Strawbs - The battle

In the early dawn the Bishop's men ^{Em D}Shivered in the ^Emdamp But the shiver came not from the ^Dcold And ^Cspread throughout the ^Dcamp The ^Atrembling horses ^Emsensed the fear Of ^Asilent thoughtful ^Emmen Who ^Amprayed that wives and ^Emfamilies Might ^Dsee them once a^Emgain ^{C Em C}

The Bishop sent a dawn patrol ^Em To ^Dinvestigate the weight ^Em Of forces at the King's ^Dcommand En^Csconced behind the ^Dgate The ^Aground mist hid the ^Empatrol's approach As they ^Adrew close enough to ^Emshow The ^Amsentries on the ^Embattlements And an ^Darcher drew his ^Embow ^{C Em C}

From the topmost tower a sentry fell ^Em As an ^Darrow pierced his ^Emskull And his headlong flight in^Dto the moat ^CSeemed that of a ^Dgull The ^Apatrol reported ^Emlittle There was ^Anothing much to ^Emsee But the ^Amstrong and silent ^Emcastle A ^Dsymbol of the ^Emfree ^{C Em C}

The King

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's men took com^Emmunion

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As the ^Dfir

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st rays of the ^Emsun

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Lit up the chapel's ^Dgloomy

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walls The ^Cfatal day be^Dgun From the ^Acastle green the ^Emrooks took flight To the ^Ahigh trees in the ^Emeast To their ^Amcarrion minds the ^Embattlefield Set a ^Dtable for a ^Emfeast ^{C Em C}

A tide of black, the Bishop's men ^{Em D}Equality their ^Emright Swarmed like ants a^Dcross the hill Their ^Caim at last in ^Dsight The ^AKing's men dressed in ^Empurest white Were ^Adriven back by ^Emforce And the ^Amfighting grew more ^Emviolent As the ^Dbattle took its ^Emcourse ^{C Em C}

The Bishops gave the order ^Em &quo^Dt;No mercy t^Emo be shown. The sacrifice will ^Dreap rewards When the ^CKing is over^Dthrown" The ^Asight of children ^Emlying dead Made ^Ahardened soldiers ^Emweep The ^Amouter walls be^Emgan to fall They ^Dmoved towards the ^Emkeep ^{C Em C}

The rooks surveyed the battlefield ^Em Their ^Dhungry beady ^Emeyes Revelled in the sight of ^Ddeath ^CShowing no sur^Dprise The ^Apressure mounted ^Emsteadily As the ^ABishops neared the ^Emgate And the ^Amdesperate King called ^Emto his knights "It's ^Dyour lives or^Em the sta^Cte&^Emquot^C;

When the anxious King began to fail ^Em As ^Dmany thought he ^Emmight The Queen ran screaming ^Dround the walls And ^Curged the men to ^Dfight The ^ABishops' men were ^Emtiring As the ^Aafternoon grew ^Emlate And the ^AmKing's men lowered the ^Emdrawbridge And ^Dpoured out through the ^Emgate ^{C Em C}

They fought their way across the bridge ^Em The ^Dmen like falling ^Emleaves Or ears of corn that ^Dfall in swathes The ^Cvicious sickle ^Dcleaves The ^Atide receded ^Emup the hill The ^Awaste of reclaimed ^Emland ^AmOnce decaying ^Emswamp became A ^Dshore of pure white ^Emsand ^{C Em C}

A blinded priest was seen to bless ^Em Both ^Ddying and the ^Emdead As he stumbled around the ^Dbattlefield His ^Ccassock running ^Dred If ^Auniform were black or ^Emwhite His ^Aeyes could never ^Emsee And ^Amdeath made no dis^Emtinction What^Dever man he ^Embe ^{C Em C}

As darkness fell both camps withdrew ^Em Their ^Dsoldiers slain like ^Emcattle Leaving the rooks to ^Dfeast alone The ^Cvictors of the ^Dbattle At ^F#mevensong the ^Emcamps reviewed Their ^F#msad depleted ^Emranks As sur^Dvivors of the ^Cbattle Gave ^Bmgod ^Dtheir grateful ^Athanks