Minstrelsy of the Scottish border - National Library of Scotland

190 MINSTRELSY OF
" When a Scot ne me Iiym hude ase hare in forme tliat the Englisli
" ne shall hym fynde ;
" When rycht and wronge astente the togedere
" When laddes weddeth lovedies ;
" When Scottes flen so faste, that, for faute of shep, hy drowneth
" hemselve;
" When shall this be ?
" Nouther in thine tyme ne in mine ;
" Ah comen ant gone
" Withinne twenty winter ant one."
Pivkerton's Poems, from Maitland's MSS. ijuoting
from Harl. Lib. 2253, F. 127.
As I have never seen the MS. from which Mr Pinker-
ton makes this extract, and as the date of it is fixed by
liim (certainly one of the most able antiquaries of our
age,) to the reign of Edward I. or II., it is with great
diffidence that I hazard a contrary opinion. There can,
however, I believe, be little doubt, that these prophetic
verses are a forgery, and not the production of our
Thomas the Rhymer. But I am inclined to believe
them of a later date than the reign of Edward I. or II.
The gallant defence of the castle of Dunbar, by Black
AgneSj took place in the year 1337. The Rhymer died
previous to the year 1299 (see the charter, by his son, in
the introduction to the foregoing ballad.) It seems, there-
fore, very improbable, that the Countess of Dimbar could
ever have an opportunity of consulting Thomas the Rhy-
mer, since that would infer that she was married, or at
least engaged in state matters, previous to 1 29.9; whereas
she is described as a young, or a middle-aged woman, at
;