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Discovery of witches LYRICS
The Puritan’s Son
‘We are gathered here today to ask God for strength and protection,
As we wage war upon the plague of witches that have besieged our land.
Foul demons set upon the earth by Satan’s own hand.
There will be no mercy upon their souls…Amen.’
Hunting Witches
In days gone by so much was different
Reckless thoughts and beliefs were rife
Primitive notions and punishment harsh
Makes our world we know a stark contrast
We’re in paradise
The fear of witches had those of god
Seeking answers for evil ways
People scared of curse and hexes
Looked at people who were dark or crazed
We’re in paradise
They were put to the test
Until they met their death
They were really ordinary folk
Matthew made them look a joke
Hunting witches
We take our story back to times when maidens lived in fear
Of Matthew Hopkins down in Suffolk way
Witch-hunting when near
Hunt the witch
Hunt the witch
300 women in all but name
Their only crime was to believe in magic
And Matthew tried them all by water
And lit the fires, turned the wheels of history
Of their slaughter
And we’re in paradise
And we’re in paradise
Reap The Profits
I’m profiteering from killing women
Even though they may be innocent
The paranoid king has died
The country’s left in turmoil
Civil war is raging through town
Such distrust abounds the land
The paranoid king has died
So anarchy reigns supreme
People now are fearing witchcraft
So I’ve become the witch-finder general
I will reap the profits
And charge by the dunk
I’ll watch them swing by the neck
Or hear them scream until they’ve sunk
I will reap the profits
And charge by the dunk
I’ll watch them swing by the neck
Or hear them scream until they’ve sunk
‘thou shall not suffer a witch to live’
It’s not that I dislike you, I just don’t care
My job’s to keep the county clean and you were there
You were there
I dress in leather and pointy hat
With handkerchiefs of finest silk
My boots are made of hide
I’ve become the witch-finder general
Manningtree
Manningtree
He set out to buy an inn
Manningtree
His thoughts now lie within
He met John Stearne so tall and thin
They cast their plans to commit such sin
Manningtree, witches river
Satan wouldn’t let you rest
Horse and rider, the River Stour
Hopkins began his dark quest
Manningtree
John had lists of all the suspects
Manningtree
Matthew had financial prospects
Women to them were no more than objects
The country needs to rid such subjects
Manningtree, witches river
Satan wouldn’t let you rest
Horse and rider, the River Stour
Hopkins began his dark quest
‘Elizabeth Clarke indicted for murder, the wickedest woman, you should have heard her
Little john slain but Hopkins caught her, the Manningtree tailor was her informer’
His wife fell ill which gave suspicion
Cos Clarke’s own mother had been to prison
Her kinfolk also wouldn’t listen
Which sent young Hopkins on his mission
She was so bad that no-one in the village was safe
Hopkins had her and so he started presenting his case
1645 the year, carnal relations she made it clear
The devil worship, gaining fear
So no-one dare to have her near
Manningtree, have her near
Manningtree, she made it clear
Manningtree, to have her near
Manningtree, Manningtree
Manningtree, witches river
Satan wouldn’t let you rest
Horse and rider, the River Stour
Hopkins began his dark quest
Familiars
I smell the dogs and hogs
An inter dimensional feeling
Spiritual outlines and smoky forms
The devil’s presence and being
Imps and fairies plague the room
As cats begin to howl
You manifest these evil forms
The stench of which is so foul
I see familiars that suckle from devils mark
You call the spirits up from forces dark
Cast out these demons, scare the witch
Tie her down, rope the bitch
Her presence doth offend thee
She’ll swing from highest tree
She’ll swing from highest tree
My name is Matthew Hopkins and I forbid you to appear
Pyewacket, Greedigut, I dare you not come near
Cast out your demons, pull them out
My seekers find another so take her out
Her presence doth offend me
She’ll swing from highest tree
She’ll swing from highest tree
Cast out her demons, stop the curse
Your evil little gremlins are nothing worse
Their presence doth offend me
They’ll swing from highest tree
They’ll swing from highest tree
Swing from highest tree
Cast out her demons, take her down
We’ll take her to the river to see if she might drown
Her presence doth offend me
She’ll swing from highest tree
She’ll swing from highest tree
Swing from highest tree
Prickers & Seekers
I tell a tale of prickers and seekers
People armed with blades and needles
Testing accused to see them bleed
No blood, then life became needless
Prickers and Seekers, Prickers and Seekers
Prickers and Seekers
Trial by stabbing, drawing blood
If you’re innocent then you will bleed
But prickers sometimes blunt their weapons
So witch, these are the signs we’ll read
Prickers and Seekers, Prickers and Seekers
Prickers and Seekers
‘they will find you, yes and I will get you!’
No sleep, no sleep, so they will soon confess
Now that Matthew has them
Now that Matthew has them
His partner Stearne, still so much to earn
His partner Stearne, still so much to earn
He ties them to a chair and drowns them
‘and may god have mercy upon your soul’
‘nah, go on, dunk the bitch!’
Prickers and Seekers, Prickers and Seekers
Prickers and Seekers
‘my prickers and seekers will find you’
The Coven
Instrumental
Black Shuck
You prowl the hedgerows and your red eyes peer
Did witches summon you, now that you are here?
A snarl is sometimes heard yet you are rarely seen
This demon’s in the folklore
Demon in the folklore
If you encounter it you should close your eyes
For it will hex you, then everybody dies
He melts into the trees, it’s so rarely seen
This demon’s in the folklore
Demon in the folklore
‘he’ll bring you bad luck, there’s nothing as bad as shuck’
Are you the black hound of Odin?
When the Viking’s sailed towards Norfolk
You stowed away deep in which they rowed in
Now you’ve become Black Shuck
Now you’ve become Black Shuck
Now you’ve become Black Shuck
Now you’ve become Black Shuck
We think it’s a curse upon us
The witches howl, we cringe and cower
Raising familiars from the dead
Are you the black hound of Odin?
When the Viking’s sailed towards Norfolk
Towards Norfolk
Are you the black hound of Odin?
When the Viking’s sailed towards Norfolk
The Hangman
I am the hangman, scaring little girls
I am the hangman, a witches life unfurls
My face you’ll never see
Whilst fashioning my noose for all who’ll be
Noose for all who be
I am the hangman, I build my gallows high
So no-one that I know can recognise my eyes
It’s not that I am scared
It’s cos I be ashamed to sometimes murder thee
Sometimes murder thee
‘if they be a witch’
It’s just a job I do
My cold hard palms now blistered and blue
As I pull on the ropes
Another dead witch to add to my notes
Another dead witch to add to my notes
My notes
Spine snap and gurgle
Their twisted necks wrenched as they dangle
They writhe and they shake
No air for their lungs, they gasp and break
The noose is tight and the crowd stands still
It’s another witch that I’ve had to kill
Their innocence haunts my dreams
But I still watch and hear their silent screams
My hands are stained and no-one knows just how I feel
Despite all this I play my part their death is sealed
The noose hangs loose around my heart
Yet I turn killing into an art
I fashion rope so necks will crack
I hear them drop, heads will pop and snap
My hands are stained and no-one knows just how I feel
Despite all this I do my job their death is sealed
Spine snap and gurgle
Their twisted necks wrenched as they dangle
They writhe and they shake
No air for their lungs, they gasp and break
I am the hangman, executing rope-man
Husband and breadfan, paid by the body
Death is my work, you will never know me
Rope
‘My name is John Stearne, I’ve plenty of money to earn
I’ll torment the witches for truth, I’ll assist Matthew, gaining the proof’
In the night the clouds tossed up a storm
And it’s all around me
Dark shadows are cast out long and tall
And they’re all about me
Every mother will cradle their young
And she’ll love her babies
And they teach her what she had become
But she was no lady
Now the witches are out in full flight
Making plans that turn days into night
Familiars prepare what they can
So they can run rings around man
It’s treading on eggshells that stops them
From treading each other
I believe with enough rope they might hang themselves
Shoot themselves if you give enough ammunition
They lie and forget what they said when questioned
You never know what the truth is
You never know what the truth is
You never know what the truth is
You never know what the truth is
You get a feeling that no-one is safe
From a tongue lashing slap in the face
You never know what the truth is
What the truth is, what the truth is
What the truth is
But, I believe with enough rope they might hang themselves
Shoot themselves if you give enough ammunition
They lie and forget what they said when questioned
You never know what the truth is
I believe with enough rope they might hang themselves
Shoot themselves if you give enough ammunition
They lie and cheat, they make a fool of you
You never know what the truth is
‘ death for money’
Assizes
We are the judges of assizes from the county of Norfolk
We condemn your actions of wickedness
Condemn your actions of wickedness
You have subjected your victims to such an abominable plan
By inhumane, unmerciful trial
Inhumane, unmerciful trial
Which resulted in death
Your actions were fuelled by the promise of a purse
From selfish greed
You thought your actions had no consequence
You had no thoughts for anything less
It resulted in death
Parliamentary news, the moderate intelligencer
Has you in writing as a self-appointed witcher
So you hold no license, this court shall forbid you
You shall cease all practice here within
We are the judges of assizes from the county of Norfolk
Condemn your actions of wickedness
Condemn your actions of wickedness
‘guilty’
‘there’s a certain truth that witches deny their baptism, when they covenant with the devil’
‘observe these generations of witches if they be at any time abused
By being called whore, thief…..by any where they live, they are the readiest to cry and wring their hands, and shed tears in abundance and run with full and right sorrowful acclamations to some justice of the peace, and with many tears make their complaints’
‘but now, behold their stupidity; nature of the elements reflection from them, when they are accused for this horrible and damnable sin of witchcraft, they never alter or change the countenances, nor let one tear fall’
We are the judges of assizes from the county of Norfolk
We are the judges of assizes from the county of Norfolk
‘condemn you’,
‘guilty, guilty, guilty’
We are the judges of assizes
We are the judges of assizes
‘thou shall not suffer a witch to live’
The Book
My book, my heart, my soul’s dying
I put it all on paper you must read it
I’m a young man trying but I’m finding
My actions are not being agreed
Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live
Are my words and my views
This scourge of humanity is like vermin, it breeds
Did I not remove these pestilent witches?
They all spread fear
So I made them pay, then lose
I made them pay, they lose
Such superstitious hysteria grew
So I quashed them for you
I removed what was feared by you
You paid my wages
So why do you question things now
You paid me my silver
And I made them pay, then lose
I made them pay, they lose
My book, my heart, my soul’s dying
I put it all on paper you must read it
I’m a young man trying but I’m finding
My actions are not being agreed
The Church of England hates me
But the royal court has their way
Let people know my story
Before I lay in my grave
Let anyone judge my writings
As I leave you ‘Judicet Ullus’
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