Johnnie Armstrong a Scottish raider and a folk-hero

Johnnie Armstrong was a Scottish raider and folk-hero in the 16th century. He was a member of the powerful Armstrong family and led a band of 160 men. He was known for his raids along the Anglo-Scottish Border and for operating with impunity under the protection of the 5th Lord Maxwell.

Armstrong was a notorious plunderer and raider, operating in the lawless Anglo-Scottish Border in the early 16th century, before England and Scotland were joined by the Union of the Crowns. Like his fellow reivers, he raided into England when Scotland was in the ascendancy, and would change allegiances as power shifted. Despite having no income from rents, he led a band of a hundred and sixty men.

However, his actions made the central authority look weak and hindered diplomacy with England. In 1527, he burnt Netherby in Cumberland, in return for which William Dacre, 3rd Baron Dacre burnt him out at Canonbie in 1528. Gavin Dunbar, the Archbishop of Glasgow as well as Chancellor of Scotland, intervened with an excommunication for Armstrong, whose activities made the central authority look weak and were a hindrance to diplomacy with England.

When King James V took personal control of the situation, Armstrong and his men were dealt with severely, as rebels. In 1530, Armstrong was captured. The king had promised him safe conduct, but he was hanged with 36 of his men at Caerlanrig chapel. A memorial to Armstrong and his men stands in the chapel graveyard.

The romanticised picture of Armstrong was promoted by the nineteenth-century writings of Sir Walter Scott and Herbert Maxwell. However, despite the negative portrayal of him as a violent raider, many locals viewed him as a folk hero who stood up against the English and protected Scotland.

The Ballad of Johnnie Armstrong, one of many Border ballads dealing with the reivers, relates that the king sends him a letter, requesting his presence at court and promising him safety. Johnnie is fooled by this honour and orders his men to dress richly, as befits the court. On their arrival, Johnnie asks for a pardon, but instead the king tries to arrest them, and Armstrong orders them to fight. They are all killed, although Johnnie is brought down only by a treacherous attack from behind.

Johnnie Armstrong was a complex figure in Scottish history. He was a notorious raider and plunderer, but also a folk-hero to many locals who viewed him as a protector of Scotland. His story continues to be told in the famous ballad “The Ballad of Johnnie Armstrong” and in the play “Armstrong’s Last Goodnight” by John Arden.