Dunbar in 1285, and foretold to the earl, the sudden death of Alexander III., who was killed by a fall from his horse on the sands of Kinghorn. We are circumstantially informed by Bower,* that, on the night preceding the king's death, Thomas, having arrived at the castle of Dunbar, was interrogated by the earl, in the jocular manner he was wont to assume with the prophet, if to-morrow should produce any remarkable event, to which the bard, while coming events cast their shadows before, replied, in the mystical language of prophecy : " Alas for to-morrow, a day of calamity and misery! Before the twelfth hour, shall be heard a blast so vehe ment, that it shall exceed those of every former period. A blast which shall strike the nations with amazement, shall reduce those who hear it to a state of insensibility; shall humble what is proud, and what is fierce shall level with the ground! The sorest wind and tempest that ever was heard of in Scotland." After this prediction, which was left to be fulfilled either by accident or the weather, Thomas retired. Next day, the earl and his companions, having continued in watch till the ninth hour, without discovering any unusual appearance in the elements, began to doubt the prescient powers of the soothsayer, to whom "the sunset of life had given mystical lore," and having ordered him into their presence, upbraided him as an impostor, and hastened to enjoy their * Walter Bower, abbot of St Colm, was born at Haddington, in 1885. He was continuator of Fordun, as writer of the Scotichronicon. wonted repast; but his lordship had scarcely placed himself at table, and the hand of the dial pointed to the hour of noon, when an express, covered with foam, appeared at the castle-gate, demanding an audience. On being interrogated, he exclaimed: "I do indeed bring news; but of a lamentable kind, to be deplored by the whole realm of Scotland! Alas, our renowned king, has ended his fair life at Kinghorn." "This," cried the prophet, gathering himself up in the spirit of conscious veracity, "this is the seaithful wind and dreadful tempest, which shall blow such a calamity and trouble to the whole state of the whole realm of Scotland." The messenger paused, while the earl and his companions, rousing themselves as from a dream, beat their breasts in the agony of despair, and acknowledged that the prediction of the Rhymer had been too fatally verified.* Holinshed. Irving's Lives Scots Poets, i. 229. The earls of Dunbar were principal proprietors of Ersildun, (now called Earlston,) a village near Melrose, from the twelfth -century till 1435. These opulent barons granted various portions of their domain of Ersildun to several tenants in fee, amongst the most remarkable of which was Thomas the Rhymer.-Chal. Cal. ii. 383. The following prophecy Mr Pinkerton supposes to have been delivered to Black Agnes by Thomas the Rhymer; but Sir Walter Scott proves, that the Rhymer was dead when the heroic countess held her castle with so much glory. It might, however, have been delivered to her predecessor, when the bard visited Dunbar. La Countesse de Donbar demande a Thomas de Essedoune, quant la guerre d' Escoce prendreit fyn, Eyl l'a repoundy, et dyt, "When man is made a kyng of a capped man. When man is lever other menes thyng than his owen. On the unfortunate death of Alexander, it was found necessary that the administration of public affairs should be vested in six guardians while Margaret remained in Norway, or until the queen dowager, who was then pregnant, should be delivered of an heir to the crown. The latter hope failed; upon which, the infant daughter of Eric was hailed queen of Scotland. A powerful party of the nobles were, however, averse to a female administration; and as the earl of Dunbar had married the daughter of the competitor Bruce, we need not be surprised that, with his three sons, he associated himself to support that interest. He did not live to witness the desolating scenes that were destined to fall on his devoted country, but departed this life about the advanced age of seventy-six years, in 1289. By Christian, only daughter of Robert Bruce, he had three sons, Patrick, John and Alexander.* When hares kendles o' the her ston. When Wyt and Willie weres togedere. When men makes stables of kyrkes; and steles castles with styes. When Bambourne is donged with dede men. When men ledes men in ropes to buyen and to sellen. When a quarter of whaty whete is chaunged for a colt of ten markes. When prude prikes, and pees is leyd in prisoun. When a Scot ne may hym hide ase hare in forme, that the English ne shall hym fynde. When rycht and wronge astente the togedere. When laddes weddeth lovedies. When Scottes fleu so faste, that, for faute of ship, hy drowneth himselve. When shall this be? Nouther in thine tyme ne in mine; Ah comen, ant gone, Within twenty winter ant one." Pinkerton's Ant. Scots Poems, who quotes MS. Harleian Lib. * Wood's Doug. Peer. ii. 169. CHAPTER IV. A consaill cryit, yaim thocht it was ye best, HENRY THE MINSTREL, Book viii. Edward I.-Battle of Dunbar.-Wallace. PATRICK, eighth earl of Dunbar and March, (surnamed Black-beard,) succeeded to the honours and possessions of his father at the mature age of forty-seven. He was immediately called into public exertion; and appeared at the parliament at Brigham in 1290, for the purpose of betrothing the princess Margaret to the son of Edward I.; where he is called Comes de Marchia, being the first time the earls of Dunbar are designated by that title. But their hopes were disappointed by the death of the young queen on her voyage to Scotland. No sooner had the news reached that country than several competitors laid claim to the crown; amongst whom was the earl of Dunbar, as the great grandson of Ada, daughter of William the Lion. The others were, Eric, king of Norway, (as heir to his daughter the late infant queen); Florence, earl of Holland, William de Vescy, Robert de Pynkeny, Nicholas de Soules, Patrick Galythly, Roger de Mandeville, John Hastings, * Willam de Ros, John Comyn, John Baliol, Robert Bruce; and Edward I. of England. The competitors submitted their respective claims to the English monarch, and bowed to his decision. He awarded the disputed sceptre to Baliol, whom he doubtless considered the most convenient tool. In 1294, Edward having summoned the earl of Dunbar, and other Scottish nobles, who had estates in England, to assist him in the recovery of Gascony from Philip, Baliol, on this occasion, seemed inclined to conciliate the wishes of the nation, and evaded the demands of the English monarch; but the earls of Dunbar and Angus, Robert Bruce the elder, and Bruce, earl of Carrick, swayed by private revenge rather than their country's weal, swore fealty to Edward at Werk, on the 25th March, 1296. On this occasion the earl of Dunbar had his forfeited lands and tenements in England restored. Edward, with a powerful army, proceeded to Scotland, and the town and castle of Berwick speedily surrendered to his arms. But while the earl of Dunbar, with the Bruces and their adherents, aided the English, his heroic countess, as wishing to play a double game, still retained the castle of Dunbar, and delivered it to the leaders of the Scottish army. On the approach of the enemy, they exultingly spread their banners, and, in illusion to the dress of the English, exclaimed: "Come hither, ye long-tailed hounds, and we will cut off your tails for you!" This brava Maitland's Hist. 414. |