Scott's Poetical Works
Print
1834 (engraved)
1834 (engraved)
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| Place of origin |
Line engraving on steel (unfinished engraver's proof), printed on paper, depicting Johnnie Armstrong's Tower
Object details
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| Materials and techniques | Line engraving on steel |
| Brief description | Line engraving on steel by E. Goodall depicting a vignette of Johnnie Armstrong's Tower, for the publication 'Scott's Poetical Works' (Cadell), after a drawing by J. M. W. Turner. Great Britain, 1834. |
| Physical description | Line engraving on steel (unfinished engraver's proof), printed on paper, depicting Johnnie Armstrong's Tower |
| Credit line | Bequeathed by Horace Mummery |
| Subject depicted | |
| Places depicted | |
| Literary reference | 'Scott's Poetical Works' - Sir Walter Scott |
| Bibliographic reference | Johnnie Armstrong of Gilnockie was once one of the most popular, powerful, and feared clan chiefs in the Scottish borders. Part of Border Reiver folklore, the Armstrong's were a band of raiders along the Scottish-English border. The Reivers raged from the late 1400s to the beginning of the 1600s, consisting of families from both sides of the border, and one of the most significant and powerful of these border clans was the Armstrongs.
They had a rather uneasy relationship with the Scottish monarchy for a long time, and one of the most notable incidents between the two was the execution of Johnnie Armstrong of Gilnockie along with a number of his men. Johnnie Armstrong was a popular character who had a lot of followers, and he was also a wealthy man. There has been a lot of speculation as to how Armstrong gained such a fortune in which he was able to maintain his high style of living. It is said that after disappearing for a number of years he reappeared with immense wealth, which allowed him to pay his brother a commission to build Langholm Castle.
It is generally considered that a lot of his fortune came from reiving throughout the lands just south of the border, into England, though there is not a single complaint of reiving recorded. It has also been suggested that Armstrong’s wealth came from piracy.
Some say that he specialised in black mail or black rent, and that there was no town of prominence between his home Gilnockie Tower and Newcastle, that did not pay protection money to him. This protection racket was there to act for security for each town so they would not be attacked by other Border Reivers.
'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. As is common in many such Scottish ballads, his son, still "on his nurse's knee", vows revenge. |
| Other number | R496 - Rawlinson number (Mummery Bequest) |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.4350-1946 |
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| Record created | June 30, 2009 |
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