has kissed her rosy lips,All underneath the Eildon Tree.

25"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."

She mounted on her milk-white steed;30She's ta'en true Thomas up behind:And aye, whene'er her bridle rung,The steed flew swifter than the wind.

O they rade on, and farther on;The steed gaed swifter than the wind;35Until they reach'd a desert wide,And living land was left behind.

"Light down, light down, now, true Thomas,And lean your head upon my knee;Abide and rest a little space,40And I will shew you ferlies three.

"O see ye not yon narrow road,So thick beset with thorns and briers?That is the path of righteousness,Though after it but few enquires.

45"And see ye not that braid braid road,That lies across that lily leven?That is the path of wickedness,Though some call it the road to heaven.

"And see not ye that bonny road,50That winds about the fernie brae?That is the road to fair Elfland,Where thou and I this night maun gae.

"But, Thomas, ye maun hold your tongue,Whatever ye may hear or see;55For, if you speak word in Elfyn land,Ye'll ne'er get back to your ain countrie."

O they rade on, and farther on,And they waded through rivers aboon the knee,And they saw neither sun nor moon,60But they heard the roaring of the sea.

It was mirk mirk night, and there was nae stern light,And they waded through red blude to the knee;For a' the blude that's shed on earthRins through the springs o' that countrie.

65Syne they came on to a garden green,And she pu'd an apple frae a tree—"Take this for thy wages, true Thomas;It will give thee the tongue that can never lie."—

"My tongue is mine ain," true Thomas said;70"A gudely gift ye wad gie to me!I neither dought to buy nor sell,At fair or tryst where I may be.

"I dought neither speak to prince or peer,Nor ask of grace from fair ladye."—75"Now hold thy peace!" the lady said,"For as I say, so must it be."—

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,80True Thomas on earth was never seen.

70. The traditional commentary upon this ballad informs us, that the apple was the produce of the fatal Tree of Knowledge, and that the garden was the terrestrial paradise. The repugnance of Thomas to be debarred the use of falsehood, when he might find it convenient, has a comic effect. SCOTT.

TheTayl of the Yong Tamleneis mentioned in theComplaynt of Scotland, (1548,) and the dance ofThom of Lynis noticed in the same work. A considerable fragment of this ballad was printed by Herd, (vol. i. 215,) under the title ofKertonha', a corruption of Carterhaugh; another is furnished in Maidment'sNew Book of Old Ballads, (p. 54,) and a nearly complete version in Johnson'sMuseum, (p. 423,) which, with some alterations, was inserted in theTales of Wonder, (No. 58.) The present edition, prepared by Sir Walter Scott from a collation of various copies, is longer than any other, but was originally disfigured by several supposititious stanzas here omitted. Another version, with Maidment's fragment, will be found in the Appendix to this volume.

"Carterhaugh is a plain, at the conflux of the Ettrick and Yarrow in Selkirkshire, about a mile above Selkirk, and two miles below Newark Castle; a romantic ruin which overhangs the Yarrow, and which is said to have been the habitation of our heroine's father, though others place his residence in the tower of Oakwood. The peasants point out, upon the plain, those electrical rings, which vulgar credulity supposes to be traces of the Fairy revels. Here, they say, were placedthe stands of milk, and of water, in whichTamlanewas dipped, in order to effect the disenchantment; and upon these spots, according to their mode of expressing themselves, the grass will never grow. Miles Cross, (perhaps a corruption of Mary's Cross,) where fair Janet awaited the arrival of the Fairy train, is said to have stood near the Duke of Buccleuch's seat of Bow-hill, about half a mile from Carterhaugh."—(SCOTT'SMinstrelsy, ii. 334, at the end of a most interesting essay, introductory to this tale, on the Fairies of Popular Superstition.)

"O I forbid ye, maidens a',That wear gowd on your hair,To come or gae by Carterhaugh,For young Tamlane is there.5"There's nane that gaes by Carterhaugh,But maun leave him a wad,Either gowd rings, or green mantles,Or else their maidenheid."Now gowd rings ye may buy, maidens,10Green mantles ye may spin;But, gin ye lose your maidenheid,Ye'll ne'er get that agen."—But up then spak her, fair Janet,The fairest o' a' her kin;15"I'll cum and gang to Carterhaugh;And ask nae leave o' him."—Janet has kilted her green kirtle,A little abune her knee;And she has braided her yellow hair,20A little abune her bree.And when she came to Carterhaugh,She gaed beside the well;And there she fand his steed standing,But away was himsell.25She hadna pu'd a red red rose,A rose but barely three;Till up and starts a wee wee man,At lady Janet's knee.Says—"Why pu' ye the rose, Janet?30What gars ye break the tree?Or why come ye to Carterhaugh,Withouten leave o' me?"—Says—"Carterhaugh it is mine ain;My daddie gave it me;35I'll come and gang to Carterhaugh,And ask nae leave o' thee."He's ta'en her by the milk-white hand,Among the leaves sae green;And what they did, I cannot tell—40The green leaves were between.He's ta'en her by the milk-white hand,Among the roses red;And what they did, I cannot say—She ne'er return'd a maid.45When she cam to her father's ha',She looked pale and wan;They thought she'd dreed some sair sickness,Or been with some leman.She didna comb her yellow hair,50Nor make meikle o'er her head;And ilka thing that lady took,Was like to be her deid.It's four and twenty ladies fairWere playing at the ba';55Janet, the wightest of them anes,Was faintest o' them a'.Four and twenty ladies fairWere playing at the chess;And out there came the fair Janet,60As green as any grass.Out and spak an auld grey-headed knight,Lay o'er the castle wa',—"And ever, alas! for thee, Janet,But we'll be blamed a'!"—65"Now haud your tongue, ye auld grey knight!And an ill deid may ye die;Father my bairn on whom I will,I'll father nane on thee."—Out then spak her father dear,70And he spak meik and mild—"And ever, alas! my sweet Janet,I fear ye gae with child."—"And if I be with child, father,Mysell maun bear the blame;75There's ne'er a knight about your ha'Shall hae the bairnie's name."And if I be with child, father,'Twill prove a wondrous birth;For weel I swear I'm not wi' bairn80To any man on earth."If my love were an earthly knight,As he's an elfin grey,I wadna gie my ain true loveFor nae lord that ye hae."85She prink'd hersell and prinn'd hersell,By the ae light of the moon,And she's away to Carterhaugh,To speak wi' young Tamlane.And when she came to Carterhaugh,90She gaed beside the well;And there she saw the steed standing,But away was himsell.She hadna pu'd a double rose,A rose but only twae,95When up and started young Tamlane,Says—"Lady, thou pu's nae mae!"Why pu' ye the rose, Janet,Within this garden grene,And a' to kill the bonny babe,100That we got us between?""The truth ye'll tell to me, Tamlane;A word ye mauna lie;Gin e'er ye was in haly chapel,Or sained in Christentie?"105"The truth I'll tell to thee, Janet,A word I winna lie;A knight me got, and a lady me bore,As well as they did thee."Randolph, Earl Murray, was my sire,110Dunbar, Earl March, is thine;We loved when we were children small,Which yet you well may mind."When I was a boy just turn'd of nine,My uncle sent for me,115To hunt, and hawk, and ride with him,And keep him companie."There came a wind out of the north,A sharp wind and a snell;And a deep sleep came over me,120And frae my horse I fell."The Queen of Fairies keppit me,In yon green hill to dwell;And I'm a fairy, lyth and limb;Fair ladye, view me well.125"Then would I never tire, Janet,In Elfish land to dwell;But aye, at every seven years,They pay the teind to hell;And I am sae fat and fair of flesh,130I fear 'twill be mysell."This night is Hallowe'en, Janet,The morn is Hollowday;And, gin ye dare your true love win,Ye hae nae time to stay.135"The night it is good Hallowe'en,When fairy folk will ride;And they that wad their true-love win,At Miles Cross they maun bide.""But how shall I thee ken, Tamlane?140Or how shall I thee knaw,Amang so many unearthly knights,The like I never saw?""The first company that passes by,Say na, and let them gae;145The next company that passes by,Sae na, and do right sae;The third company that passes by,Then I'll be ane o' thae."First let pass the black, Janet,150And syne let pass the brown;But grip ye to the milk-white steed,And pu' the rider down."For I ride on the milk-white steed,And aye nearest the town;155Because I was a christen'd knight,They gave me that renown."My right hand will be gloved, Janet,My left hand will be bare;And these the tokens I gie thee,160Nae doubt I will be there."They'll turn me in your arms, Janet,An adder and a snake;But had me fast, let me not pass,Gin ye wad buy me maik.165"They'll turn me in your arms, Janet,An adder and an ask;They'll turn me in your arms, Janet,A bale that burns fast."They'll turn me in your arms, Janet,170A red-hot gad o' airn;But haud me fast, let me not pass,For I'll do you no harm."First dip me in a stand o' milk,And then in a stand o' water;175But had me fast, let me not pass—I'll be your bairn's father."And, next, they'll shape me in your arms,A tod, but and an eel;But had me fast, nor let me gang,180As you do love me weel."They'll shape me in your arms, Janet,A dove, but and a swan;And, last, they'll shape me in your armsA mother-naked man:185Cast your green mantle over me—I'll be myself again."—Gloomy, gloomy, was the night,And eiry was the way,As fair Janet, in her green mantle,190To Miles Cross she did gae.Betwixt the hours of twelve and one,A north wind tore the bent;And straight she heard strange elritch soundsUpon that wind which went.195About the dead hour o' the night,She heard the bridles ring;And Janet was as glad o' thatAs any earthly thing.Will o' Wisp before them went,200Sent forth a twinkling light;And soon she saw the Fairy bandsAll riding in her sight.And first gaed by the black black steed,And then gaed by the brown;205But fast she gript the milk-white steed,And pu'd the rider down.She pu'd him frae the milk-white steed,And loot the bridle fa';And up there raise an erlish cry—210"He's won amang us a'!"—They shaped him in fair Janet's arms,An esk, but and an adder;She held him fast in every shape—To be her bairn's father.215They shaped him in her arms at last,A mother-naked man:She wrapt him in her green mantle,And sae her true love wan!Up then spake the Queen o' Fairies,220Out o' a bush o' broom—"She that has borrow'd young Tamlane,Has gotten a stately groom."—Up then spake the Queen o' Fairies,Out o' a bush o' rye—225"She's ta'en awa the bonniest knightIn a' my cumpanie."But had I kenn'd, Tamlane," she says,"A lady wad borrow'd thee—I wad ta'en out thy twa grey een,230Put in twa een o' tree."Had I but kenn'd, Tamlane," she says,"Before ye came frae hame—I wad ta'en out your heart o' flesh,Put in a heart o' stane.235"Had I but had the wit yestreenThat I hae coft the day—I'd paid my kane seven times to hellEre you'd been won away!"

"O I forbid ye, maidens a',That wear gowd on your hair,To come or gae by Carterhaugh,For young Tamlane is there.

5"There's nane that gaes by Carterhaugh,But maun leave him a wad,Either gowd rings, or green mantles,Or else their maidenheid.

"Now gowd rings ye may buy, maidens,10Green mantles ye may spin;But, gin ye lose your maidenheid,Ye'll ne'er get that agen."—

But up then spak her, fair Janet,The fairest o' a' her kin;15"I'll cum and gang to Carterhaugh;And ask nae leave o' him."—

Janet has kilted her green kirtle,A little abune her knee;And she has braided her yellow hair,20A little abune her bree.

And when she came to Carterhaugh,She gaed beside the well;And there she fand his steed standing,But away was himsell.

25She hadna pu'd a red red rose,A rose but barely three;Till up and starts a wee wee man,At lady Janet's knee.

Says—"Why pu' ye the rose, Janet?30What gars ye break the tree?Or why come ye to Carterhaugh,Withouten leave o' me?"—

Says—"Carterhaugh it is mine ain;My daddie gave it me;35I'll come and gang to Carterhaugh,And ask nae leave o' thee."

He's ta'en her by the milk-white hand,Among the leaves sae green;And what they did, I cannot tell—40The green leaves were between.

He's ta'en her by the milk-white hand,Among the roses red;And what they did, I cannot say—She ne'er return'd a maid.

45When she cam to her father's ha',She looked pale and wan;They thought she'd dreed some sair sickness,Or been with some leman.

She didna comb her yellow hair,50Nor make meikle o'er her head;And ilka thing that lady took,Was like to be her deid.

It's four and twenty ladies fairWere playing at the ba';55Janet, the wightest of them anes,Was faintest o' them a'.

Four and twenty ladies fairWere playing at the chess;And out there came the fair Janet,60As green as any grass.

Out and spak an auld grey-headed knight,Lay o'er the castle wa',—"And ever, alas! for thee, Janet,But we'll be blamed a'!"—

65"Now haud your tongue, ye auld grey knight!And an ill deid may ye die;Father my bairn on whom I will,I'll father nane on thee."—

Out then spak her father dear,70And he spak meik and mild—"And ever, alas! my sweet Janet,I fear ye gae with child."—

"And if I be with child, father,Mysell maun bear the blame;75There's ne'er a knight about your ha'Shall hae the bairnie's name.

"And if I be with child, father,'Twill prove a wondrous birth;For weel I swear I'm not wi' bairn80To any man on earth.

"If my love were an earthly knight,As he's an elfin grey,I wadna gie my ain true loveFor nae lord that ye hae."

85She prink'd hersell and prinn'd hersell,By the ae light of the moon,And she's away to Carterhaugh,To speak wi' young Tamlane.

And when she came to Carterhaugh,90She gaed beside the well;And there she saw the steed standing,But away was himsell.

She hadna pu'd a double rose,A rose but only twae,95When up and started young Tamlane,Says—"Lady, thou pu's nae mae!

"Why pu' ye the rose, Janet,Within this garden grene,And a' to kill the bonny babe,100That we got us between?"

"The truth ye'll tell to me, Tamlane;A word ye mauna lie;Gin e'er ye was in haly chapel,Or sained in Christentie?"

105"The truth I'll tell to thee, Janet,A word I winna lie;A knight me got, and a lady me bore,As well as they did thee.

"Randolph, Earl Murray, was my sire,110Dunbar, Earl March, is thine;We loved when we were children small,Which yet you well may mind.

"When I was a boy just turn'd of nine,My uncle sent for me,115To hunt, and hawk, and ride with him,And keep him companie.

"There came a wind out of the north,A sharp wind and a snell;And a deep sleep came over me,120And frae my horse I fell.

"The Queen of Fairies keppit me,In yon green hill to dwell;And I'm a fairy, lyth and limb;Fair ladye, view me well.

125"Then would I never tire, Janet,In Elfish land to dwell;But aye, at every seven years,They pay the teind to hell;And I am sae fat and fair of flesh,130I fear 'twill be mysell.

"This night is Hallowe'en, Janet,The morn is Hollowday;And, gin ye dare your true love win,Ye hae nae time to stay.

135"The night it is good Hallowe'en,When fairy folk will ride;And they that wad their true-love win,At Miles Cross they maun bide."

"But how shall I thee ken, Tamlane?140Or how shall I thee knaw,Amang so many unearthly knights,The like I never saw?"

"The first company that passes by,Say na, and let them gae;145The next company that passes by,Sae na, and do right sae;The third company that passes by,Then I'll be ane o' thae.

"First let pass the black, Janet,150And syne let pass the brown;But grip ye to the milk-white steed,And pu' the rider down.

"For I ride on the milk-white steed,And aye nearest the town;155Because I was a christen'd knight,They gave me that renown.

"My right hand will be gloved, Janet,My left hand will be bare;And these the tokens I gie thee,160Nae doubt I will be there.

"They'll turn me in your arms, Janet,An adder and a snake;But had me fast, let me not pass,Gin ye wad buy me maik.

165"They'll turn me in your arms, Janet,An adder and an ask;They'll turn me in your arms, Janet,A bale that burns fast.

"They'll turn me in your arms, Janet,170A red-hot gad o' airn;But haud me fast, let me not pass,For I'll do you no harm.

"First dip me in a stand o' milk,And then in a stand o' water;175But had me fast, let me not pass—I'll be your bairn's father.

"And, next, they'll shape me in your arms,A tod, but and an eel;But had me fast, nor let me gang,180As you do love me weel.

"They'll shape me in your arms, Janet,A dove, but and a swan;And, last, they'll shape me in your armsA mother-naked man:185Cast your green mantle over me—I'll be myself again."—

Gloomy, gloomy, was the night,And eiry was the way,As fair Janet, in her green mantle,190To Miles Cross she did gae.

Betwixt the hours of twelve and one,A north wind tore the bent;And straight she heard strange elritch soundsUpon that wind which went.

195About the dead hour o' the night,She heard the bridles ring;And Janet was as glad o' thatAs any earthly thing.

Will o' Wisp before them went,200Sent forth a twinkling light;And soon she saw the Fairy bandsAll riding in her sight.

And first gaed by the black black steed,And then gaed by the brown;205But fast she gript the milk-white steed,And pu'd the rider down.

She pu'd him frae the milk-white steed,And loot the bridle fa';And up there raise an erlish cry—210"He's won amang us a'!"—

They shaped him in fair Janet's arms,An esk, but and an adder;She held him fast in every shape—To be her bairn's father.

215They shaped him in her arms at last,A mother-naked man:She wrapt him in her green mantle,And sae her true love wan!

Up then spake the Queen o' Fairies,220Out o' a bush o' broom—"She that has borrow'd young Tamlane,Has gotten a stately groom."—

Up then spake the Queen o' Fairies,Out o' a bush o' rye—225"She's ta'en awa the bonniest knightIn a' my cumpanie.

"But had I kenn'd, Tamlane," she says,"A lady wad borrow'd thee—I wad ta'en out thy twa grey een,230Put in twa een o' tree.

"Had I but kenn'd, Tamlane," she says,"Before ye came frae hame—I wad ta'en out your heart o' flesh,Put in a heart o' stane.

235"Had I but had the wit yestreenThat I hae coft the day—I'd paid my kane seven times to hellEre you'd been won away!"

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