-name, or _nickname_, as it is commonly called now-a-days. This
was a matter of necessity, as otherwise it would have been exceedingly
difficult to distinguish the different members of the sept. These to-names
are often suggestive and amusing, as most of them are based on some
physical or moral peculiarity. In the year 1583 Thomas Musgrave sent an
interesting letter to Burghley, Chancellor to Queen Elizabeth, in which he
gives a list of the Armstrongs and Elliots. "I understand," he says, "that
your lordship is not well acquainted with the names of the waters, and
the dwelling places of the riders and ill-doers both of England and
Scotland.... May it please, therefore, your lordship to understand, that
the ryver Lyddal is a fayre ryver, and hath her course doun by Lyddisdall,
so as the dale hath the name of the ryver.... I shall therefore set downe
the Ellottes of the head of Lyddall as my skyll will afforde, that your
lordship may know the better when their deeds shall come in question. The
Ellotes of Lyddisdall:--Robin Ellot of the Redheugh, Chiefe of the
Ellottes; Will Ellot of Harskarth his brother; Gebbe Ellot his brother;
Adam Ellot of the Shaws; Arche Ellot called Fyre the brayes; Gybbe Ellot
of the Shawes; Gorth Simson; Martin Ellot called Rytchis Martin. All these
are Robin Ellotes brethren, or his men that are daly at his commandement.
The grayne of the Ellotes called the Barneheedes:--Joke Ellot called Halfe
loges. The grayne of the Ellottes of the Bark:--Sims Johne Ellot of the
Park; Will Ellot, gray Willie; Hobbe Ellot called Scotes Hobbe; Johne
Ellot of the Park; Jem Ellote called gray Wills Jeme; Hobbe Ellot called
Hobbs Hobbe. The grayne of Martin Ellot of Bradley:--Gowan Ellot called
the Clarke; Hobbe Ellot his brother; Arche Ellot his brother; Joke Ellot
called Copshawe; John Ellot of Thornesope; Will Ellot of the Steele; Dand
Ellot of the Brandley; John Ellot of the same; Seme Ellot of Hardin. All
theise Ellots and manie more of them are at Robin Ellot's commandment and
dwell betwixt the Armstrongs in Lyddisdall and Whethough town--fewe of
them marryed with Englishe women." Then follows a long list of the
"Armstrongs of Mangerton," and of the "Howse of Whetaughe Towre." Some of
the names in the list are amusingly suggestive--"Seme Armestronge lord of
Mangerton marryed John Foster's daughter of Kyrshopefoot; Joke Armestronge
called the "lord's Joke" dwelleth under Dennyshill besides Kyrsope in
Denisborne,