268 Mr. J. Tait on Earhtoun, 



*' She sprinkled the field both here and there — 

 Said heere shal many corpes lie ; 

 At yon bridge, upon yon burne, 



Where the water runnes bright and sheene, 

 There shall many steides spurne, 



And knights die throw battles keen.'' 



It is explained that the ladye was the Queen of Heaven ; the 

 fowl. Saint Michael ; the two knights, St. Andrew and St. 

 George ; and the whole scene symbolised the Battle of Flod- 

 den. In like manner was the Battle of Pinkie described ; 

 and at the close the union of the two countries is fore- 

 shadowed as follows : — 



" When al these ferlies was away, 



Then saw I non but I and hs, 

 Then to the berne couth I say. 



Where dwels thow, or in what countrie 1 

 Or who shall rule the He of Bretaine. 



From the IS orth to the South Sey ? 

 A French wife shall beare the son 



Shall rule all Britain to the sey, 

 That of the Bruce's blood shall come 



As neere as the lint degree. 

 I franed fast what was his name, 



Where that he came, from what countrie. 

 In Erslingtoun I dwell at hame, 



Thomas Rymour men calls me." 



The book published by Andro Hart has been subjected to 

 unsparing criticism, especially by Lord Hailes, and it has 

 been proved pretty clearly that the alleged prophecy regard- 

 ing the union of the crowns was not uttered by the Rhymer 

 at all, but was composed to promote confidence in the duke of 

 Albany, and was subsequently applied to James, in whose 

 person the crowns were united. No doubt is now entertained 

 that the alleged book of prophecies is a comparatively recent 

 fabrication, and that the difierent compositions have an inti- 

 mate bearing on the political occurrences of the sixteenth 

 century. How many of the traditionary prophecies ascribed 

 to him were uttered by Thomas of Ercildoun it is impossible 

 to say ; but there is no reason to doubt that he was a man of 

 mind and influence, nor can we doubt that he happened 

 oracularly to predict the death of Alexander III. 



Little more than a mile south-west of Earlstoun is Cowden- 

 knowes or Coldingknowes, once owned by the Homes, an 

 off-shoot of the earls of March. The present mansion belongs 

 to the sixteenth century, and is in the baronial style of the 

 Elizabethan period. Carved in stone above the principal 

 entrance are the letters — S. J. H. V. K. H. 1574. The 



