THOMAS the Reymour, called also Thomas Lermont, and Thomas of Erceeldon, was born at Erceeldon, a village near Melrose in Tweedale, in what year is uncertain; but he was an old man when Edward I. was carrying on war in Scotland.
The character of Lermont as a prophet, and which was common to him with Linus, Orpheus, and other early poets in many countries, arose, if we may believe Mackenzie in his Lives of Scottish Writers, from his having conferences with Eliza, a nun and prophetess at Haddington. Lermont put her predictions into verse, and thus came in for his share of the prophetic spirit. None of these ancient prophecies now remain; but the following, which pretends to be one of them, is given from a manuscript of the time of Edward I. or II. The countess of Dunbar is the lady famous for the defence of her castle against the English. Her proper title was Countess of March; but it was common in these times to style a nobleman from his chief residence. Thus Gilbert Strogbow, earl of Pembroke, is called Earl of Striguil, from his residence at Striguil castle, near Chepstow, Montgomeryshire, &c.
La Countesse de Dunbar demande a Thomas de Effedoun, quant la guerre d'Escoce prendroit syn. Et yl l'a repondy, et dist.
When man as mad a kyng of a capped mon.
When mon is levere other mons thyng than is owen.
When londe thouys forest, and forest ys felde.
When hares kendles othe herston.
When Wyt and Wille werres togedere.
When mon makes flables of kyrkes; and stoles castles wyth fleyes.
When Rokebourh nys no burgh; ant market is at Forwyleye.
When the alde is gan, and the newe is come that doue noht.
When Bambourne ys donged with dede men.
When men ledes men in ropes to buyen ant to sellen.
When a quarter of waty whete is chaunged for a colt of ten markes.
When prude prikes, ant pees is leyd in prisonn.
When a Scot ne may hym hude ale hare in forme, that the English ne shal hym fynde.
When ryht ant wrong altente the togedere.
When laddes weddeth lovedies.
When Scottes shen so falk, that for faute of ship, hy drouneth hemselfe.
When shal this be?
Nouth in thine tyme, ne in myne.
Ah comen, ant gone,
Withinne twenty wynter ant on.
In fact, the prophecies of Lermont appear to have been merely traditional; nay, it seems doubtful if he ever pretended to such folly, notwithstanding Mackenzie's story of Eliza. The reverence of the people for a learned and respectable character seems to have been the sole foundation of Thomas's claim to prophecy. But, in the 16th century, prophecies were made, and ascribed to him, as well as others given to Bede, Merlin, &c. (A). They were printed at Edinburgh, 1615, reprinted 1680, and 1742.