Passamezzo: When cannons are roaring
When cannons are roaring: a 17th Century broadside ballad and soldiers' song.
These lyrics and melody come from Forbes Cantus, 1662, but the ballad itself comes from at least 40 years before that date. When cannons are roaring was very popular during the English Civil War, and was still being sung well into the 18th Century.
Richard de Winter: tenor
Alison Kinder: recorder
Keith McGowan: curtal
Richard Mackenzie: guitar
Tamsin Lewis: drum
Brave Mars begins to rouse,
and he doth bend his brows.
Boreas burst out in blows,
great Etnaes fire.
He that may loose the field,
yet let him never yeeld,
Though thousands should be kill'd,
let souldiers try it.
When canons are roaring, and bullets are flying,
He that would honor win, must not fear dying.
Though Constantin be dead,
who left us honor,
And taught brave Christian Kings,
under his banner.
Pagans amazed stood,
in a great wonder,
To see brave Christians come,
like claps of thunder.
When Canons, &c.
Rais'dare the Worthies nyne,
and now ascending;
Ev'n by a power divyne,
now peace is ending:
So many Christian Kings
with them to enter,
Against their fiercest foes:
that's brave adventure,
When Canons, &c.
Souldiers with swords in hands,
to the walls coming,
Horse-men about the streets,
ryding and running:
Sentinells on the walls,
arme, arme, a crying,
Pittards against the ports,
wyld fire a flying.
When Canons, &c.
Trumpets on turrets hye,
these are a sounding,
Drums beating out alowd,
echoes resounding:
Alarm-bells in each place,
they are a ringing,
Women with stones in laps,
to the walls bringing.
When Canons, &c.
Captains in open fields,
on their foes rushing,
Gentlemen seconds them,
with their Picks pushing,
Ingyniers in the trench
earth, earth uprearing,
Gun-powder in the mynes,
Pagans upblowing.
When Canons, &c.
Portculzies in the ports
they are down letting,
Burgers comes flocking by,
too their hands setting:
Ladders against the wall,
they are uprearing,
Women great timber logs
to the walls bearing.
When Canons, &c.
From Passamezzo's CD Shadows, not substantial things
https://passamezzo.bandcamp.com/album...