First page of Kinmont Willie in Scott's Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border.
"Kinmont Willie" is one of three border ballads that recount a raid to break someone out of prison, the others being Jock o' the Side and Archie o' Cawfield.[2] It shares several motifs with these other prison-break ballads, including the raiders' demonstration of physical strength in carrying the prisoner with leg irons still attached, and the raiding party crossing a stream and turning to mock their pursuers from the far bank.[2]
Unlike many ballads it is composed in tetrameter rather than traditional ballad metre.[3] First published by Walter Scott in 1802, it has often been suspected of being Scott's own work.
The ballad is based on a true story which took place in 1596.[4] William Armstrong of Kinmont, a notorious Border reiver, was seized by the English authorities on a day of truce, in breach of agreements between Scotland and England. The Scottish Warden of the West March, Walter Scott, the "Bold Buccleuch", sprung him from Carlisle Castle, much to the embarrassment of Scrope, the English Warden. Taking the guards by surprise, the rescuers escaped back across the River Eden with Armstrong.[4]
Originsedit
"Kinmont Willie" first appeared in print in 1802, in the first edition of Walter Scott's Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border.[5] Its authenticity has frequently been questioned. Francis Child suspected it of having been heavily influenced, or possibly invented, by Scott himself.[6] Scott himself acknowledged relying heavily on a 1688 chronicle by Walter Scot of Satchells, A true history of the several honourable families of the right honourable name of Scot, and to making "conjectural emendations" to the ballad so that the story would be "intelligible".[7]
The origins of the ballad were the subject of a lengthy scholarly dispute between Fitzwilliam Elliot and Andrew Lang, in which Lang argued that there was an underlying traditional ballad on which Scott's text and likely also Satchell's was based, and Elliot argued that the ballad was entirely Scott's invention.[8] Lang agreed, however, that much of the ballad was Scott's own work. In his final paper on the subject, Lang summarized the dispute:[9]
Lastly, Kinmont Willie, and Scott's share in it, is matter of presumption, not of proof. He had been in quest of the ballad, as we know from his list of desiderata; he says that what he got was "mangled" by reciters, and that, in what he got, one river was mentioned where topography requires another. He also admits that, in the three ballads of rescues, he placed passages where they had most poetical appropriateness. My arguments to show that Satchells had memory of a Kinmont ballad will doubtless appeal with more or less success, or with none, to different students. That an indefinite quantity of the ballad, and improvements on the rest, are Scott's, I cannot doubt, from evidence of style.
Recordingsedit
The ballad was recorded by the marine biologist Max Dunbar in 1956 for the Smithsonian Folkways album Songs and Ballads of the Scottish Wars, 1290-1745.[10] Subsequent recordings were made by other performers in 1998 and 2000.[11]
Referencesedit
^Bouyssou, Roland (1981). "The heroic feud in border ballads". Caliban. 18: 48.
^ abGreen, Richard Firth (2012). "The Border Writes Back". In Bruce, Mark P.; Terrell, Katherine H. (eds.). The Anglo-Scottish Border and the Shaping of Identity, 1300–1600. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 114. doi:10.1057/9781137108913_7. ISBN9781137108913.
^Boswell, George W. (1971). "A Note-Commentary on J. Barre Toelken's "An Oral Canon for the Child Ballads"". Journal of the Folklore Institute. 8 (1): 74. doi:10.2307/3814064.
^ abWoods, George Benjamin, ed. (1916). English Poetry and Prose of the Romantic Movement. Scott, Foresman & Co. p. 1321.
^Maidment, James (1868). Scottish Ballads and Songs, Historical and Traditionary. W. Patterson. p. 153.
^Macrae, Lucy (2014). "Local Explanations: Editing a Sense of Place in Walter Scott's Ministrelsy of the Scottish Border". FORUM: University of Edinburgh Postgraduate Journal of Culture and the Arts: Macrae7.
^Lang, Andrew (1910). Sir Walter Scott and the Border Minstrelsy. Longmans, Green, and Company. pp. 129–130.
George MacDonald FraserThe Steel Bonnets (This contains a detailed account of the historical incident behind the ballad.)
External linksedit
Wikisource has original text related to this article:
Kinmont Willie
Kinmont Willie on Walter Scott Educational Website
Kinmont Willie on Mainly Norfolk
January 01, 1970
kinmont, willie, this, article, about, border, ballad, historical, person, armstrong, kinmount, willie, ballad, from, english, scottish, border, country, catalogued, child, ballad, roud, 4013, recounts, rescue, william, armstrong, kinmont, from, english, priso. This article is about the border ballad For the historical person see Kinmont Willie Armstrong Kinmont Willie or Kinmount Willie is a ballad from the English Scottish border country catalogued as Child ballad 186 Roud 4013 It recounts the rescue of William Armstrong of Kinmont from an English prison It is one of several border ballads dealing with the exploits of the Armstrongs 1 First page of Kinmont Willie in Scott s Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border Kinmont Willie is one of three border ballads that recount a raid to break someone out of prison the others being Jock o the Side and Archie o Cawfield 2 It shares several motifs with these other prison break ballads including the raiders demonstration of physical strength in carrying the prisoner with leg irons still attached and the raiding party crossing a stream and turning to mock their pursuers from the far bank 2 Unlike many ballads it is composed in tetrameter rather than traditional ballad metre 3 First published by Walter Scott in 1802 it has often been suspected of being Scott s own work Contents 1 Synopsis 2 Origins 3 Recordings 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksSynopsis editThe ballad is based on a true story which took place in 1596 4 William Armstrong of Kinmont a notorious Border reiver was seized by the English authorities on a day of truce in breach of agreements between Scotland and England The Scottish Warden of the West March Walter Scott the Bold Buccleuch sprung him from Carlisle Castle much to the embarrassment of Scrope the English Warden Taking the guards by surprise the rescuers escaped back across the River Eden with Armstrong 4 Origins edit Kinmont Willie first appeared in print in 1802 in the first edition of Walter Scott s Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border 5 Its authenticity has frequently been questioned Francis Child suspected it of having been heavily influenced or possibly invented by Scott himself 6 Scott himself acknowledged relying heavily on a 1688 chronicle by Walter Scot of Satchells A true history of the several honourable families of the right honourable name of Scot and to making conjectural emendations to the ballad so that the story would be intelligible 7 The origins of the ballad were the subject of a lengthy scholarly dispute between Fitzwilliam Elliot and Andrew Lang in which Lang argued that there was an underlying traditional ballad on which Scott s text and likely also Satchell s was based and Elliot argued that the ballad was entirely Scott s invention 8 Lang agreed however that much of the ballad was Scott s own work In his final paper on the subject Lang summarized the dispute 9 Lastly Kinmont Willie and Scott s share in it is matter of presumption not of proof He had been in quest of the ballad as we know from his list of desiderata he says that what he got was mangled by reciters and that in what he got one river was mentioned where topography requires another He also admits that in the three ballads of rescues he placed passages where they had most poetical appropriateness My arguments to show that Satchells had memory of a Kinmont ballad will doubtless appeal with more or less success or with none to different students That an indefinite quantity of the ballad and improvements on the rest are Scott s I cannot doubt from evidence of style Recordings editThe ballad was recorded by the marine biologist Max Dunbar in 1956 for the Smithsonian Folkways album Songs and Ballads of the Scottish Wars 1290 1745 10 Subsequent recordings were made by other performers in 1998 and 2000 11 References edit Bouyssou Roland 1981 The heroic feud in border ballads Caliban 18 48 a b Green Richard Firth 2012 The Border Writes Back In Bruce Mark P Terrell Katherine H eds The Anglo Scottish Border and the Shaping of Identity 1300 1600 Palgrave Macmillan p 114 doi 10 1057 9781137108913 7 ISBN 9781137108913 Boswell George W 1971 A Note Commentary on J Barre Toelken s An Oral Canon for the Child Ballads Journal of the Folklore Institute 8 1 74 doi 10 2307 3814064 a b Woods George Benjamin ed 1916 English Poetry and Prose of the Romantic Movement Scott Foresman amp Co p 1321 Maidment James 1868 Scottish Ballads and Songs Historical and Traditionary W Patterson p 153 Boswell 1971 pp 58 74 n 16 Macrae Lucy 2014 Local Explanations Editing a Sense of Place in Walter Scott s Ministrelsy of the Scottish Border FORUM University of Edinburgh Postgraduate Journal of Culture and the Arts Macrae7 Lang Andrew 1910 Sir Walter Scott and the Border Minstrelsy Longmans Green and Company pp 129 130 Lang 1910 p 150 Songs and Ballads of the Scottish Wars 1290 1745 Smithsonian Institution Retrieved 2024 03 03 Kinmont Willie Mainly Norfolk Retrieved 2024 03 03 Further reading editGeorge MacDonald Fraser The Steel Bonnets This contains a detailed account of the historical incident behind the ballad External links edit nbsp Wikisource has original text related to this article Kinmont Willie Kinmont Willie on Walter Scott Educational Website Kinmont Willie on Mainly Norfolk Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kinmont Willie amp oldid 1219275607, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
