In Buccleuch, the Warden of the March, England insulted the man who was
least likely to pocket a wrong. Without causing the loss of an English
life, Buccleuch repaid the affront, recovered the prisoner, broke the
strong Castle of Carlisle, made Scrope ridiculous and Elizabeth
frantic.
In addition to Kinmont Willie there survive two other ballads on
rescues of prisoners in similar circumstances. One is Jock o' the
Side, of which there is an English version in the Percy MSS., John a
Side. Scott's version, in The Border Minstrelsy, is from Caw's Museum,
published at Hawick in 1784. Scott leaves out Caw's last stanza about
a punch-bowl. There are other variations. Four Armstrongs break into
Newcastle Tower. Jock, heavily ironed, is carried downstairs on the
back of one of them; they ride a river in spait, where the English dare
not follow.
Archie o' Cafield, another rescue, Scott printed in 1802 from a MS. of
Mr. Riddell of Glenriddell, a great collector, the friend of Burns. He
omitted six stanzas, and "made many editorial improvements, besides
Scotticising the spelling.
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