The Song of the Western Men

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"The Song of the Western Men" is a song by Robert Stephen Hawker, also known by the title of "Trelawny", published in 1824.

The song is always heard at Cornish rugby matches and other Cornish gatherings. It is known as the unofficial Cornish anthem (see notes below).

Contents

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 Trelawny die?

Here's twenty thousand Cornish men

Will know the reason why!

Chorus

And shall Trelawny live?

And shall Trelawny die?

Here's twenty thousand Cornish men

Will know the reason why!

Out spake their Captain brave and bold:

A merry wight was he:

'If London Tower were Michael's hold,

We'd set Trelawny free!

'We'll cross the Tamar, land to land:

The Severn is no stay:

With "one and all," and hand in hand;

And who shall bid us nay?

Chorus

And when we come to London Wall,

A pleasant sight to view,

Come forth! come forth! ye cowards all:

Here's men as good as you.

'Trelawny he's in keep and hold;

Trelawny he may die:

But twenty thousand Cornish bold

Will know the reason why

Chorus

Notes

The Trelawny referred to in this song was Jonathan Trelawny (1650–1721), who was one of the seven bishops imprisoned in the Tower of London by James II in 1688. Born at Pelynt into an old Cornish family, his father, the 2nd Baronet of Trelawne, was a supporter of the Royalist cause during the English Civil War.
The march on London described in this song never actually occoured (although it is often confused by outsiders with the 15th century march on London).
'Trelawny' is sometimes incorrectly spelt Trelawney.
There is some doubt as to whether the work was entirely original or an adaption of an earlier tune, perhaps referring to the 'an gof' cornish rebellion. However, there shoud be no doubt — see [link]
"Trelawny" is often referred to as the "unofficial" Cornish national anthem and the most popular which is heard at Cornish rugby matches and other Cornish gatherings, but the official Cornish national anthem that has been used by Gorseth Kernow for the last 75 plus years is "Bro Goth Agan Tasow" ("The Land of My Fathers", or, literally, "Old Country of our Fathers") with a similar tune to the Welsh national anthem ("Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau") and the Breton national anthem. "Bro Goth Agan Tasow" is not heard so often, as it is sung in Cornish). Those who prefer an anthem in English often use "Hail to the Homeland".

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