ld keep
the West Port, Lord Seton the Nether-Bow, and Buccleuch, with sundry
others, the High Gate. "Upon the morn, at this time, and befoir this
day, thair wes ane grate rumour and word among the tounesmen, that
the kinges M. sould send in _Will Kinmond, the common thieffe_, and
so many southland men as sould spulye the toun of Edinburgh. Upon the
whilk, the haill merchants tuik thair haill gear out of their buiths
or chops, and transportit the same to the strongest hous that wes in
the toune, and remained in the said hous, thair, with thameselfis,
thair servants, and luiking for nothing bot that thai sould have
been all spulyeit. Sic lyke the hail craftsmen and comons convenit
themselfis, thair best guides, as it wer ten or twelve householdes
in are, whilk wes the strongest hous, and might be best kepit from
spuilyeing or burning, with hagbut, pistolet, and other sic armour,
as might best defend thameselfis. Judge, gentill reider, giff this wes
playing." The fear of the borderers being thus before the eyes of the
contumacious citizens of Edinburgh, James obtained a quiet hearing for
one of his favourite orisones, or harangues, and was finally enabled
to prescribe terms to his fanatic metropolis. Good discipline was,
however, maintained by the chiefs upon this occasion; although the
fears of the inhabitants were but too well grounded, considering what
had happened in Stirling ten years before, when the Earl of Angus,
attended by Home, Buccleuch, and other border chieftains, marched
thither to remove the Earl of Arran from the king's councils: the town
was miserably pillaged by the borderers, particularly by a party of
Armstrongs, under this very Kinmont Willie, who not only made prey
of horses and cattle, but even of the very iron grating of the
windows.--_Johnstoni Historia_, p. 102. _Ed. Amstael_.--_Moyse's
Memoirs_, p. 100.

The renown of Kinmont Willie is not surprising, since, in 1588, the
apprehending that freebooter, and Robert Maxwell, natural-brother to
the Lord Maxwell, was the main, but unaccomplished, object of a royal
expedition to Dumfries. "_Rex ... Robertum Maxvallium ... et Gulielmum
Armstrangum Kinmonthum latrociniis intestinis externisque famosum,
conquiri jubet. Missi e ministerio regio, qui per aspera loca
vitabundos persequuntur, magnoque incommodo afficiunt. At illi
latebris aut silvis se eripiunt."--Johnstoni Historia_, p. 138. About
this time, it is possible that Kinmont Willie may have held s