Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). A Victorian Anthology, 1837–1895. 1895.

Robert Stephen Hawker 1804–75

The 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 fix’d the where and when?

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 ’ll 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?

“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 here ’s twenty thousand Cornish bold,

Will know the reason why!”