Strawbs - The Battle INTRO: C Em C Em Am Em D Em C D C D A Em A Em Am Em D Em C Em C Em In the early dawn the Bishop's men D Em Shivered in the damp D But the shiver came not from the cold C D And spread throughout the camp A Em The trembling horses sensed the fear A Em Of silent thoughtful men Am Em Who prayed that wives and families D Em C Em C Might see them once again Em The Bishop sent a dawn patrol D Em To investigate the weight D Of forces at the King's command C D Ensconced behind the gate A Em The ground mist hid the patrol's approach A Em As they drew close enough to show Am Em The sentries on the battlements D Em C Em C And an archer drew his bow Em From the topmost tower a sentry fell D Em As an arrow pierced his skull D And his headlong flight into the moat C D Seemed that of a gull A Em The patrol reported little A Em There was nothing much to see Am Em But the strong and silent castle D Em C Em C A symbol of the free N.C. Em The King's men took communion N.C. D N.C. Em As the first rays of the sun N.C. D N.C. Lit up the chapel's gloomy walls C D The fatal day begun A Em From the castle green the rooks took flight A Em To the high trees in the east Am Em To their carrion minds the battlefield D Em C Em C Set a table for a feast Em A tide of black, the Bishop's men D Em Equality their right D Swarmed like ants across the hill C D Their aim at last in sight A Em The King's men dressed in purest white A Em Were driven back by force Am Em And the fighting grew more violent D Em C Em C As the battle took its course Em The Bishops gave the order D Em "No mercy to be shown. D The sacrifice will reap rewards C D When the King is overthrown" A Em The sight of children lying dead A Em Made hardened soldiers weep Am Em The outer walls began to fall D Em C Em C They moved towards the keep Em The rooks surveyed the battlefield D Em Their hungry beady eyes D Revelled in the sight of death C D Showing no surprise A Em The pressure mounted steadily A Em As the Bishops neared the gate Am Em And the desperate King called to his knights D Em C Em C "It's your lives or the state" Em When the anxious King began to fail D Em As many thought he might D The Queen ran screaming round the walls C D And urged the men to fight A Em The Bishops' men were tiring A Em As the afternoon grew late Am Em And the King's men lowered the drawbridge D Em C Em C And poured out through the gate Em They fought their way across the bridge D Em The men like falling leaves D Or ears of corn that fall in swathes C D The vicious sickle cleaves A Em The tide receded up the hill A Em The waste of reclaimed land Am Em Once decaying swamp became D Em C Em C A shore of pure white sand Em A blinded priest was seen to bless D Em Both dying and the dead D As he stumbled around the battlefield C D His cassock running red A Em If uniform were black or white A Em His eyes could never see Am Em And death made no distinction D Em C Em C Whatever man he be Em As darkness fell both camps withdrew D Em Their soldiers slain like cattle D Leaving the rooks to feast alone C D The victors of the battle F#m Em At evensong the camps reviewed F#m Em Their sad depleted ranks D C As survivors of the battle Bm D A Gave god their grateful thanks
