On April 13th 1596 Walter Scott of Buccleuch freed notorious reiver William Armstrong of Kinmont from Carlisle Castle.
Perhaps the best known of the Border reivers (outlaw raiders or rustlers), William Armstrong of Kinmont's first recorded raid was against the Milburns of Tyndale, in August 1583, when Armstrong was probably in his forties. In 1585 he accompanied the Earl of Angus`s campaign against the Earl of Arran and pillaged Stirling. Eight years later he was in Tynedale again with 1,000 men, carrying off over 2,000 beasts and £300 in spoils.
The events of 1596 and the rescue of ‘Kinmont’ Willie Armstrong represent a daring swashbuckling adventure.
The fact that Kinmont led one of the most notorious bands of cut-throats ever to roam the Debatable Land seems to be irrelevant and in the tradition of the Border ballads we are to view him as a hero. His notoriety and activities were such that the Warden of the West Marsh's deputy, Salkeld, captured Kinmont as he returned from a Truce Day at the Dayholm of Kershope. Kinmont was taken to Carlisle.
According to Border Law it should not have happened on a Truce Day and Walter Scott of Buccleuch (keeper of Liddesdale on whose land the arrest had been made) protested to the Warden, Lord Scrope. When Scrope refused to return Kinmont, Buccleuch became concerned that Scrope was anxious to hang Kinmont on the gallows at Harraby and so assembled a motley bunch of Elliots, Scotts, Armstrongs and Grahams to effect a rescue.
The numbers involved vary from 40 to 200. The weather was atrocious which made crossing the River Eden very dangerous, but it did mean that the castle watch had taken shelter. Buccleuch left a group to cover the retreat and led the raiding party himself. Popular opiniontells they must have had support from the inside because they entered the castle quickly. Thus with the aid of a sturdy Reiver, Red Rowan, Kinmont made his escape.
In 1600, Armstrong attacked the village of Scotby with 140 riders, burning and taking prisoners and cattle. In 1602 he rode his last foray, south of Carlisle. He was still alive two years later, and his four sons who had helped to get him out of Carlisle Castle are frequently named in the later Border raids. Legend supposes he died in his bed of old age, sometime between 1608 and 1611.
As is usual with these Border legends we look to the old sources of the story tellers before reading and writing was the norm, the old songs. Francis James Child was an American scholar and collector of Ballads, if you follow my posts you will no doubt have seen me posting "Child Ballads" at times, this story comes from Child Ballad 186, it is more unusual than most of the songs I know from the Child Ballads as it is longer than most at 20 verses, it is well worth a wee listen.
Kinmont Willie.
O hae ye no heard o' the fause Sakelde? O hae ye no heard o' the keen Lord Scroope? How they hae ta'en bauld Kinmount Willie, On Haribee to hang him up?
Had Willie had but twenty men, But twenty men as stout as he, Fause Sakelde would never the Kinmount ta'en, Wi' eight score in his company.
They band his legs beneath the steed, They tied his hands behind his back. They guarded him, fivesome on either side, And they led him through the Liddel-rack.
They led him through the Liddel-rack, And also through the Carlisle sands; They took him tae Carlisle Castle, To be at my Lord Scroope's commands.
“My hands are tied, but my tongue is free, play Sound Clip And whae will dare this deed avow? Or answer by the Border law? Or answer tae the bauld Buccleuch?”
“Now haud thy tongue, thou rank reiver. There's never a Scot shall set thee free: Before ye cross my castle gate, I trow ye shall take farewell of me.”
Now word has gane tae the bauld keeper, In Branksome Ha', where that he lay, That Lord Scroope has ta'en the Kinmount Willie, Between the hours of night and day.
And here detained him, Kinmount Willie, Against the truce of Border tide. And forgotten that the bauld Buccleuch Is keeper on the Scottish side?
“Had there been war between the lands, As well I wot that there is nane, I would slight Carlisle Castle high, Though it were built of marble stane.”
“I would set that castle in a lowe, And sloken it wi' English blood. There's never a man in Cumberland, What kent where Carlisle castle stood.”
“But since nae war's between the lands, And here is peace, and peace should be; I will neither harm English lad or lass, And yet the Kinmount shall be free.”
And as we crossed the Debatable land, And tae the English side we held, The first of men that we met wi', Whae should it be but fause Sakelde?
“Where ye be gaun, ye broken men?” Quo' fause Sakelde; “Come tell to me?” Now Dickie o' Dryhope led that band, And there never a word of lear has he.
And as we left the Staneshaw-bank, The wind began full loud tae blaw; But 'twas wind and weet, and fire and sleet, When we came beneath the castle wa'.
They thought King James and a' his men Had won the house wi' bow and spear; It was but twenty Scots and ten, That put a thousand in sic a steir!
And as we reached the lower prison, Where Kinmount Willie he did lie, “O sleep ye, wake ye, Kinmount Willie, Upon the morn that thou's to die?”
Then shoulder high, with shout and cry, We bore him doon the ladder lang; At every stride Red Rowan made, I wot the Kinmount's airns play'd clang!
He turn'd him on the other side, And at Lord Scroope his glove flung he. “If ye na like my visit in merry England, In fair Scotland come and visit me!"”
All sair astonished stood Lord Scroope, He stood as still as rock of stane; He scarcely dared tae trew his eyes, When through the water they had gane.
“He is either himsel' a devil frae hell, Or else his mother a witch maun be; I wadna hae ridden that wan water, For a' the gowd in Christendie.”