2

give pain to him to whose memory it is rendered. To Francis Douce, Esq.1 the Editor owes the communication of those invaluable Fragments, without which it would have been impossible to illustrate the text. Mr. Heber, whose extensive and well-selected collection is dedicated to the general service of literature, as well as to individual enjoyment, has, with his usual liberality, indulged the Editor with the use of the rare French prose folios of Tristan and Meliadus, without which he could not have satisfactorily proceeded in his labours. Of Mr. Ellis's kindness it is better to say nothing than too little; the reader may judge, from the beautiful Abstract of the French Metrical Fragments of the Lay of Marie, communicated by that gentleman, a part (and it is but a small part) of the Editor's obligation. To Mr. Owen, as already mentioned, the Editor owes much information respecting the Welsh traditions on the subject of Sir Tristrem.

1 [Author of Illustrations of Shakspeare, &c.-ED.] 2 [Richard Heber, Esq., long M.P. for the University of Oxford.-ED.]

3 [George Ellis, Esq., author of the Specimens of Ancient English Romance, &c. &c.-ED.]

To those friends mentioned in former editions, I have now to add the name of Mr. Henry Weber, whose extensive acquaintance with ancient poetry has been displayed in his late excellent edition of Metrical Romances. To his kindness I owe some valuable notes, besides the Account of the German Romances on the subject of Sir Tristrem, for which I have already expressed my gratitude. It remains to mention Dr. John Leyden, a name which will not be soon forgotten in Scottish literature, although its owner has been called to a far distant field of labour. At the commencement of this work, he gave his active and assiduous assistance; and had he remained in Britain till circumstances enabled the Editor to resume his task after a long discontinuance, it would have been now offered with more confidence to the public. Such as it is, the labour which it has cost has been dictated by no other motive, than the laudable, if ineffectual wish, of contributing to the history of early English literature.

1

1 So stands the passage in the earlier editions. Unhappily, it is now necessary to add, that Mr. Ellis, Mr Weber, and Dr. Leyden, are no more.

APPENDIX, No. 1.

CHARTER

GRANTED BY

THE SON AND HEIR OF THOMAS OF

ERCELDOUN.

TO

THE CONVENT OF SOLTRA.

From the Chartulary of the Trinity House of Soltra,
Advocates' Library, W. 4. 14.

ERSYLTON.

OMNIBUS has literas visuris vel audituris Thomas de Ercildoun filius et heres Thomæ Rymour de Ercildoun salutem in Domino. Noveritis me per fustem et baculum in pleno judicio resignasse ac per presentes quietem clamasse pro me et heredibus meis

Magistro domus Sanctæ Trinitatis de Soltre et Fratribus ejusdem domus totam terram meam cum omnibus pertinentibus suis quam in tenemento de Ercildoun hereditarie tenui renunciando de toto pro me et heredibus meis omni jure et clameo quæ ego seu antecessores mei in eadem terra alioque tempore de perpetuo habuimus sive de futuro habere possumus. In cujus rei testimonio presentibus his sigillum meum apposui data apud Ercildoun die Martis proximo post festum Sanctorum Apostolorum Symonis et Jude Anno Domini Millesimo cc. Nonagesimo Nono.

In addition to what has been said concerning Thomas's residence at Earlstoun, it may be noticed, that there is a stone in the wall of the church of that village, bearing this inscription:

"Auld Rymer's race
Lies in this place."

According to tradition, this stone was transferred from the old church, which stood some yards distant from the more modern edifice. In 1782, this ancient inscription was defaced by an idle boor, in a drunken frolic. The present clergyman, with great propriety, compelled him to replace it at his own expense, in the same words as formerly. The new inscription is, of course, in modern characters; those which were de

faced are said to have been very ancient. The spelling also, is probably modernized. A right of sepulture is still claimed there by persons named LEARMONT ; which seems to confirm the popular tradition, that the Rhymer did either himself bear that name, or that it was adopted by some of his descendants.