Come, all ye jolly Tinner boys
Encyclopedia
"Come, all ye jolly tinner boys" is a traditional folk song
associated with Cornwall
that was written about 1807, when Napoleon Bonaparte
made threats that would affect trade in Cornwall at the time of the invasion of Poland
. The song contains the line Why forty thousand Cornish boys shall knawa the reason why.
According to Cornish historian Robert Morton Nance
, it was possibly the inspiration for R. S. Hawker's
"The Song of the Western Men" which was written in 1824 and contains a strikingly similar line: Here's twenty thousand Cornish men will know the reason why!
I'll tell ее of a storie shall make ye for to see,
Consarning Boney Peartie, the schaames which he had maade
To stop our tin and copper mines, and all our pilchard traade.
Chorus- Hurea for tin and copper, boys, and fisheries likewise!
Hurea for Cornish maadens-Oh, bless their pretty eyes!
Hurea for our ould gentrie, and may they never faale!
Hurea, hurea for Cornwall! Hurea, boys, "one and ale!"
He summonsed forty thousand men, to Polland they did goa,
And for to rob and plunder there you very well do knawa;
But ten-thou-sand were killed, and laade dead in blood and goare,
And thirty thousand ranned away, and I cante tell where, I'm sure.
And should that Boney Peartie have forty thousand still
To make into an army to work his wicked will,
And try for to invaade us, if he doesnt quickly fly—
Why forty thousand Cornish boys shall knawa the reason why.
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
associated with Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
that was written about 1807, when Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
made threats that would affect trade in Cornwall at the time of the invasion of Poland
Battle of Eylau
The Battle of Eylau or Battle of Preussisch-Eylau, 7 and 8 February 1807, was a bloody and inconclusive battle between Napoléon's Grande Armée and a Russian Empire army under Levin August, Count von Bennigsen near the town of Preußisch Eylau in East Prussia. Late in the battle, the Russians...
. The song contains the line Why forty thousand Cornish boys shall knawa the reason why.
According to Cornish historian Robert Morton Nance
Robert Morton Nance
Robert Morton Nance was a leading authority on the Cornish language, nautical archaeologist, and joint founder of the Old Cornwall Society....
, it was possibly the inspiration for R. S. Hawker's
Robert Stephen Hawker
Robert Stephen Hawker was an Anglican priest, poet, antiquarian of Cornwall and reputed eccentric. He is best known as the writer of The Song of the Western Men with its chorus line of And shall Trelawny die? / Here's twenty thousand Cornish men / will know the reason why!, which he published...
"The Song of the Western Men" which was written in 1824 and contains a strikingly similar line: Here's twenty thousand Cornish men will know the reason why!
Lyrics
Come, all ye jolly Tinner boys, and listen to me;I'll tell ее of a storie shall make ye for to see,
Consarning Boney Peartie, the schaames which he had maade
To stop our tin and copper mines, and all our pilchard traade.
Chorus- Hurea for tin and copper, boys, and fisheries likewise!
Hurea for Cornish maadens-Oh, bless their pretty eyes!
Hurea for our ould gentrie, and may they never faale!
Hurea, hurea for Cornwall! Hurea, boys, "one and ale!"
He summonsed forty thousand men, to Polland they did goa,
And for to rob and plunder there you very well do knawa;
But ten-thou-sand were killed, and laade dead in blood and goare,
And thirty thousand ranned away, and I cante tell where, I'm sure.
And should that Boney Peartie have forty thousand still
To make into an army to work his wicked will,
And try for to invaade us, if he doesnt quickly fly—
Why forty thousand Cornish boys shall knawa the reason why.
External links
- The Reason Why article from Old Cornwall by Robert Morton Nance.