Page:A biographical dictionary of eminent Scotsmen, vol 8.djvu/74

22 effect, that his name was terrible over the Northumberland border, and well nigh to the gates of Newcastle, while for many miles the country was glad to pay him black mail, as the price of his protection or forbearance. It is gratifying however, to find, that John was a staunch patriot after a fashion of his own and that all the harm he wrought was against the enemies of his country. Such, at least, was his declaration to the king in the ballad that narrates his death; and it was not likely to have been attributed to him without some well-known foundation in fact:—

When James V. had emancipated himself from the thraldom of the Douglasses, and effected the downfall of that powerful family, he next turned his attention to those border chiefs who were every whit as dangerous. If Scotland was to be brought abreast with the other nations of Europe, and enabled to keep pace with them in that march of improvement which had now commenced, the existence of these men was incompatible with such a purpose. The king was well aware of this, and he resolved by the most summary measures either to break their power or sweep them from his path. The plan he adopted to accomplish this was highly daring and picturesque. He issued a summons to all his earls, lords, barons, freeholders, and gentlemen, to assemble at Edinburgh with a month's provisions, and bring with them their best dogs, for a royal hunting expedition in the bounds of Teviotdale and Annandale. But it was intended to be a hunt in the fashion of Nimrod, and this John Armstrong was soon to experience. The royal cortege amounted to at least 10,000 men, and eighteen score of deer had already been struck down; but the "stag of ten " was still free and at large. The difficulty now was to bring Armstrong within their reach. He was therefore prevailed upon by some of the chief of the royal followers to wait upon the king, with the assurance that such a visit would be attended with no danger; and, without stipulating for pass or safe-conduct, he came in such a style of splendour as few border nobles could have equalled. Fifty well-horsed gentlemen, we are told, rode in his train, whose gallant bearing was well set off by the richest apparel and ornaments; and the king, unprovided for such a coming, and astonished at its splendour, imagined that at least some high dignitary of England, or foreign ambassador, was approaching his presence. He therefore bowed, and raised his plumed cap to the laird of Gilnockie; but no sooner did he understand that this was no other than the prince of border thieves, than he turned to his courtiers, and exclaimed in a burst of wrath and rhyme—

Armstrong soon perceived that he had not only approached the royal presence uninvited, but was to be made the victim of royal resentment. His train was unarmed, and retreat was impossible. He then had recourse to such offers for the ransom of himself and his followers, as give us a wondrous idea of his power and resources. The chief of these were, that he would support himself and forty