 | The Romance and Prophecies of Thomas of Ersseldoune |  |
The Romance and Prophecies of Thomas of Erceldoune
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Square brackets indicate text supplied by the editor
Only the text from the Thornton manuscript has been transcribed in full. Where the Thornton manuscript is incomplete, the text has been taken from the Sloane manuscript. Sections taken from the Sloane manuscript have been noted.
The line-numbering follows Murray's edition which prints five manuscript versions of the poem in parallel. The gaps in the numbering occur because some sections of verse do not appear in either the Thornton or Sloane manuscripts but are present only in one of the other manuscript variants.
Tomas Off Ersseldoune.
Lystyns, lordyngs, bothe grete & smale,
And takis gude tente what j will saye:
I sall ȝow telle als trewe a tale,
Als euer was herde by nyghte or daye:
And þe maste meruelle ffor owttyne naye,
That euer was herde by-fore or syene,
And þer-fore pristly j ȝow praye,
That ȝe will of ȝoure talkyng blyne.
It es an harde thyng for to saye,
Of doghety dedis þat hase bene done;
Of felle feghtyngs & batells sere;
And how þat þir knyghtis hase wonne þair schone.
Bot jhesu crist þat syttis in trone,
Safe ynglysche mene bothe ferre & nere;
And j sall telle ȝow tyte and sone,
Of Batells donne sythene many a ȝere;
And of batells þat done sall bee;
In whate place, and howe, and whare;
And wha sall hafe þe heghere gree,
And whethir partye sall hafe þe werre;
Wha sall takk þe flyghte and flee,
And wha sall dye and by-leue thare:
Bot jhesu crist, þat dyed on tre,
Saue jnglysche mene whare-so þay fare.
And takis gude tente what j will saye:
I sall ȝow telle als trewe a tale,
Als euer was herde by nyghte or daye:
And þe maste meruelle ffor owttyne naye,
That euer was herde by-fore or syene,
And þer-fore pristly j ȝow praye,
That ȝe will of ȝoure talkyng blyne.
It es an harde thyng for to saye,
Of doghety dedis þat hase bene done;
Of felle feghtyngs & batells sere;
And how þat þir knyghtis hase wonne þair schone.
Bot jhesu crist þat syttis in trone,
Safe ynglysche mene bothe ferre & nere;
And j sall telle ȝow tyte and sone,
Of Batells donne sythene many a ȝere;
And of batells þat done sall bee;
In whate place, and howe, and whare;
And wha sall hafe þe heghere gree,
And whethir partye sall hafe þe werre;
Wha sall takk þe flyghte and flee,
And wha sall dye and by-leue thare:
Bot jhesu crist, þat dyed on tre,
Saue jnglysche mene whare-so þay fare.
2
[FYTTE THE FIRSTE.]
Als j me wente þis Endres daye,ffull faste in mynd makand my mone,
In a mery mornynge of Maye,
By huntle bankkes my selfe allone,
I herde þe jaye, & þe throstyll cokke,
The Mawys menyde hir of hir songe,
Þe wodewale beryde als a belle,
That alle þe wode a-bowte me ronge.
Allonne in longynge thus als j laye,
Vndyre-nethe a semely tree,
[OMITTED]j whare a lady gaye
[OMITTED]ouer a longe lee.
If j solde sytt to domesdaye,
With my tonge, to wrobbe and wrye,
Certanely þat lady gaye,
Neuer bese scho askryede for mee.
Hir palfraye was a dappill graye,
Swylke one ne saghe j neuer none;
Als dose þe sonne on someres daye,
Þat faire lady hir selfe scho schone.
Hir selle it was of roelle bone,
ffull semely was þat syghte to see!
Stefly sett with precyous stones,
And compaste all with crapotee,
Stones of Oryente, grete plente;
Hir hare abowte hir hede it hange;
Scho rade ouer þat lange lee;
A whylle scho blewe, a-noþer scho sange.
4
The bukylls were of Berelle stone,
Hir steraps were of crystalle clere,
And all with perelle ouer-by-gone.
Hir payetrelle was of jrale fyne,
Hir cropoure was of Orpharë;
And als clere golde hir brydill it schone,
One aythir syde hange bellys three.
And seuene raches by hir þay rone;
Scho bare an horne abowte hir halse,
And vndir hir belte full many a flone.
Thomas laye & sawe þat syghte,
Vndir-nethe ane semly tree;
He sayd, ‘ȝone es marye moste of myghte,
Þat bare þat childe þat dyede for mee.
Bot if j speke with ȝone lady bryghte,
I hope myne herte will bryste in three!
Now sall j go with all my myghte,
Hir for to mete at Eldoune tree.’
Thomas rathely vpe he rase,
And he rane ouer þat Mountayne hye;
Gyff it be als the storye sayes,
He hir mette at Eldone tree.
He knelyde downe appone his knee,
Vndir-nethe þat grenwode spraye;
And sayd, ‘lufly ladye! rewe one mee,
Qwene of heuene als þou wele maye!’
Than spake þat lady Milde of thoghte,
‘Thomas! late swylke wordes bee;
Qwene of heuene ne am j noghte,
ffor j tuke neuer so heghe degre.
6
If j be payrelde moste of prysse;
I ryde aftyre this wylde fee,
My raches rynnys at my devyse.’
‘If þou be parelde moste of prysee,
And here rydis thus in thy folye,
Of lufe, lady, als þou erte wysse,
Þou gyffe me leue to lye the bye!’
Scho sayde, ‘þou mane, þat ware folye,
I praye þe, Thomas, þou late me bee;
ffor j saye þe full sekirlye,
Þat synne will for-doo all my beaute.’
‘Now, lufly ladye, rewe one mee,
And j will euer more with the duelle;
Here my trouthe j will the plyghte,
Whethir þou will in heuene or helle.’
‘Mane of Molde! þou will me marre,
Bot ȝitt þou sall hafe all thy will;
And trowe it wele, þou chewys þe werre,
ffor alle my beaute will þou spylle.’
Downe þane lyghte þat lady bryghte,
Vndir-nethe þat grenewode spraye;
And, als the storye tellis full ryghte,
Seuene sythis by hir he laye.
Scho sayd, ‘mane, the lykes thy playe:
Whate byrde in boure maye delle with the?
Thou merrys me all þis longe daye,
I praye the, Thomas, late me bee!’
8
And he by-helde þat lady gaye;
Hir hare it hange all ouer hir hede,
Hir eghne semede owte, þatare were graye.
And alle þe riche clothynge was a-waye,
Þat he by-fore sawe in þat stede;
Hir a schanke blake, hir oþer graye,
And all hir body lyke the lede.
Thomas laye & sawe þat syghte,
Vndir-nethe þat grenewod tree;
Þan said Thomas, ‘allas! allas!
In faythe þis es a dullfull syghte;
How arte þou fadyde þus in þe face,
Þat schane by-fore als þe sonne so bryght[e]!’
Scho sayd, ‘Thomas, take leue at sonne & Mon[e],
And als at lefe þat grewes on tree;
This twelmoneth sall þou with me gone,
And Medill-erthe sall þou none see.’
He knelyd downe appone his knee,
10
And sayd, ‘lufly lady! rewe on mee,
Mylde qwene of heuene, als þou beste maye.
Allas!’ he sayd, ‘& wa es mee!
I trowe my dedis wyll wirke me care;
My saulle, jhesu, by-teche j the,
Whedir-some þat euer my banes sall fare.’
Scho ledde hym jn at Eldone hill,
Vndir-nethe a derne lee;
Whare it was dirke als mydnyght myrke,
And euer þe water till his knee.
The montenans of dayes three,
He herd bot swoghynge of þe flode;
At þe laste, he sayde, ‘full wa es mee!
Almaste j dye, for fawte of f[ode.]’
Scho lede hym in-till a faire herbere,
Whare frwte was g[ro] wan [d gretplentee;]
Pere and appill, bothe ryppe þay were,
The date, and als the damasee;
Þe fygge, and als so þe wyneberye;
The nyghtgales byggande on þair neste;
Þe papeioyes faste abowte gane flye;
And throstylls sange wolde hafe no reste.
He pressede to pulle frowyte with his hande,
Als mane for fude þat was nere faynt;
Scho sayd, ‘Thomas! þou late þame stande,
Or ells þe fende the will atteynt.
If þou it plokk, sothely to saye,
Thi saule gose to þe fyre of helle;
It commes neuer owte or domesdaye,
Bot þer jn payne ay for to duelle.
Thomas, sothely, j the hyghte,
Come lygge thyne hede downe on my knee,
And [þou] sall se þe fayreste syghte,
Þat euer sawe mane of thi contree.’
He did in hye als scho hym badde;
12
ffor hir to paye he was full glade,
And þane þat lady to hym sayde:
‘Seese þou nowe ȝone faire waye,
Þat lygges ouer ȝone heghe mountayne?—
ȝone es þe waye to heuene for aye,
Whene synfull sawles are passede þer payne.
Seese þou nowe ȝone oþer waye,
Þat lygges lawe by-nethe ȝone rysse?
ȝone es þe waye þe sothe to saye,
Vn-to þe joye of paradyse.
Seese þou ȝitt ȝone thirde waye,
Þat ligges vndir ȝone grene playne?
ȝone es þe waye, with tene and traye,
Whare synfull saulis suffirris þaire payne.
Bot seese þou nowe ȝone ferthe waye,
Þat lygges ouer ȝone depe delle?
ȝone es þe waye, so waylawaye,
Vn-to þe birnande fyre of helle.
Seese þou ȝitt ȝone faire castelle,
[þat standis ouer] ȝone heghe hill?
Of towne & towre, it beris þe belle;
In erthe es none lyke it vn-till.
ffor sothe, Thomas, ȝone es myne awenne,
And þe kynges of this Countree;
Bot me ware leuer be hanged & drawene,
Or þat he wyste þou laye me by.
When þou commes to ȝone castelle gaye,
I pray þe curtase mane to bee;
And whate so any mane to þe saye,
Luke þou answere none bott mee.
My lorde es seruede at ylk a mese,
With thritty knyghttis faire & free;
I sall saye syttande at the desse,
I tuke thi speche by-ȝonde the see.’
Thomas still als stane he stude,
And he by-helde þat lady gaye;
14
And also ryche one hir palfraye.
Hir grewehundis fillide with dere blode;
Hir raches couplede by my faye;
Scho blewe hir horne, with mayne & mode,
Vn-to þe castelle scho tuke þe waye.
In-to þe haulle sothely scho went;
Thomas foloued at hir hande;
Than ladyes come, bothe faire & gent,
With curtassye to hir knelande.
Harpe & fethill bothe þay fande,
Getterne, and als so þe sawtrye;
Lutte and rybybe bothe gangande,
And all manere of mynstralsye.
Þe moste meruelle þat Thomas thoghte,
Whene þat he stode appone þe flore;
ffor feftty hertis jn were broghte,
Þat were bothe grete and store.
Raches laye lapande in þe blode,
Cokes come with dryssynge knyfe;
Thay brittened þame als þay were wode,
Reuelle amanges þame was full ryfe.
Knyghtis dawnesede by three and three,
There was revelle, gamene, and playe;
Lufly ladyes faire and free,
16
Thomas duellide in that solace
More þane j ȝowe saye parde;
Till one a daye, so hafe I grace,
My lufly lady sayde to mee:
‘Do buske the, Thomas, þe buse agayne;
ffor þou may here no lengare be;
Hye the faste with myghte & mayne,
I sall the brynge till Eldone tree.’
Thomas sayde þane with heuy chere,
‘Lufly lady, nowe late me bee,
ffor certis, lady, j hafe bene here
Noghte bot þe space of dayes three!’
‘ffor sothe, Thomas, als j þe telle,
þou hase bene here thre ȝere & more;
Bot langere here þou may noghte duelle,
The skylle j sall þe telle whare-fore:
To Morne, of helle þe foulle fende.
Amange this folke will feche his fee;
And þou arte mekill mane and hende,
I trowe full wele he wolde chese the.
ffor alle þe golde þat euer may bee,
ffro hethyne vn-to þe worldis ende,
Þou bese neuer be-trayede for mee
Þere-fore with me j rede thou wende.’
Scho broghte hym agayne to Eldone tree,
Vndir-nethe þat grenewode spraye;
In huntlee bannkes es mery to bee,
Whare fowles synges bothe nyght & daye.
‘fferre owtt in ȝone Mountane graye,
Thomas, my fawkone bygges a neste;
A fawconne es an Erlis praye,
ffor-thi in na place may he reste.
ffare wele, Thomas, j wend my waye,
fforme by-houys ouer thir benttis browne.’
loo here a fytt more es to saye,
All of Thomas of Erselldowne.
18
[FYTT THE SECONDE.]
Fare wele, Thomas, j wend my waye,I may no lengare stande with the!’
‘Gyff me a tokynynge, lady gaye,
That j may saye j spake with the.’
‘To harpe or carpe, whare-so þou gose,
Thomas, þou sall hafe þe chose sothely.’
And he saide, ‘harpynge kepe j none;
ffor tonge es chefe of mynstralsye.’
‘If þou will spelle, or tales telle,
Thomas, þou sall neuer lesynge lye,
Whare euer þou fare, by frythe or felle,
I praye the, speke none euyll of me!
ffare wele, Thomas, with-owttyne gyle,
I may no lengare duelle with the.’
‘Lufly lady, habyde a while,
And telle þou me of some ferly!’
‘Thomas, herkyne what j the saye:
Whene a tree rote es dede,
The leues fadis þane & wytis a-waye;
& froyte it beris nane þane, whyte ne rede.
Of þe bay lliolfe blod so sall it falle:
It sall be lyke a rotyne tree;
The comyns, & þe Barlays alle,
The Russells, & þe ffresells free,
20
Na ferly if þat froyte than dye.
And mekill bale sall after spraye,
Whare joye & blysse was wonte [to bee;]
ffare wele, Thomas, j wende m[y waye]
I may no langer stand w[ith the.]’
‘Now lufly lady gud [and gay]
Telle me ȝitt of some ferly!’
‘Whatkyns ferlys, Thomas gude,
Sold j þe telle, and thi wills bee?’
‘Telle me of this gentill blode,
Wha sall thrife, and wha sall thee:
Wha sall be kynge, wha sall be none,
And wha sall welde this northe countre?
Wha sall flee, & wha sall be tane,
And whare thir batells donne sall bee?’
‘Thomas, of a Batelle j sall þe telle,
Þat sall be done righte sone at wille:
Beryns sall mete bothe fers & felle,
And freschely fighte at Eldone hille.
The Bretons blode sall vndir fete,
Þe Bruyse blode sall wyne þe spraye;
Sex thowsande ynglysche, wele þou wete,
Sall there be slayne, þat jlk daye.
ffare wele, Thomas, j wende my waye;
To stande with the, me thynk full jrke.
Of a batell j will the saye,
Þat sall be done at fawkirke:
22
Trowe this wele, with mode & mayne;
The bruysse blode sall vndir gane,
Seuene thowsande scottis þer sall be slayne.
ffare wele, Thomas, j pray þe sesse;
No lengare here þou tarye mee;
My grewehundis, þay breke þaire lesse,
And my raches þaire copills in three.
Loo! whare þe dere, by twa and twa,
Haldis ouer ȝone Montane heghe.’
Thomas said, ‘god schilde þou gaa!
Bot telle me ȝitt of some ferly.’
[‘Of a] batelle, j sall the saye,
[That sall] gare ladyse morne in mode;
[[OMITTED]]e, bothe water & claye
Sall be mengyde with mannes blode:
Stedis sall stombill with tresoune,
Bothe Baye & broune, grysselle and graye;
Gentill knyghtis sall stombill downe,
Thorowe þe takynge of a wykkide waye.
Þe Bretons blode sall vndir falle;
The Bryusse blode sall wyne þe spraye;
24
Sall there be slane, þat jlk a daye.
Than sall scottland kyngles stande;
Trow it wele, þat j the saye!
A tercelet, of the same lande,
To bretane sall take þe Redy waye,
And take tercelettis grete and graye,
With hym owte of his awene contree;
Thay sall wende on an ryche arraye,
And come agayne by land and see.
He sall stroye the northe contree,
Mare and lesse hym by-forne;
Ladyse sall saye, allas! & walowaye!
Þat euer þat Royalle blode was borne.
He sall ryse vpe at kynke horne,
And tye þe chippis vn-to þe sande.
At dipplynge more, appone þe Morne,
Lordis will thynke full lange to stande;
By-twix depplynge and the dales,
The watir þat rynnes one rede claye—
There sall be slayne, for sothe, Thomas,
Eleuene thowsandez scottis, þat nyghte & daye.
Thay sall take a townne of grete renownne,
Þat standis nere the water of Taye;
Þe ffadir & þe sone sall be dongene downe,
And with strakis strange be slayne a-waye.
26
And ylke mane hase cheuede þayre chance,
Than sall thir bretons make þame bowne,
And fare forthe to þe werre of fraunce.
Than sall scotland kyng-lesse stande,
And be lefte, Thomas, als j the saye;
Than sall a kyng be chosene, so ȝynge,
That kane no lawes lede par faye:
Dauid, with care he sall be-gynne,
And with care he sall wende awaye.
Lordis & ladyse, more and Myne,
Sall come appone a riche araye,
And crowne hym at the towne of skyme,
Appone an certane solempe daye.
Beryns balde, bothe ȝonge and alde,
Sall till hym drawe with-owttyne naye;
Euyne he sall to ynglande ryde,
Este and weste als lygges the waye.
Be-twixe a parke and an abbaye,
A palesse and a paresche kyrke,
Thare sall ȝour kynge faill of his praye,
And of his lyfe be wondir jrke.
He sall be tane, so wondir sare,
So þat a-waye he sall noghte flee;
28
Þe rede blode tryklelandevn-to his kn[ee].
He sall þan be, with a false f[OMITTED]
Be-trayede of his awene[OMITTED]
whither it turne to ivell or goode;
& he shall bide in a ravens hand.
the ravin shall þe Goshawke wynne,
if his fethers be neuer so black;
& leide him strayte to London,
þer shall your fawcone fynde his make.
þe ravin shall his fethers shake,
& take tarslettes gaye & greate,
with him, owte of his awne contre;
& þe kinge shall him Mr make,
In þe northe to do owttraye.
And whene he es mane moste of Mayne,
And hopis beste þane for to spede,
On a ley lande sall he be slayne,
Be-syde a waye for-owttyne drede.
Sythene sall selle scotland, par ma faye,
ffulle and fere, full many ane,
ffor to make a certane paye;
Bot ende of it sall neuer come nane.
And þane sall scotland kyngles stande;
Trowe this wele, þat j telle the!
Thre tercelettis of þe same lande
30
He sall bygg & browke the tree,
That hase no flyghte to fley a-waye;
Thay sall with pryde to y[n]gland ryde,
Este & weste als lygges þe waye.
Haly kyrke bese sett be-syde,
Relygyous byrnede on a fyre;
Sythene sall þay to a castelle gl[yde],
& shewe þem there with mykell ire.
betwixt a well & a weare,
a withwell & a slyke stone,
þer shall ij cheftens mete in fere,
the on shall doughtles be slayne.
the brusse blud shall with him fle,
& leade him to a worthi towne;
and close him in a castell lyght,
theare to be with greate renowme.
Farewell, I wend my waye;
me behoves ouer yonder bent so browne.’
here endethe þe ijd fytt, I saye,
of sir thomas of Arseldon.
32
[FYTT THE THIRD.]
‘Nowe, lufly lady, gente and hende,Telle me, ȝif it thi willis bee,
Of thyes Batells, how þay schall ende,
And whate schalle worthe of this northe countre?’
‘This worlde, Thomas, sothely to telle,
Es noghte bot wandrethe & woghe!
Of a batelle j will the telle,
Thatschall be donne at spynkarde cloughe:
The bretons blode schalle vndir falle,
The bruyse blode schalle wyne þe spraye;
Sex thowsande ynglysche, grete & smalle,
Salle thare be slayne þat nyghte & daye.
The rerewarde sall noghte weite, parfaye,
Of that jlke dulfulle dede;
Thay sall make a grete journaye,
Dayes tene with-owttyne drede.
And of a batelle j will þe telle,
That sall be donne now sone at will:
Beryns sall mete, bothe ferse & felle,
And freschely fyghte at pentland hyll.
By-twyx Sembery & pentlande,
Þe haulle þat standis appone þe rede claye—
34
[Of scot]tis mene, þat nyghte & daye.
thei shall take a walled towne,
the father & þe sonne bene slayne awaye;
knightes shall wynne þer warysone,
thurghe dynt of swerd for euer & aye.
when þei haue wonne the wallid towne,
and euery mann chosen his chaunce,
the bretens þen shall make them bowne,
and forthe to þe warres of Fraunce.
thei shalbe in fraunce full
thomas, I saye, iij yeares & mare;
and dynge downe towerȝ, & castelles [stronge,
to euery mann in sonder fare.
then shall thei be bought full stronge,
betwixt Seiton & þe seye;
the bretens shalbe þe greaves amonge,
The toþer oste at barboke.
fforryours furthe sall flee,
On a Sonondaye, by-fore þe messee;
Seuene thowsandes sothely sall be slayne,
One aythir partye, more and lesse.
ffor þer sall be no baneres presse,
Bot ferre in sondir sall thay bee;
Carefull sall be þe after mese,
36
Schippis sall stande appone þe Sande,
Wayffande with þe Sees fame;
Thre ȝere and mare, þan sall þay stande,
Or any beryne come foche þame hame.
Stedis awaye Maysterles sall flynge,
Ouer þe Mountans too and fraa;
Thaire sadills one þaire bakkis sall hynge,
Vn-to þe garthis be rotyne in twaa.
ȝitt sall þay hewe one alle þe daye,
Vn-to þe sonne be sett nere weste;
Bot þer es no wighte þat ȝitt wiete maye,
Wheþer of thayme sall hafe þe beste.
Thay sall plante downe þaire thare,
Worthi mene al nyghte sall dye;
Bot One þe Morne þer sall be care,
ffor nowþer syde sall hafe þe gree.
Than sall þay take a trewe, and swere,
ffor thre ȝere & more, j vndirstande,
Þat nane of þame sall oþer dere,
neither by water ne by land.
betwin ij Saint mary dayes,
when þe tyme waxethe longe,
then shall thei mete, & bannerȝ raise,
on claydon moore, bothe styf & stronge.
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shalbe slayne, & vnder be.
a Raven shall comme ouer þe moore;
and after him a crowe shalle flee,
to seke þe moore, without reste,
after a crosse is made of stone,
ouer hill & dale, bothe easte & weste;
Bot wiete wele, Thomas, he sall fynd nan[e].
He sall lyghte, whare þe crose solde bee,
And holde his nebbe vp to the skye;
And drynke of gentill blode and free;
Þane ladys, waylowaye, sall crye.
Ther sall a lorde come to þat werre,
Þat sall be of full grete renown[ne];
And in his Banere sall he bere,
Triste it wele, a rede lyone.
Thar sall anoþer come to þat werr[e],
Þat sall fyghte full fayre in [ ]
And in his banere sall he ber[e]
A Schippe with an ankyre of golde.
ȝitt sall an oþer come to þat werre,
Þat es noghte knawene by northe n[e southe];
And in his Banere sall he bere
A wolfe with a nakede childe in his mo[uthe].
ȝitt sall þe ferthe lorde come to þatw[erre],
Þat sall grete Maystries after ma[ke];
And in his B[anere sa]ll he b[er]e
The bere[OMITTED]
40
Wh[OMITTED]
Bot[OMITTED]
Þer[OMITTED]
An[OMITTED]
Th[OMITTED]
Þe[OMITTED]
An[OMITTED]
Be[OMITTED]
Wh[OMITTED]
Th[OMITTED]
The[OMITTED]
frely þei shall fight þat daye,
to þat þe sonne be sett neare weste;
none of them shall witt, I saye,
whither partie shall haue þe beste.
a basted shall comme owte of a fforreste,
in sothe england borne shalbe—
he shall wynne þe gre for þe beste,
& all þe land after bretens shalbe.
then he shall into England ryde,
easte weste, as we heare sayne.
all false lawes he shall laye downe,
þat ar begonne in þat contre;
trewthe to do, he shalbe bone,
& all þe land, after, bretens shalbe.
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that it be so, euerche worde.
of a battell I shall the spell,
that shalbe done at sandyford:
ney þe forde þer is a braye,
and ney þe braye þer is a well;
a stone þer is, a lytell fraye,
& so þer is, þe sothe to tell.
thowe may trowe this, euery wurde—
growand þer be okes iij;
that is called the sandyford,
þer the laste battell done shalbe.
Remnerdes & Clyffordes bolde shalbe,
in Bruse land iij yeares & mare,
& dynge downe towerȝ & castellȝ high;
to do owtraye thei shall not spare.
þe basted shall gett him power stronge,
all þe fyue leishe lande—
there shall not on him bodword brynge,
as I am for to vnderstand.
þe basted shall die in þe holly lande;
Ihesu Criste! þat mykell maye,
his sowle þou take into þi hande,
when he is deade & layed in claye!’
& as she tolde, at the laste,
þe teares fell ouer hir eyen graye.
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take your leave & goo your waye!’
‘I wepe not for my waye wyndinge,
but for ladyes, faire & fre,
when lordes bene deade, without leasynge,
shall wedd yomen of poore degre.
he shall have steades in stabull fedd;
a hawke to bare vpon his hand;
a lovly lady to his bedd;
his elders before him had no land!
farewell, thomas, well the be!
for all this daye thowe wilt me marr.
‘nowe, lovly lady, tell thowe me,
of blak annes of Dvnbarr.’
‘of blak annes comme neuer gode,
therfor, maye she neuer the:
for all hir welthe, & worldes gode,
in london shall she slayne be.
the greateste merchaunte of hir blud,
in a dike shall he dye;
houndes of him shall take þer fode,
mawger all þer kynne & he.’
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teares fell ouer his eyen so graye.
‘nowe, lovly lady, tell þou me,
if we shall parte for euer & aye?’
‘naye!’ she saide, ‘thomas, parde,
To huntlee bankkis þou take the way[e];
[T]here sall j sekirly be bowne,
[And] mete the Thomas whene j maye.
[I sa]ll the kenne whare euer thou gaa,
[To ber]e þe þryce of curtaysye;
[For tu]nge es wele, & tunge es waa,
[And tun]ge es chefe of Mynstrallsye.’
[Scho ble]we hir horne on hir palfraye,
[And left]e Thomas vndir-nethe a tre;
[To Helmesd]ale scho tuke the waye;
[And thus] departede scho and hee!
[Of swilke] an hird mane wolde j here,
[Þat couth] Me telle of swilke ferly.
[Ihesu], corounde with a crowne of brere,
[Bry]nge vs to his heuene So hyee! amene, amene.
Explicit Thomas
Of Erseledownne
| The Romance and Prophecies of Thomas of Ersseldoune | |