10.  Jourdain, the wizard, told the duke of Somerset, if he wished to live, to “avoid where castles mounted stand.”  The duke died in an ale-house called the Castle, in St. Alban’s.—­Shakespeare, 2 Henry VI. act v. sc. 2.

11.  A wizard told King Edward IV. that “after him should reign one the first letter of whose name should be G.”  The king thought the person meant was his brother George, but the duke of Gloucester was the person pointed at.—­Holinshed, Chronicles; Shakespeare, Richard III. act i. sc.  I.

ERAC’LIUS (The emperor) condemned a knight to death on the supposition of murder; but the man supposed to be murdered making his appearance, the condemned man was taken back, under the expectation that he would be instantly acquitted.  But no, Eraclius ordered all three to be put to death:  the knight, because the emperor had ordered it; the man who brought him back, because he had not carried out the emperor’s order; and the man supposed to be murdered, because he was virtually the cause of death to the other two.

This tale is told in the Gesta Romanorum, and Chaucer has put it into the mouth of his Sumpnor.  It is also told by Seneca, in his De Ira; but he ascribes it to Cornelius Piso, and not to Eraclius.

ERASTE (2 syl.), hero of Les Facheux by Moliere.  He is in love with Orphiso (2 syl.), whose tutor is Damis (1661).

ER’CELDOUN (Thomas of), also called “Thomas the Rhymer,” introduced by Sir W. Scott in his novel called Castle Dangerous (time, Henry I.).

It is said that Thomas of Erceldoun is not dead, but that he is sleeping beneath the Eildon Hills, in Scotland.  One day, he met with a lady of elfin race beneath the Eildon tree, and she led him to an under-ground region, where he remained for seven years.  He then revisited the earth, but bound himself to return when summoned.  One day, when he was making merry with his friends, he was told that a hart and hind were parading the street; and he knew it was his summons, so he immediately went to the Eildon tree, and has never since been heard of.—­Sir W. Scott, Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border.

[Illustration:  symbol] This tale is substantially the same in the German one of Tannhaeuser (q.v.).

ERECK, a knight of the Round Table.  He marries the beautiful Enite (2 syl.), daughter of a poor knight, and falls into a state of idleness and effeminacy, till Enite rouses him to action.  He then goes forth on an expedition of adventures, and after combating with brigands, giants, and dwarfs, returns to the court of King Arthur, where he remains till the death of his father.  He then enters on his inheritance, and lives peaceably the rest of his life.—­Hartmann von der Aue, Ereck (thirteenth century).