Prophecies of Thomas the Rhymer (1)/Chapter 3
THOMAS THE RHYMER'S
PROPHECIES,
IN VERSE.
1SCOTLAND be sad now and lament,
For honours thou hast lost,
But yet rejoice, in better times,
Which will pay the cost.
2Tho' unto thraldom you should be
Brought by your enemies;
You shall have freedom from them all,
And enjoy your liberties.
3The grave of the most noble prince,
To all is great regret,
The subject to law, who both leave
The kingdom and estate.
4O anguish great! where every kind
And ages doth lament
Whom bitter death has ta'en away,
Shall Scotland sore repent.
5Lately a lamb of rich increase,
A nation stout and true,
Has lost their former dear estate,
Which they did hold of due.
6By hard conflict, and by the chance
Of noble fortune's force,
Thy lap and thy prosperity
May turn into worse.
7Tho' wont to won, may be subdued,
And come in under yoke;
Strangers may reign, and you destroy,
What likes him by sword's stroke.
8A foreign foe whom neither thy force,
Nor manners do approve,
Woe is to thee, by guile and slight
Will only win above.
9This mighty nation was to force,
Invincible and stout,
Will yield slowly to destiny,
Great pity is but doubt.
10In former age the Scots renown
Did flourish goodly gay!
But yet alas! will be overcome
With a great dark decay.
11Then mark and see what is the cause
Of this so wond'rous fall!
Contempt of faith, falsehood, deceit,
The wrath of God withal.
12Unsatiable greed of worldly gain,
Oppression, cries of the poor;
A perpetual and slanderous race,
No justice put indure.
13The haughty pride of mighty men,
Of former vice chief cause,
The nutriture of wickedness,
An unjust match of laws.
14Therefore this cause the prophets
Of long time did presage;
And now has happen'd every point
Into your present age.
15Since fate is so, now Scotland learn
In patience to abide,
Slanders, great fears, and sudden plagues,
And great dolours beside.
16For out of thee shall people rise,
With divers happiness;
And yet a pen can scarcely write,
Thy hurt, skaith, and distress.
17And yet beware thou not distrust,
Altho' o'erwhelm'd with grief,
Thy stroke is not perpetual,
For thou shalt find relief.
18I do suppose, altho too late,
Old prophecies shall hold,
Hope thou in God's goodness evermore,
And mercies manifold.
19For thon that now a patient is,
And seemeth to be bound;
At liberty shall free be set,
And with empire be crown'd.
20From high above shall grace come down.
And thy state, Scotland, be,
In latter ends, more prosperous
That former age shall see.
21Old prophecies foretell to thee,
A warlike heir he's born,
Who shall recover new your right,
Advance this kingdom's horn.
22Then shall fair Scotland be advanc'd
Above her enemies power;
Her cruel foes shall be dispers’d,
And scatter'd from her bower,
23Fair Scotia's enemies may invade,
But not escape a plague;
With sword, and thirst, and tears, and pest,
With fears, and such like ague.
24And after enemies thrown down,
And master'd in the war,
Then Scotland in peace and quietness
Pass joyful days for ever.
But that the curious may be more fully informed concerning the aforesaid predictions, with respect to their being exactly fulfilled, they are referred to the Scottish Histories.