Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 02.djvu/105

 Armstrong  assistant to William Bruce, D.D., in the Belfast Academy, and conducted a special class of sacred history. He graduated at Trinity College, Dublin, and studied philosophy in Edinburgh under Dugald Stewart. He was licensed 11 May 1806 by Antrim Presbytery (non-subscribing). The same year he received calls to Clonmel and Strand Street, Dublin (2 Oct.); choosing the latter, he was ordained 25 Dec. 1806 by DublinPresbytery (non-subscribing) as colleague to John Moody, D.D. (b. 11 Dec. 1742, d. 15 July 1813), after whose death William Hamilton Drummond, D.D. [see ], became (25 Dec. 1815) his colleague. He was one of the founders of the Irish Unitarian Society (1830) and of the Association of Irish Nonsubscribing Presbyterians (1835), and he represented the latter body at the celebration of the tercentenary of the reformation at Geneva in August 1835. In the previous year he had received the degree of D.D. from the university of Geneva. He was a member of the Royal Irish Academy. He died very suddenly at Stonehouse onWednesday, 4 Dec. 1839, having preached on the previous Sunday, and married a couple that very morning. He married Mary Allman, and left two sons (John Strong Armstrong, A.B., president of the Dublin HistoricalSociety, and Rev. George Allman Armstrong, A.B., originally a barrister, who succeeded him in 1841 at Strand Street) and four daughters. A petition from his widow is printed in Parl. Debates on the Dissenters' Chapels Bill, 1844. He published: 1. 'A Discourse on Presbyterian Ordination,' and an 'Appendix, containing some account of the Presbyterian Churches in Dublin,' both included in the 'Ordination Service' for James Martineau, Lond. 1829 (this appendix is one of the most valuable contributions yet made to Irish presbyterian biography, being the fruit of most accurate and extensive research). 2. 'The Sin against the Holy Ghost,' Lond. 1836 (sermon before the British and Foreign Unitarian Association). 3. 'A Sermon vindicating the Principles of Unitarian Christianity,' Dublin, 1838 (a discourse originating in local controversy). [Appendix (as above), p. 77; Bible Christian, 1839, p. 426; Drummond's Memoir and FuneralSermon, 1840.]

 ARMSTRONG, JOHN, or JOHNIE, of Gilnockie (d. 1528), a famous freebooter of the border-country, lived at the Hollows, a stronghold near Langholm, whence he was accustomed to ride abroad with twenty-four able gentlemen well horsed. He never molested any Scot, but from the borders to Newcastle he was a name of terror. On 28 March 1528 James V held a parliament at Edinburgh in which he consulted with his lords and barons as to what measures should be taken to 'stanch all theft and reving within his realm;' and proclamation was made that all lords, barons, andgentlemen should appear at Edinburgh, with a month's victual, to accompany the king on an expedition against the freebooters of Teviotdale, Annandale, and Liddisdale. Hoping to gain favour by submission,Armstrong, with thirty-six followers, came into the king's presence. But the king 'bade take the tyrant out of his sight,' saying, 'What wants this knave that a king should have?' Armstrong offered to maintain himself and forty followers always ready at the king's service, without doing injury to any Scot, and undertook to bring any English subject, duke, earl, or baron, before the king within a fixed number of days. Seeing that his offers were vain, he exclaimed proudly, 'It is folly to seek grace at a graceless face. But had I known this, I should have lived in the borders in despite of King Harry and you both; for I know that Harry would downweigh my best horse with gold to know that I were condemned to die this day.' Then he and his followers were hanged on trees at Carlanrigg Chapel, on the high road to Langholm. Such is the account given in Pitscottie's 'History of Scotland,' p. 145. According to the old Scotch ballad, the king wrote to Armstrong 'to cum and speik with him speidily;' whereupon the Eliots and Armstrongs gathered a 'gallant company'and rode out to bring the king on his way to Gilnockie. At their approach the king turned fiercely on Armstrong—

Away, away, thou traytor strang, Out of my sicht thou mayst sune be. I grantit never a traytor's lyfe, And now I'll not begin with thee.

He makes large promises to the king, but all to no purpose; and so

John murdred was at Calinrigg, And all his galant companie; But Scotland's heart was never sae wae To see so many brave men die. Because they saved their country deir Frae Englishmen; nane were sae bauld, Quhyle Johnie lived on the border-syde Nane of them durst cum neir his hald.

Buchanan represents Armstrong to have been dreaded alike by Scots and English, and says that, being enticed to seek the king, he rode out with fifty unarmed knights, fell into an ambush, and was brought a prisoner before the king. Bishop Leslie adds that his brother,