Minstrelsy of the Scottish border - National Library of Scotland

170 MINSTRELSY OF
stead of the proper sirnames of their families, was com-
mon, and indeed necessary, among the Border clans. So
early as the end of the thirteenth century, when sirnames
were hardly introduced in Scotland, this custom must
have been universal. There is, therefore, nothing in-
consistent in supposing our poet's name to have been
actually Learmont, although, in this charter, he is dis-
tinguished by the popular appellation of The Rhymer.
We are better able to ascertain the period at which
Thomas of Ercildoun lived, being the latter end of the
thirteenth century. I ain inclined to place his death a
little farther back than Mr Pinkerton, who supposes that
he was alive in 1300, {List of Scottish Poets;) which is
hardly, I think, consistent with the charter already quo-
ted, by which his son, in 1299, foi^ himself and his heirs,
conveys to the convent of the Trinity of Soltre, the tene-
ment which he possessed by inheritance (hereditarie) in
Ercildoun, with all claim which he, or his predecessors,
could pretend thereto. From this we may infer, that
the Rhymer was now dead, since we find his son dis-
posing of the family property. Still, however, the argu-
ment of the learned historian Avill remain unimpeached
as to the time of the poet's birth. For if, as Ave learn
from Barbour, his prophecies were held in reputation t
f
The lines alluded to are these :
I hope that Thomas's prophesie,
Of Erceldeun, shall truly be,
In him, &c.