The Song of the Western Men



"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.

Background
Hawker, a churchman, claimed authorship for the words except for the chorus. 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.

Hawker's poem was set to music by Louisa T. Clare in 1861. Hawker was so pleased with Clare's setting, that he sent her another poem of his in hopes of a further success.

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."

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." 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.

"Trelawny"
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!

Translation into Cornish
There are two versions of the song in Cornish. The first was written by Henry Jenner in 1905: