Dave, John Reavey in his introduction to the ballad used to say that Hughie was hanged because he got the beter end of the deal. LOL
The reference to the swords comes in the last three verses of some of the versions, especially in the one published in "The Northumbrian Minstrelsy", where Hughie urges that his brother James, brother John and Johnny Armstrong are given swords "pointed with the metal clear, metal brown and steel so fine" respectively and that they attend his execution and exact whtever retribution they feel necessary.