Archibald "Archy" Armstrong (died March 1672) was a native of Cumberland, and according to tradition first distinguished himself as a sheep thief; afterwards he entered the service of James VI and I as a court jester, with whom he became a favourite.

[6] At Aberdeen he and other courtiers including Edward Zouch, George Goring, and John Wolfgang Rumler were made burgesses of the town.

[8] In August 1618 John Chamberlain wrote that "Archie the Dizzard" had been granted a lucrative monopoly on the making of clay tobacco pipes.

After the death of Buckingham in 1628, whom he declared "the greatest enemy of three kings", the principal object of his dislike and rude jests was William Laud, whom he openly vilified and ridiculed.

In 1641 on the occasion of Laud's arrest, he enjoyed a mean revenge by publishing Archy's Dream; sometimes Jester to his Majestie, but exiled the Court by Canterburie's malice.

Subsequently, he resided at Arthuret in Cumberland, according to some accounts his birthplace, where he possessed an estate, and where he died in 1672, his burial taking place on 1 April.

There is no record of any legal offspring, but the baptism of a "base son" of Archibald Armstrong is entered in the parish register of 17 December 1643.