i46 



THE POPULAR RHYMES OF BERWICKSHIRE. 



the Rhymer, lived for many years in very good credit as a wizard." * 

 The person here so ludicrously introduced appears to be no other than 

 Mr Patrick Murray, surgeon in Earlstoun, who details a case of an 

 *' Uncommon tumour of the hell}^, and a dropsy cured," in the " Medi- 

 cal Essays and Observations, by a Society in Edinburgh." vol. vi. -p. 

 133, and published in 1747. The ruins of the Rhymer's Tower may 

 still be seen near the Leader, at the west end of the village of Earls- 

 toun, and a stone iu the wall of the church bears the following 

 inscription — 



" Auld Rymer's race 

 Lyes in this place." 



2. " This thorn tree as lang as it stands, 

 Earlstoun shall possess a' her lands." 



This Rhyme was very popular about Earlstoun some years since. 

 The tree referred to was a very large one, and stood near the east end 

 of the village. It was blown down by a high wind during the night 

 in the spring of 1821. The lands, originally belonging to the com- 

 munity of Earlstoun, were from time to time alienated by the magis- 

 trates, till there is scarcely now an acre left. What gave additional 

 weight to the prophecy was, that, at its fulfilment when the tree fell, 

 " the greater part of the shopkeepers in the town happened to be then, 

 on account of a tissue of unfortunate circumstances, in a state of 

 bankruptcy."! 



3. *' A horse sal gang on Carrolside brae. 

 Till the girth gaw his sides in twae." 



This refers to some period of desolation in the history of our country, 

 which we fondly hope has been fulfilled long since. Carrolside lies on 

 Leader "Water, and is the property of an enterprising proprietor, 

 James Home, Esq., who has much improved and ornamented his 

 estate, so that the former sterility of Carrolside Braes is no longer 

 proverbial. 



4. " There sal a stane wi' Leader come, 



That'll make a rich father, but a poor son." 



The small river Leader, of classic celebrity for its '■'■sweet Jiauffhs,^' 

 and the "Homes that dwelt on Leader side," takes its rise near the 

 quarry, which supplies the district of Lauderdale with lime, and the 

 prophecy is supposed to refer to those agricultural improvements 

 which have in part resulted from the use of lime; the " stane that 

 came wi' Leader,' which in many instances enriched those who were 

 the first improvers, but which also unfortunately engendered an 



* Chambers' Popular Rhymes. t Chambers. 



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