Robert Stephen Hawker

Song of the Western Men

  A good sword and a trusty hand,
    A merry heart and true,
  King James's men shall understand
    What Cornish lads can do.
  And have they fixed the where and when,
    And shall Trelawney die?
  Then twenty thousand Cornish men
    Will know the reason why.
  What! will they scorn Tre, Pol, and Pen?
    And shall Trelawney die?
  Then twenty thousand under ground
    Will know the reason why.

  Out spake the captain brave and bold,
    A merry wight was he:
  "Though London's Tower were Michael's hold,
    We'll set Trelawney free.
  We'll cross the Tarnar hand to hand,
    The Exe shall be no stay;
  We'll side by side from strand to strand,
    And who shall bid us nay?
  What! will they scorn Tre, Pol, and Pen?
    And shall Trelawney die?
  Then twenty thousand Cornish men
    Will know the reason why.

  "And when we come to London wall
    We'll shout with it in view,
  'Come forth, come forth, ye cowards all!
    We're better men than you!
  Trelawney, he's in keep and hold,
    Trelawney, he may die;
  But here's twenty thousand Cornish bold
    Will know the reason why!'
  What! will they scorn Tre, Pol, and Pen?
    And shall Trelawney die?
  Then twenty thousand under ground
    Will know the reason why."