English: "The Song of the Western Men" | |
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Unofficial national anthem of Cornwall | |
Lyrics | Robert Stephen Hawker, 1826 |
Music | Louisa T. Clare, 1861 |
"The Song of the Western Men", also known as "Trelawny", is a Cornish patriotic song, composed by Louisa T. Clare for lyrics by Robert Stephen Hawker. The poem was first published anonymously in The Royal Devonport Telegraph and Plymouth Chronicle in September 1826, over 100 years after the events. [1]
Hawker, a churchman, claimed authorship for the words except for the chorus. [2] He assumed that the Trelawny mentioned in those three lines was Sir Jonathan Trelawny, the Bishop of Bristol, who had been imprisoned in the Tower of London by King James II in 1688. However it is more likely that it referred to his grandfather, Sir John Trelawny, a Cornish Royalist leader who had been imprisoned by parliament in 1628. The people of Cornwall did not actually march to rescue Trelawny, as told in the song. He was imprisoned in the Tower of London for three weeks, then tried and acquitted. [3] [4]
Hawker's poem was set to music by Louisa T. Clare in 1861. [5] Hawker was so pleased with Clare's setting, that he sent her another poem of his in hopes of a further success. [6]
According to Cornish historian Robert Morton Nance, "The Song of the Western Men" was possibly inspired by the song "Come, all ye jolly tinner boys" which was written more than ten years earlier in about 1807, when Napoleon Bonaparte made threats that would affect trade in Cornwall at the time of the invasion of Poland. "Ye jolly tinner boys" contains the line "Why forty thousand Cornish boys shall know the reason why." [7]
In 1881, at the laying of the foundation stone of the Cathedral at Truro, the song was described by Canon Harvey as "... the national anthem of our dear Cornwall." [8] The song is a regular favourite sung at Cornish rugby union matches and other Cornish gatherings. In some schools in Cornwall, the children are taught the first verse and chorus, and sing it at events such as Murdoch Day and St Piran's Day (5 March). Since 2016 the latter occasion has also seen the "Trelawny Shout" – the song being sung in pubs across Cornwall for charity. [9]
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!
And shall Trelawny live?
Or 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:
Though 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 shall Trelawny live?
Or shall Trelawny die?
Here's twenty thousand Cornish men
Will know the reason why!
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:
Here's twenty thousand Cornish bold
Will know the reason why
And shall Trelawny live?
Or shall Trelawny die?
Here's twenty thousand Cornish men
Will know the reason why!
There are two versions of the song in Cornish. The first was written by Henry Jenner in 1905:
'Ma lel an leuv, 'ma'n kledha mas Yw ornys le ha prys ankow?
'Medh aga Hapten, krev ha dreus, "Ni 'dres an Tamar, tir dhe dir,
"Pan wrellen dos dhe Fos Loundres, "Yn karhar kelmys rag ankow
| Gans kledha da ha dorn yw lel,
Yn-medh an kapten, byw y woos,
Devedhys bys yn fos Loundres
|
Robert Stephen Hawker (1803–1875) was a British Anglican priest, poet, antiquarian and reputed eccentric, known to his parishioners as Parson Hawker. He is best known as the writer of "The Song of the Western Men" with its chorus line of "And shall Trelawny die? / Here's twenty thousand Cornish men / will know the reason why!", which he published anonymously in 1825. His name became known after Charles Dickens acknowledged his authorship of "The Song of the Western Men" in the serial magazine Household Words.
Bude is a seaside town in north Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, in the civil parish of Bude-Stratton and at the mouth of the River Neet. It was sometimes formerly known as Bude Haven. It lies southwest of Stratton, south of Flexbury and Poughill, and north of Widemouth Bay, located along the A3073 road off the A39. Bude is twinned with Ergué-Gabéric in Brittany, France. Bude's coast faces Bude Bay in the Celtic Sea, part of the Atlantic Ocean. The population of the civil parish can be found under Bude-Stratton.
Cornwall is a Celtic nation with a long musical history. Strengthened by a series of 20th century revivals, traditional folk music has a popular following. It is accompanied by traditions of pipers, brass and silver bands, male voice choirs, classical, electronic and popular music.
The Prayer Book Rebellion or Western Rising was a popular revolt in Cornwall and Devon in 1549. In that year, the first Book of Common Prayer, presenting the theology of the English Reformation, was introduced. The change was widely unpopular, particularly in areas where firm Catholic religious loyalty still existed, such as Lancashire. Along with poor economic conditions, the enforcement of the English language led to an explosion of anger in Cornwall and Devon, initiating an uprising. In response, Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset sent John Russell to suppress the revolt, with the rebels being defeated and its leaders executed two months after the beginning of hostilities.
"Bro Goth agan Tasow" is a Cornish pterotic song. It is sung in the Cornish language, to the same tune as the Welsh national anthem, "Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau". The Breton anthem, "Bro Gozh ma Zadoù", also uses the same tune.
Trelawny or Trelawney may refer to:
The phrase Tre, Pol and Pen is used to describe people from or places in Cornwall, UK. The full rhyming couplet runs: By Tre Pol and Pen / Shall ye know all Cornishmen, a version of which was recorded by Richard Carew in his Survey of Cornwall, published in 1602. Many Cornish surnames and place names still retain these words as prefixes, such as the surname Trelawny and the village Polzeath. Tre in the Cornish language means a settlement or homestead; Pol, a pond, lake or well; and Pen, a hill or headland. Cornish surnames and placenames are generally pronounced with the emphasis on the second syllable.
Cornish literature refers to written works in the Cornish language. The earliest surviving texts are in verse and date from the 14th century. There are virtually none from the 18th and 19th centuries but writing in revived forms of Cornish began in the early 20th century.
Sir Jonathan Trelawny, 3rd Baronet was Bishop of Bristol, Bishop of Exeter and Bishop of Winchester. Trelawny is best known for his role in the events leading up to the Glorious Revolution which are sometimes believed to be referenced in the Cornish anthem "The Song of the Western Men".
Henry Sewell Stokes (1808–1895) was a Cornish poet. The Cornish poet was a schoolfellow of Charles Dickens; later literary friends included Tennyson and Robert Stephen Hawker. His great nephew, Sewell Stokes, was a novelist, biographer and playwright.
Morwenstow is a civil parish in north Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The parish abuts the west coast, about six miles (10 km) north of Bude and within the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
Pelynt is a civil parish and village in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is 20 miles (32 km) west of Plymouth and four miles (6.5 km) west-northwest of Looe. Pelynt had a population of around 1,124 at the 2001 census which increased to 1,296 at the 2011 census. In addition, an electoral ward with the same name exists but extends towards Widegates avoiding Looe at all times. The population in 2011 for this ward was 4,453.
Hawker's Hut is an historic hut at Morwenstow, Cornwall originally built by the eccentric clergyman, poet and antiquarian, Robert Stephen Hawker, close to Higher Sharpnose Point. The hut is located approximately 1 mile from Morwenstow Church.
Hail to the Homeland is one of the unofficial anthems of Cornwall, in the south west of the UK. It was composed by the Cornish musician Kenneth Pelmear who composed and arranged many works for church and male voice choirs and brass bands. The words were written by Pearce Gilbert in 1959.
Menheniot is a civil parish and village in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The village is 2+1⁄2 miles (4.0 km) southeast of Liskeard. The meaning of the name is "sanctuary of Neot".
Sweet Nightingale, also known as Down in those valleys below, is a Cornish folk song. The Roud number is 371.
Brigadier-General Henry Trelawny was a British Army officer of Cornish descent, a Member of Parliament and Vice-Admiral of Cornwall.
"Come, all ye jolly tinner boys" is a traditional folk song associated with Cornwall that was written about 1807, when Napoleon Bonaparte made threats that would affect trade in Cornwall at the time of the invasion of Poland. The song contains the line Why forty thousand Cornish boys shall knawa the reason why.
Presented below is an alphabetical index of articles related to Cornwall: