A Tide in the Affairs of Man 41 In the early dawn, grazing, By Avon's banks, swathed in mist. One by one, shapes disappear. Charlecote was the place where William stalked that morning, Singling-out a doe, he took his aim As he drew his bow he felt a hand upon his shoulder And paid a heavy price for playing such a dangerous game In disgrace found his way to London town. Twas there he made his name, we know him now as William Shakespear The power of his fame came from his words, Now the games are plays, he plays the game of lording over The Lords and Ladies wished to be companion to his light Even those at Charlecote Park, they had heard. The King of Drama came triumphantly back to Stratford Tragedy has now become a lark The grandson of the man who banished Wiliiam in his youth Is now the Lord & welcomes Shakespear back........ to Charlecote Park. http://cresby.com © Cresby Brown and Chris Evans Aug 1997 Julius Caesar Act 4 Scene 3 spoken by Brutus to Cassius in Brutus's tent ....There is a tide in the affairs of men Which taken at the flood leads on to fortune; Omitted, all the voyage of their life Is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat, And we must take the current when it serves, Or lose our ventures. The Coughton Conspiracy chorus Remember! Remember! The fifth of November: gunpowder, treason and plot. We may have forgotten the truth and the reason, but rhyme we certainly have not. Not all of the land agreed on religion, Henry the eighth took all churches not hearts. And so by the year of sixteen and hundred, Some noblemen thus stood apart. chorus Guy Fawkes we know as the evil agressor, who tried to blow parliament up but was caught With fuses in pocket near gunpowder barrels, BUT who was it paid for the plot? chorus What little we know of the schemers of treason, is fuserlier Guido did not act alone The seeds of sedition and rebel dissention, By Robert Catesby were sown. chorus Tortured and tried then hung drawn and quartred, each head of the eight proclaimed on a stake They'd known all along of planing and timing, that trial was nought but a fake. chorus I see no reason, why gunpowder treason, should ever, be, forgot. © Cresby Brown and Chris Evans. Aug 1997 Coughton (pronounced cof or cow take your pick) Court nr Alcester Warwickshire was the midland focus for the Catholic uprising of in the wake of the Reformation and then the Armada. On November 4/5th 1605 the conspirators' wives waited here for news of the Plot. 41 words & music © 42 Stain on My Floor Sept 1997 Cresby Brown Stain on My Character, Stain on my floor, Slain was the priest who darkened my door A god fearing man, who questioned my church, who questioned my wife, her did so besmirch Though why he resorted to physical blows, a-choking of her, well nobody knows Such (a) brash ungodly arrogant gall, cried out for action, so I started the brawl Stain on My Character, Stain on my floor, Slain was the priest who darkened my door A defenseless lass so (prim) and demure, devoted in motherhood, all fervant and pure, In the name of the Lord we hold so dear, why did he have her by the throat in such fear? My sword at my hip was drawn in a trice, with cut and thrust, and parry and slice Stain on My Character, Stain on my floor, Slain was the priest who darkened my door Character assasignation? Suggest kept short and plenty of music, try a Morris tune (Staines Morris?) but no tune as yet Nicholas Blome Squire of Baddesly Clinton Manor discovered the priest throttling his wife. Why? Don't know, but it makes for good copy. The Roman Way, Chastleton's Chalice, A Tide in the Affairs of Man, The Coughton Conspiracy, Stain on My Floor, If Oi be Oi, Lola's Flowers, Paper Chase, Cotswold Air, Dover's Soul, Lord Nelson were all written specifically for a tapes of songs relating to tourist attractions in localised areas, in these cases Cotswolds and Herefordshire If Oi be Oi A farmer sold his chickens at market, !"#! and straightway homeward rightly trot, !"#! the Bird in Hand, was close at hand, !"#! but close at home he right was not. !"#! (guitar riff using tune with Home connections Home Sweet Home, Old Folks at Home etc) One pint was gone and more beer was ordered, !"#! despite his vision being blurred. !"#! In no time at all he was singing loudly, !"#! though every word he slurred !"#! (guitar riff using tune with beer connections or innebriated dischordant arythmic riff!) Young tykes decided a trick to play on him, !"#! and his hosses they un did hitch. !"#! Round the back they led both nags and, !"#! he came out and fell in the ditch !"#! (guitar riff using tune thast tumbles on the last few notes ) If Oi be Oi , Oi've lost two hosses , !"#! all going home to Westbury. !"#! If Oi bent Oi , Oi've found a waggon, $!"#! now tell Oi how's thet con be !"#! (guitar riff using tune from Uncle Tom Cobley (words lend I your gray mare)) words & music © CRESBY Sept 1997 42 Lord Nelson 43 words & music © CRESBY Nov 1997 http://cresby.com Lord Nelson lay plotting his battle to run and called up his officers and masters of his gun Now England expects all men the Admiral did say To do of their duty and win forth this day. Lord Nelson stood watching the heat of the fight Resplendant in his blue and gold braid so bright On high at Trafalgar a French sniper aimed And Nelson was hit and mortally maimed Lord Nelson lay dying and on his deathbed Called for his officers and to Hardy this he said Fate has come calling, tis kismet you know But my eyes grow dim so soon I must go. Lord Nelson they laid in a barrel of rum And long in his memory sailors sing this anthem With a drink to his boldness and tough discipline Then one more for luck and one more for each win. Lord Nelson still lives with each swig of the grog When mainsails are hoisted by each salty old sea dog. They sing up his courage with a rousing hussar 'Cos just like them he was a Jack Tar. follow with shanty - a Drop of Nelson's Blood Oct 21 1805 Nelson died. When they brought officers' bodies home, which was conferred on dignantories, they were preserved in rum barrels, topped-up with the liquour. Hence the sailors' name for the sauce. The standard issue rum was a fairly sweet syrup so both sugar and alcohol acted to prevent decay. The Kymin, above Monmouth has a pavilion and obelisk built (1802) as a tribute to sailors which by popular consensus is regarded as Nelsons monument. The town museum specialises in the Admiral's memorabilia. 43 44 Lola's Flowers Come enjoy the summer hours, by the village square In the garden where the air is...... full of Lola's Flowers Sweet August bloom........ In Bretforton The Fleece Inn bids you welcome, To sink a pint or two. In mem'ry of Lola Taplin. chorus The beams of oak have weather'd Full six solid hundred years. Ales from the barrels flowing. chorus Tables shined with beeswax Polished like silver glass 'blazoned with Lola's flowers chorus ....... in Worcestershire ....... in England © Cresby Brown and Chris Evans Aug 1997 Lola loved white lilies and always had a bowl on a table in the “brew house” room. Paper Chase http://cresby.com The Lord of Chastleton died one day, and off to heaven did drift His faithful servant that same day, In sympathy died (so they do say) But the servant being so pious and true, took with him a simple gift. The two were sat at the pearly gates, and talked of Kingdom come. The servant's gift was a ticket to peace, And he made it smaller with one swift crease. But the squire had nothing to offer and so sat there looking glum. The ticket deemed much too big, was folded two times more. The nobleman cried lets share your prize, for I am good in my own eyes. For some of your ticket will get me in for that I am certainly sure. The servant quickly tore a strip off for his aristocrat. But the greedy lord said “My good man”, Come share some more I know you can, So the servant tore and tore until the ticket was but a slat. St Peter arrived at half past nine to inspect the assembled crowd. St Peter watched and looked askew, As lord Chastleton stood with his tickets two. Who as he opened his bits to view, found out where he was bound. The humble servant turned in shame fearing the ticket he had Was Tainted by the self same cast, St Peter cautioned “Not so fast! Open the ticket, what you see at last, will make us both so glad.” This is the rhyme for an old trick of fold and cut. The servant's ticket is in the shape of a cross. The bits of paper that the aristocrat had, came in various "L" and bar formations that are laid out in a swastika. words & music © Sept 1997 Cresby Brown 44 45 Cotswold Air ( Land's Cape) All the tumbl'ing echoes, ever flowing stream Call the nameless birds, they have no name for me.