BASTARD-CRESS, or Mithridate-Mustard**; a genus of plants belonging to the class of tetradynamia. See BOTANY INDEX.
**THOLOUSE.** See TOULOUSE.
**THOMÆANS, THOMISTS.** See CHRISTIANS OF ST THOMAS.
**THOMAS AQUINAS.** See AQUINAS.
**St Thomas's Day**, a festival of the Christian church, observed on Dec. 21, in commemoration of St Thomas the apostle.
**St Thomas of Canterbury's Day**, a festival of the Romish church, observed on Dec. 29, in memory of Thomas Becket archbishop of Canterbury, who was murdered, or as the Romanists say, martyred, in the reign of King Henry II.
**Thomas the Reynour**, called also **Thomas Lermont** and **Thomas of Erceldoun**, was born at Erceldoun, or Earlston, a village near Melrose in Tweeddale, 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 Mackenyie 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 said countess of Dunbar is the lady famous for the defense 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 Strongbow, earl of Pembroke, is called Earl of Strigul, from his residence at Strigul castle, near Chepstow, Monmouthshire, &c.
La Countesse de Donbar demande a Thomas de Esse- doune, quant la guere d'Escoce prendreit syn. Eyl la repoundy, et dyt—
When man as mad a kyng of a capped mon. When men is levere other mons thyng than is owes. When londe thows forest, and forest ys fulde. When bares kenedles othe hersten. When Wyt and Wille werres togedere. When mon makes stables of kyrkes; and steles castles wyth stytes. When Rokesbourh nys ne burgh; ant market is at Forwyleye. When the aide is gan, and the newe is come that dowe noht. When Bambourne ys donged with dede mon. When men ledes men in ropes to buyen ant to selde. When a quarter of whaty whete is chaunged for a colt of ten markes. When prude prikes, ant pees is leyd in prisone. When a Scot ne may hym bude ase hare in forme, that the Englysh ne shall hym fynde. When right ant wrong astente the togedere. When ladders weddeth lovedies. When Scottes fleo so faste, that for faute of ship, hy droumuth herselfe. When shal this be? Nouther in thynne tyme, ne in myne. Ah comen, ant gone, Withanne 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 1682, and 1742.