The Romance and Prophecies of Thomas of Ersseldonne, printed from five manuscripts: with Illustrations from the Prophetic Literature of the 15th and 16th Centuries

by Thomas the Rhymer

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160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1400

About the author

Sir Thomas Learmont de Ercildoune (or Erceldoune), remembered as Thomas the Rhymer (fl. c. 1220 - 1298), also known as True Thomas, was a Scottish laird and reputed prophet from Earlston (then called 'Erceldoune') in the Borders. Thomas' gift of prophecy is linked to his poetic ability.

He is often cited as the author of the English Sir Tristrem, a version of the Tristram legend, and some lines in Robert Mannyng's Chronicle may be the source of this association. It is not clear if the name Rhymer was his actual surname or merely a sobriquet.

In literature, he appears as the protagonist in the tale about Thomas the Rhymer carried off by the Queen of Elfland and returned having gained the gift of prophecy, as well as the inability to tell a lie. The tale survives in a medieval verse romance in five manuscripts, as well as in the popular ballad Thomas Rhymer (Child Ballad number 37). The romance occurs as Thomas off Ersseldoune in the Lincoln Thornton Manuscript.

The original romance (from c.1400) was probably condensed into ballad form (c. 1700), though there are dissenting views on this. Walter Scott expanded the ballad into three parts, adding a sequel which incorporated the prophecies ascribed to Thomas, and an epilogue where Thomas is summoned back to Elfland after the appearance of a sign, in the form of the milk-white hart and hind. Numerous prose retellings of the tale of Thomas the Rhymer have been undertaken, and included in fairy tale or folk-tale anthologies; these often incorporate the return to Fairyland episode that Scott reported to have learned from local legend.