JOHNE ARMISTRANG, with my hand
  at the pen.

The lands, here mentioned, were the possessions of Armstrong himself, the investitures of which not having been regularly renewed, the feudal casualty of non-entry had been incurred by the vassal.  The brother of Johnie Armstrang is said to have founded, or rather repaired, Langholm castle, before which, as mentioned in the ballad, verse 5th, they “ran their horse,” and “brake their spears,” in the exercise of border chivalry.—­Account of the Parish of Langholm, apud Macfarlane’s MSS.  The lands of Langholm and Staplegorton continued in Armstrong’s family; for there is, in the same MS. collection, a similar bond of manrent, granted by “Christofer Armistrang, calit Johne’s Pope,” on 24th January, 1557, to Lord Johne Lord Maxwell, and to Sir Johne Maxwell of Terreglis, knight, his tutor and governor, in return for the gift of “the males of all and haill the landis whilk are conteint in ane bond made by umquhile Johne Armistrang, my father, to umquhile Robert, Lord Maxwell, gudshore to the said Johne, now Lord Maxwell.”  It would therefore appear, that the bond of manrent, granted by John Armstrong, had been the price of his release from the feudal penalty arising from his having neglected to procure a regular investiture from his superior.  As Johnie only touched the pen, it appears that he could not write.

Christopher Armstrong, above-mentioned, is the person alluded to in the conclusion of the ballad—­“God be with thee, Kirsty, my son.”  He was the father, or grandfather, of William Armstrong, called Christie’s Will, a renowned freebooter, some of whose exploits the reader will find recorded in the third volume of this work.

THE LOCHMABEN HARPER

NOW FIRST PUBLISHED.

* * * * *

The castle of Lochmaben was formerly a noble building, situated upon a peninsula, projecting into one of the four lakes which are in the neighbourhood of the royal burgh, and is said to have been the residence of Robert Bruce, while lord of Annandale.  Accordingly, it was always held to be a royal fortress, the keeping of which, according to the custom of the times, was granted to some powerful lord, with an allotment of lands and fishings, for the defence and maintenance of the place.  There is extant a grant, dated 16th March, 1511, to Robert Lauder of the Bass, of the office of captain and keeper of Lochmaben castle, for seven years, with many perquisites.  Among others, the “land, stolen frae the king,” is bestowed upon the captain, as his proper lands.—­What shall we say of a country, where the very ground was the subject of theft?

* * * * *

  O heard ye na o’ the silly blind Harper,
  How lang he lived in Lochmaben town? 
  And how he wad gang to fair England,
  To steal the Lord Warden’s Wanton Brown!