Chapter XXIII Johnie Armstrong
“When Johnie came before the King,
With all his men so brave to see,
The King he moved his bonnet to him;
He knew he was a King as well as he.”
In 1529 James V. visited the Border country to execute justice on the wild freebooters. Of these the chief was Johnie Armstrong of Gilnockie, who levied blackmail for many miles round his residence at the Hollows, and spread the terror of his name as far as Newcastle. Acting on the evil counsel of false friends, Johnie presented himself before the King in all the pomp of Border chivalry.
According to the old ballad the King wrote with his own hand a loving letter to Johnie Armstrong, Laird of Gilnockie, bidding him come and speak with him speedily. Whereupon the Elliots and Armstrongs convened a meeting, to which they came in gallant company, and decided to ride out to meet the King and bring him to Gilnockie.
“Make ready rabbits and capon and venison in plenty,” said Johnie, “and we’ll welcome home our royal King to dine at Gilnockie.”
So they ran out their horses on Langholm Down, and broke their spears, and the ladies, looking from their high windows, cried “God send our men safe home again.”
When Johnie came before the King with all his brave fellows, the King took off his bonnet to him as to an equal.
“My name is Johnie Armstrong,” said the freebooter, “your subject, my liege; let me find grace for my loyal men and me.”
But the King cried, “Away with thee, thou traitor, out of my sight! Never have I granted a traitor’s life, nor will I now begin with thee!”
“Grant me my life, my King, and I will give thee a bonnie gift—four-and-twenty milk-white steeds, newly foaled—I’ll give thee four-and-twenty milk-white steeds that prance and neigh at a spear, and as much English gold as four of their broad backs are able to bear.”
“Away with thee, thou traitor, out of my sight! Never have I granted a traitor’s life, nor will I now begin with thee!”
“Grant me my life, my King, and I will give thee a bonnie gift—four-and-twenty mills that are working all the year round for me—four-and-twenty mills that shall go for thee all the year round, and as much good red wheat as all their happers are able to bear.”
“Away with thee, thou traitor, out of my sight! Never have I granted a traitor’s life, nor will I now begin with thee!”
“Grant me my life, my King, and I will give thee a great gift—four-and-twenty sisters’ sons shall fight for thee though all should flee.”
“Away with thee, thou traitor, out of my sight! Never have I granted a traitor’s life, nor will I now begin with thee!”
“Grant me my life, my King, and I will give thee a brave gift. All between here and Newcastle town shall pay thee yearly rent.”
“Away with thee, thou traitor, out of my sight! Never have I granted a traitor’s life, nor will I now begin with thee!”
“Ye lie, calling me traitor; ye lie now, King, although ye be King and Prince. Well dare I say it, that all my life I have loved naught but honesty, a fleet horse, a fair woman, and two bonny dogs to kill a deer; yet had I lived for another hundred years, England should have still found me meal and malt and plenty of beef and mutton. Never would a Scot’s wife have been able to say that I robbed her of aught. But surely it is great folly to seek for hot water beneath cold ice. I have asked grace of a graceless King, but there is none for me and my men. But had I known before I came how unkind thou wouldst prove to me, I would have kept the Borderside in spite of thee and thy nobles. How glad would be England’s King if he but knew that I was taken, for once I slew his sister’s son and broke a tree over his breastbone.”
Now Johnie had a girdle round his waist embroidered and spangled with burning gold, very beautiful to look upon, and from his hat hung down nine tassels, each worth three hundred pounds. “What wants that knave that a King should have, but the sword of honour and the crown?” cried the King.
“Where did ye get those tassels, Johnie, that shine so bravely above your brow?”
“I got them fighting in the field where thou darest not be,” replied Johnie. “And had I now my horse and good harness, and were I riding as I am used to do, this meeting between us should have been told these hundred years. God be with thee, my brother Christy, long shalt thou live Laird of Mangertown on the Border-side ere thou see thy brother ride by again. God be with thee, my son Christy, where thou sitst on thy nurse’s knee; thou’lt ne’er be a better man than thy father, though thou live a hundred years. Farewell, bonnie Hall of Gilnockie, standing strong on Eskside; if I had lived but seven more years, I would have gilded thee round about.”
Then Johnie Armstrong was slain by the King’s orders at Carlinrigg with all his gallant company, and Scotland’s heart was sad to see the death of so many brave men, who had saved their country from the Englishmen. None were so brave as they, and while Johnie lived on the Border-side no Englishman durst come near his stronghold.