Jock o' the Side would seem to have been nephew to the Laird of Mangertoun (the chief of the clan Armstrong), and consequently cousin to the Laird's Jock. Scott suggests that he was probably brother to Christie of the Syde, mentioned in the list of Border clans, 1597. Both of these worthies receive special notice in Maitland's complaint _Against the Thieves of Liddisdale_. "He is weil kend, Johne of the Syde; A greater thief did never ryde; He nevir tyris For to brek byris, Our muir and myris Ouir gude ane guide." Scott has pointed out that Jock o' the Side assisted the Earl of Westmoreland in his escape after his insurrection with the Earl of Northumberland, in the twelfth year of Elizabeth. "Now Liddisdale has ridden a raid, But I wat they had better staid at hame; For Mitchel o' Winfield he is dead, And my son Johnie is prisoner ta'en." For Mangerton-House Auld Downie is gane, 5 Her coats she has kilted up to her knee; And down the water wi' speed she rins, While tears in spaits fa' fast frae her eie. Then up and bespake the Lord Mangerton, "What news, what news, sister Downie, to me?" 10 "Bad news, bad news, my Lord Mangerton; Mitchel is kill'd, and tane they hae my son Johnie." "Ne'er fear, sister Downie," quo' Mangerton; "I hae yokes of oxen, four and twentie; My barns, my byres, and my faulds, a' weel fill'd, 15 And I'll part wi' them a', ere Johnie shall die. "Three men I'll take to set him free, Weel harness'd a' wi' best o' steel; The English rogues may hear, and drie The weight o' their braid-swords to feel. 20 "The Laird's Jock ane, the Laird's Wat twa, O Hobie Noble, thou ane maun be; Thy coat is blue, thou has been true, Since England banish'd thee, to me." Now Hobie was an English man, 25 In Bewcastle-dale was bred and born; But his misdeeds they were sae great, They banish'd him ne'er to return. Lord Mangerton them orders gave, "Your horses the wrang way maun a' be shod; 30 Like gentlemen ye must not seem, But look like corn-caugers gawn ae road. "Your armour gude ye maunna shaw, Nor ance appear like men o' weir; As country lads be all array'd, 35 Wi' branks and brecham on ilk mare." Sae now a' their horses are shod the wrang way, And Hobie has mounted his grey sae fine; Jock his lively bay, Wat's on his white horse behind, And on they rode for the water o' Tyne. 40 At the Cholerford they a' light down,[L41] And there, wi' the help o' the light o' the moon, A tree they cut, wi' fifteen naggs upo' ilk side, To climb up the wa' o' Newcastle town.