Page:A biographical dictionary of eminent Scotsmen, vol 8.djvu/75

Rh gentlemen for the king's service, and never take a penny from Scotland or a Scottish man; and that there was not a subject of England, duke, earl, lord, or baron, but within a certain day he would bring him to his majesty, either alive or dead. But to every offer the king was inflexible, so that Armstrong, seeing there was no further hope, drew himself up proudly, and exclaimed, "I am but a fool to seek grace of a graceless face. But had I known, sir, that you would have taken my life this day, I should have lived upon the Borders, in despite both of you and King Harry; for I know that King Harry would down-weigh my best horse with gold, to know that I was condemned to die this day."

This singular interview between the stern royal justiciary and the border freebooter, ended in the execution of the latter and his gallant retinue. The place at which it occurred was called Carlenrig Chapel, about ten miles above Hawick, on the high road to Langholm; and so much was the deed abhorred, that the growing trees on which they were hanged were declared by the common people to have withered away. After execution, the bodies were buried in a deserted church-yard, where their graves are still pointed out to strangers. The ballad from which we have already quoted, shows the undue national importance that was attached by the common people to his death; but it evinces also, that on more than one occasion he had done his country good service:—

Pitscottie, a still better authority, thus sums up the bold borderer's history:—"After this hunting, the king hanged John Armstrong, laird of Gilnockie, which many Scottish men heavily lamented, for he was a doubted man, and as good a chieftain as ever was upon the borders, either of Scotland or of England. And albeit he was a loose-living man, and sustained the number of twenty-four well-horsed, able gentlemen with him, yet he never molested no Scottish man. But it is said, from the Scottish border to Newcastle of England, there was not one of whatever estate but payed to this John Armstrong a tribute to be free of his cumber, he was so doubted in England." It is only necessary to add, that his descendants continue to the present day, and feel a justifiable pride in the good qualities of their border ancestor.

B

, authoress of "Plays on the Passions," and various other dramatic works and poems, was born on September 11, 1762, in the manse of Bothwell, in Lanarkshire. Her father, Dr. James Baillie, the minister of that parish, and subsequently professor of divinity in the University of Glasgow,