Name: The Ballad of the Witchfinder General (Single)
Duration: P00H05M49S
Description: A track about the horrors of The Witchfinder General, Matthew Hopkins, whose witch hunting career flourished during the English Civil War.

The Ballad of the Witchfinder General (Single)

by The Rowan Amber Mill

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about

A track about the horrors of The Witchfinder General, Matthew Hopkins, whose witch hunting career flourished during the English Civil War.

lyrics

O the devil found no work for me though my idle hands were plain to see.
A' hunting it must be for me, to earn such coin and fineries.
My quarry is fair hard to find they don't exist in any kind.
But, that won't see my pockets lined, devils must be put in their mind.
O got to let it go.

I travel on my milk white steed, through the East to spread the seed.
To light the fires in words and deeds, fan the flames skip to my lead.
I'll hang 'em high and burn em low, an easy way to make my dough.
Like a bitter wind with cuts and blows, with every stroke this mania grows.
O it grows, got to let it grow.

If I spoke to you, you'd dance to my tune.
If I walked away, you'd beg me to stay. You'd beg me to stay.

Through blunted pins and deathly lies, trick them 'fore their very eyes.
It's quick to cheat and cheap to bribe, push the truth fair well aside.
Now every man he has a price, I gather now a pack of spies.
To Spare them not the chairs and ties, to the lake and cast inside.
Let 'em float, got to let 'em float.
Water rejects renounced baptiseds, if they float and do survive,
they'll meet the judges of assize, and I will get to keep my prize.
Let 'em float, got to let 'em float.

I've met the bidding of the king, through sleight of hand and much tricking,
to spread the fear and reckoning, I'll take my leave for coin counting.
Bury me thrice deep in the ground, bones so low they wont be found.
But, I advise you don't sleep sound, as you'll see me every time around.
For all time, you'll see me around.
For all time, you'll see me around.

Around and around and around and around.

credits

released June 3, 2022
Composed, written, played, sung, mixed and produced by Stephen Stannard. Artwork - Reworked and coloured version of the 17th Century book illustration.

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The Rowan Amber Mill Devon, UK

Since 2007 The Rowan Amber Mill have been purveyors of Woodland Folkadelica/alt-Folk. Releases include: "folk devils & moral panics", "midsummers" and "Heartwood". The Book of the Lost (with Emily Jones). Silent Night Songs (with Angeline Morrison).The folk horror collection Harvest the Ears. The synth album Follows Shortly (as Making Tea For Robots). They are half of Rowan:Morrison. ... more

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