Welcome to a Look Around
"My Scottish Borders"
Q is for:
QUEEN OF SCOTS and
QUEEN OF ELFLAND
QUEEN OF ELFLAND
in
1566, Mary Queen of Scots went to Jedburgh, staying in a bastel
(fortified) house belonging to the local Kerr family. Hearing that Lord
Bothwell (later her third husband) lay wounded at Hermitage Castle, Mary set out on an arduous
return journey of 80 miles to visit him. She arrived back from a dreich
moorland ride, ill and close to death and is later said to have remarked
"Would that I had died in Jethart", as her troubles crowded upon her.
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| Mary Queen of Scots House, Jedburgh |
 |
| The Queen of Elfland |
Legend tells that the Queen of Elfland met Borders poet Thomas the Rhymer (c.1210-c.1290) and transported him to her kingdom in the nearby Eildon Hills. Thomas served the Queen for seven years before he returned to his own land with the gift of prophecy
| TRUE THOMAS lay oer yond grassy bank, | |
| And he beheld a ladie gay, | |
| A ladie that was brisk and bold, | |
| Come riding oer the fernie brae. | |
| Her skirt was of the grass-green silk, | |
| Her mantel of the velvet fine, | |
| At ilka tett 2 of her horse’s mane | |
| Hung fifty silver bells and nine. | |
| True Thomas he took off his hat, | |
| And bowed him low down till his knee: | |
| “All hail, thou mighty Queen of Heaven! | |
| For your peer on earth I never did see.” | |
| “O no, O no, True Thomas,” she says, | |
| “That name does not belong to me; | |
| I am but the Queen of fair Elfland, | |
| And I’m come here for to visit thee |
Follow the next stage of this
A-Z journey
A-Z journey
through the Scottish Borders
R is for:
Rugby, Rivers and Rumbldethumps
Do take a look at earlier posts in "My Scottish Borders"
A-Z Challenge Preview
A-Z Challenge A - Abbeys,Abbotsford and Armstrongs
A-Z Challenge B - Border Reivers, Border Ballads and Blackmail
A-Z Challenge C - Common Ridings and Carter Bar
A-Z Challenge D - Dryburgh Abbey, Duns Scotus and The Douglas Tragedy
A-Z Challenge E - Elliots, Earlston, Enigma Hero and Eyemouth Tart
A-Z Challenge F - Flodden, Fletcher and Flowers of the Forest
A-Z Challenge G - A Green & Pleasant Land and Galashiels
A-Z Challenge H - Hermitage Castle and Hawick
A-Z Challenge H - Hermitage Castle and Hawick
A-Z Challenge I - Inspirational Land of Poets James Hogg and Will Ogilvie
A-Z Challenge J -Jedburgh, Jethart Justice and Jethart Snails
A-Z Challenge K - Kaleidoscope, Kelso and Kinmont Willie
A-Z Challenge M - Muckle Mou'ed Meg and Melrose
A-Z Challenge N - Newark Castle and Nature
A=Z Challenge O - Oxford Connections - Sir James Murray & Mary Somerville
A-Z Challenge P - Pele Towers and Princely Connections
A-Z Challenge M - Muckle Mou'ed Meg and Melrose
A-Z Challenge N - Newark Castle and Nature
A=Z Challenge O - Oxford Connections - Sir James Murray & Mary Somerville
A-Z Challenge P - Pele Towers and Princely Connections
I have visited this area just once, but very impressed by its beauty. I stayed in Yethom so I imagine that is what you may have planned for Y.
ReplyDeleteSo I guess he spoke to no one, as instructed. I enjoy reading the old words.
ReplyDelete