A SCOTTISH MOSS TROOPER.

Otago Witness, Volume 11, Issue 2280, 11 November 1897, Page 59

A SCOTTISH MOSS TROOPER.

MONUMENT TO A FAMOUS BORDER

MARAUDER.

Scottish Borderers nowadays are quite »• peaceable and have quite as much reverence for law and order as any of the other subjects of her Majesty. It would, nevertheless, appear that " the good old times of rugging end riving " — that is, tugging and tearing — the term applied to the doings of the marauders who previous to tbe union .of

England and Scotland inhabited " the wellcontested ground, the warlike borderland "—" — are still regarded with & certain degree of affection. Even at the present day the memory is cherished of some of those valiant moss troopers who for centuries quarrelled and fought with esch other, oppressed the agriculturists and the industrial classes, and contrived to defy their sovereign and keep the Borders in subjection to their own authority. It would probably be difficult for any but a Borderer to get up much enthusiasm for the memory of one of the most turbulent of these turbulent Border chiefs — "Johnnie" Armstrong. In Hawick, however, a Bhilling subscription list was opened recently for the purpose of raising funds for the, erection of a "suitable memorial " of this bold rffoss trooper, who, with some two dozen or so of his followers, was hanged more than three" and a-half centuries ago, and to popular has the object been that the required amount has already been nearly made up. A HERO OP BOEDSR KOMAKCB.

"Johnnie" Arm&trong is one of the most famous heroes of Border romance, and, like tbe " Outlaw Murray " and other heroes of the same school, lives in Border song and story. Although perhaps not a very desirable neighbour, he was not without his virtues. He vsas fearless, was never known to break his plighted word, was a staunch friend, and was also a patriot — in a way. Above all, he died game, sincerely believing himself to be " a martyr to the sacred cause of Border liberty " ; hence it ie, no doubt, that the descendants of tbe " many Scottish men " who, according to the chronicles of

old Pitscottie, " heavily lamented hie death "

have resolved to erect a monument to mark . the Bpot where he and hi* followers were hanged, or, as the Hawick subscribers for the memorial prefer to pbrass it, " treacher-

ously murdered by the King o£ Scotland

Jobo, or, as he is familiarly aod affectionately termed, " Jobn&ip," Armstrong waß laird of Gilnockie in Teviotdale, and was a chief or chieEtaia of a section of the Armstrong*. Ho bad a stronghold on the banks of the Esk called Gilnockie Hall or Tower, from which he 3allted forth periodically as

the state of his larder required. At the head

of a band of welt-t quipped followers "Johnnie" levied a tribute which his ad-, mirers call "protection money" or "forbearance money " and his detracters " blackmail." Those who made any scruples about

paying" were plnndered unmercifully, but those-who paid up and looked pleasant not . only escaped injury from " Johnnie " himself, but were taken under his gracious protection. - Ha was all-powerful on the Border, and the • terror of his name spread as far south as Newcastle. . "JOHNNIE" AS A PATRIOT. The Laird of Gitnockie; however, claimed (and it is here Mb patriotism comes in) that he • never molested any of his own countrymen, and his apologists declare that be at all events " hardly ever " did bo. He is said to have

committed his depredations chiefly on the

English ; and it may be allowed, to the credit of his patriotism if not of his hone-;iy, that he did rather more damage on the south than on the north tide of the Border. Unfortunately, however, for the fair fame, i£ not of "Johnnie" himself, atralieventH of his clan " or sept, the Armstrongs are said to have destroyed in the course of a few years not less than 52 parish churches in Scotland, and to have openly boasted that they would be subject neither to the Scottish nor the Eoglish kiDg— James V and Henry VIII. All things considered, it is not very wonderful that " Johnnie " was not in good odour at the Coutt of Holyrood, or that the Scottish monarch should have resolved to make an end of him. Unfortunately the means taken were not such as to appeal to the sense of justice of the Borderers either of the sixteenth or the nineteenth century. Had James V even dealt in Jeddart or Jedwood fashioo. with the valiant moss trooper ot whom' he bad resolved to make an example — that is, hanged him first and tried him afterwards — justice might have been satisfied, for "Jeddarb ju'atice" was "of the true Border brand. Bat the Scottish king barged " Johnnie " and never tried him at all 1 Towards the end of Jnne 1530 James V, having assembled a force of 12,000 men in Edinburgh, matched with these into Teviotdale, where he had invited Armstrong to meet bim. The latter received no letter of protection, but the invitation was considered to imply protection, and "Johnnie" undoubtedly went to the rendezvous trusting to the honour of the King for a safe conduct. Unfortunately for him he appeared before James arrayed in extraordinarily rich apparel (the fruit of some English expedition), and accompanied by a splendid retinue of finely-equipped horsemen, the number of whom are variously stated at from 24 to 60. Tbe anger of James was increased by this display. " What wants yon knave that a king should have 1 " he exclaimed, and ordered bis attendants to take " that tirrant " out of his sight. ' THE DAY OF EXECUTION.

On being seized the Laird of Gilnockie attempted by liberal promises to avert his doom. He offered, among other things, to maintain 40 " gentlemen " for the royal service, " without injuring any Scottish man"; and to produce any subject in Eogland of whatever rank — duke, earl, or baron — either living or dead, within a certain specified time. Seeing, however, that bis arguments and promises were making no impression, "Johnnie" turned proudly away. "I am bot ane fool," he exclaimed, "to eeik grace at ane graceless face. But had I knawin, sir, that ye would have taken my lyff thif day I sould haveleved upoun the Bord«ris in disphyte of King Hsrie and you baitb, for I know King Harie wauld downweigh my best horse with gold to know that I war- condemned to die this day." "Johnnie" and bis men were at once led off to extcutipp., XftKLWie 1m&& 0Q

July 5, 1530, at a place called Carelanrig, in Upper Teviotdale, about 10 miles from Hawick. "Johnnie" was undoubtedly greatly lamented. "He was," says old Pitscottie, " tbo most redoubted chieftain that had been for a long time on tbe Borders either of Scotland and England." Popular feeling waß with the moss troopers, and the old ballad, in which the meeting between the King and the Border marauder 5s graphically described, expresses the general sentiments of the time— and the Border sentiments of the present day : John murdered was at Carlinrigg, And all his gallant companie ; But Scotland's heart was ne'er pae wae To see sac mony brave men die— Because they saved their countrey deir Frae Englishmen ! Nane were sac bauld While Johnnie lived on the Border syde, None of them durst cam neir his hauld.

When all has been said, however, that can be said for " Johnnie " Armstrong, it remains doubtful whether anyone but a Scottish Borderer would ever have thought of erecting a monument to the famous freebooter.—Pali Mall Gazette.