THOMAS THE RHYMER, a name given to the earliest poet of Scotland. The history of his life and writings is involved in much obscurity; but it is generally believed that Thomas Learmount of was the person whose poems and prophecies were extensively known among the people of Scotland at an early period. The rhymer derived his territorial appellation from the village of Ercildoune, in the county of Ber wick, situated on the river Leader, about 2 m. above its junction with the Tweed. The time of his birth is unknown; but he appears to have reached the height of his reputation in 1283, when he is said to have predicted the death of Alexander king of Scotland. This singular prophecy is recorded in the Scolichronicon of Fordun in 1430, who relates that one day the rhymer, when visiting at the castle of Dunbar, was interrogated by the earl of March, in a jocular manner, if to-morrow should produce any remarkable event. The rhymer is reported to have expressed himself to the effect: "Alas for to-morrow, a day of calamity and misery! Before the twelfth hour shall be heard a blast so vehement that it shall exceed all those which have yet been heard Scotland—a blast which shall strike the nations with amazement, shall confound those who hear it, shall humble what is lofty, and what is unbending shall level with the ground." On the following day the earl, who had been unable to discover any unusual appearance iu the weather, when seating himself at table observed the hand of the dial to point to the hour of noon; while, at the same moment, a messenger appeared bringing the mournful tidings of the acci dental death of Alexander at Kingorm From this and other prophecies the rhymer became popularly known as "true Thomas," and was believed to have derived his skill from his intercourse with the queen of fairyland. The legend bears that he was carried off at an early age to fairyland, where he acquired all the knowledge which made him so famous. After seven years' residence there he was permitted to return to the earth to enlighten and astonish his countrymen by his prophetic powers, still remaining bound to return to his royal mistress when she should intimate her pleasure. Accordingly, while the rhymer was making merry with
his friends in his tower at Ercildoune, a person came running in, and told, with marks of fear and astonishment, that a hart and hind had left the neighboring forest, and were composedly and slowly parading the street of the village. The rhymer instantly rose, left his habitation, and followed the animals to the forests, whence he was never seen to return. The Eildon tree, where he delivered his prophecies, no longer exists; but its site is marked by a large stone called the Eildon tree stone. A neighboring rivulet takes the name of the Bogle (or goblin) burn from the rhymer's supernatural visitants.
The earliest edition of the prophecies of the rhymer was published in Edinburgh, by Waldegrave, in 1603. See also, The Romance and Prophecies of T homas of Ercildoune, by J. A. H. Murray, LL.D. (1876).
Allusions to the rhymer occur in Wynton's Chronicle, blind Harry's Wallace, and other ancient Scottish authors. In Bellenden's translation of Bocce, printed in 1535, it is stated that "this Thomas wes ane man of gret admiration to the pepil; and schew sindry thingis as they fell, howbeit they wer ay hid under obscure wourdis." In the poems of Robert of Brunne, who flourished about 1303, there is an incidental notice that the rhymer had composed a version of the incomparable romance of Sir Tristrem. It was long a subject of inquiry to Scottish antiquaries where this literary treasure might exist; until a copy of it was discovered by Mr. Ritson in the Auchinleck manuscript, preserved in the Advocates' library, which was edited by sir Walter Scott in 1804. The merits of this romance are of a very high order, and the rhymer must be regarded as having possessed a poetical genius superior to any of his contemporaries.
The time of the death of the rhymer, like that of his birth, is a matter of conjecture; but he must have died before 1299 (the date of a charter in which his son calls himself "Filius et hmres Thorax Rymour de Ercildon)."