Volume IV, song 356, page 367 - 'Johnie Armstrang' - Scanned from the 1853 edition of the 'Scots Musical Museum', James Johnson and Robert Burns (Edinburgh and London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1853)

Verse 1: 'Sum spieks of lords, sum spieks of lairds And sic like men of hie degree; Of a gentleman I sing a sang sum tyme call'd Laird of Gilnockie. The king he writes a kind letter Wi' his ain hand sae tenderlie, And he has sent it to Johnie Armstrang, To cum and spiek wi' him speedilie.' The 'Scots Musical Museum' is the most important of the numerous eighteenth- and nineteenth-century collections of Scottish song. When the engraver James Johnson started work on the second volume of his collection in 1787, he enlisted Robert Burns as contributor and editor. Burns enthusiastically collected songs from various sources, often expanding or revising them, whilst including much of his own work. The resulting combination of innovation and antiquarianism gives the work a feel of living tradition. The hero of this Border ballad, Johnie Armstrong of Gilnockie, is a famous, lower-class character from history and traditional Scottish folklore. Johnie Armstrong would appear to have been an anti-hero in the tradition of the gentleman thief and outlaw. This would explain the satirical contrasts between the song's subject and the Scottish King, James V. It may well be that Armstrong was considered a 'King of Thieves'. Glen (1900) says that the origins for both melody and lyrics are unknown. The song refers to a famous Border raid that took place in 1529, which culminated with the execution of Johnie Armstrong. Sir Walter Scott has also written material dedicated to the immortal memory of this Border freebooter.

Collection

Scots Musical Museum

Inventory Number

4503552

Title

Volume IV, song 356, page 367 - 'Johnie Armstrang' - Scanned from the 1853 edition of the 'Scots Musical Museum', James Johnson and Robert Burns (Edinburgh and London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1853)

Object Type

PhysicalObject

Measurements

- 132 x 211 mm