Men of Kent

This is actually one of Thomas Delone's songs. What's interesting about this particular song is that it deals with a rebellion against the legitimate king of England with the message that outright defiance is sometimes necessary to preserve ancient liberties.

The music is based on the score in Popular Music of the Olden Time (William Chapell, 1859) and sequenced by myself. The lyrics are from Thomas Delone's Strange Histories (1602), with the spelling somewhat modernized.

When as the Duke of Normandy

With glistering spear and shield

Had entered into fair England,

And foiled his foes in field

On Christmas day, in solemn sort

Then was he crowned here,

By Albert Archbishop of York

With many a noble Peer.

Which being done he changed quite

The custom of the land

And punished such as daily sought

His statutes to withstand.

And many cities he subdued

Fair London with the Rest

And Kent did still withstand his force

Which did his laws detest.

To Dover then he took his way

The castle down to fling.

Which Arviragus builded there,

The noble Britain King

Which when the brave Archbishop bold

Of Canterbury knew,

The Abbot of St. Austin's eke

With all their gallant crew.

They set themselves in armor bright

These mischiefs to prevent

With all the Yeoman brave and bold

That were in fruitful kent.

At Canterbury they did meet

Upon a certain day

With sword and spear, with bill and bow

And stopped the Conqueror's way.

Let us not live like Bondmen poor

To Frenchmen in their pride

But keep our ancient liberty

What chance so ere betide

And rather die in bloody field

In manlike courage pressed

Then to endure the servile yoke

Which we so much detest.

Thus did the Kentish commons cry

Unto their leaders still

And so marched forth in warlike sort

And stood at Swanscomb hill.

Where in the woods they did themselves

Under the shady green,

Thereby to get them vantage good

Of all their foes unseen.

And for the conqueror's coming there,

They privily laid wait

And thereby suddenly appalled

His lofty high conceit,

For when they spied his approach

In place as they did stand

Then marched they to hem him in,

Each one a bough in hand.

So that unto the conqueror's fight

Amazed as he stood

They seemed to be a walking grove,

Or else a moving wood.

The shape of men he could not see

The boughs did hide them so.

And now his heart with fear did quake

To see a forest go.

Before, behind, and on each side

As he did cast his eye

He spied the woods with sober pace

Approach to him full nigh,

But when the Kentishmen had thus

Enclosed the Conqueror round,

Most suddenly they drew their swords

And threw their boughs to ground.

Their banners they displayed in spite,

Their trumpets sound a charge

Their rattling drums strike up alarm,

Their troops stretched out at large

The conqueror with all his train

Were hereat fore aghast

And most in peril, when he thought

All peril had been past.

Unto the Kentishmen he sent

The cause to understand.

For what intent and for what cause

They took this war in hand?

To whom they made this short reply

For liberty we fight,

And to enjoy King Edwards Laws

The which we hold our right.

Then said the dreadful conqueror

You shall have what you will

Your ancient customs and your laws

So that you will be still.

And each thing else that you will crave

With reason at my hand

So you will but acknowledge me

Chief king of fair England

The Kentishmen agreed hereon

And laid their arms aside

And by this means, King Edwards's laws

In Kent doth still abide

And in no place in England else

Those customs do remain

Which they by manly policy

Did of Duke William gain.