Steeleye Span - Van Diemen's Land lyrics
[Steeleye Span - Van Diemen's Land lyrics]
I am a girl from England
Susan Summers is me name
For fourteen years transported
Was for taking of some game
As for us wretched females
We never see a man
Though there's twenty to one woman
On Van Diemen’s Land
There's poor Tom Brown from Nottingham
Jack Williams and poor Joe
They were all daring poachers as
The country well does know
At night they were trap-ended by
The keepers out of hand
For fourteen years transported to
Van Diemen's Land
When wе set sail from England
We landed in thе bay
We had rotten straw for bedding
We dare not to say ’nay'
Our cots were fenced with wire
We slumber when we can
To drive away the wolves
Upon Van Diemen's Land
Come all you gallant poachers
Give ear unto me song
It is a bit of good advice
Although it is not long
Lay by your dog and snare
To you I do speak plain
If you knew the hardships
You'd never poach again
The first day we landed upon that fatal shore
The planters they came flocking round
Twenty score and more
They dragged the men like horses and
Sold them out of hand
And yoked 'em to the plough
All on Van Diemen's Land
Sometimes when I'm sleeping
I have a pleasant dream
With me dear one I'm sitting
Down by some pearling stream
With me friends telling stories
Around me they all stand
But, I wake up broken hearted
On Van Diemen’s Land
Come all you gallant poachers
Give ear unto me song
It is a bit of good advice
Although it is not long
Lay by your dog and snare
To you I do speak plain
If you knew the hardships
You’d never poach again
God bless our families
Likewise that happy shore
That isle of sweet contentment
That we shall see no more
For a planter's bought me freedom
He’s married me out of hand
Good usage then I'll give him
On Van Diemen's Land
Susan Summers is me name
For fourteen years transported
Was for taking of some game
As for us wretched females
We never see a man
Though there's twenty to one woman
On Van Diemen’s Land
There's poor Tom Brown from Nottingham
Jack Williams and poor Joe
They were all daring poachers as
The country well does know
At night they were trap-ended by
The keepers out of hand
For fourteen years transported to
Van Diemen's Land
When wе set sail from England
We landed in thе bay
We had rotten straw for bedding
We dare not to say ’nay'
Our cots were fenced with wire
We slumber when we can
To drive away the wolves
Upon Van Diemen's Land
Come all you gallant poachers
Give ear unto me song
It is a bit of good advice
Although it is not long
Lay by your dog and snare
To you I do speak plain
If you knew the hardships
You'd never poach again
The first day we landed upon that fatal shore
The planters they came flocking round
Twenty score and more
They dragged the men like horses and
Sold them out of hand
And yoked 'em to the plough
All on Van Diemen's Land
Sometimes when I'm sleeping
I have a pleasant dream
With me dear one I'm sitting
Down by some pearling stream
With me friends telling stories
Around me they all stand
But, I wake up broken hearted
On Van Diemen’s Land
Come all you gallant poachers
Give ear unto me song
It is a bit of good advice
Although it is not long
Lay by your dog and snare
To you I do speak plain
If you knew the hardships
You’d never poach again
God bless our families
Likewise that happy shore
That isle of sweet contentment
That we shall see no more
For a planter's bought me freedom
He’s married me out of hand
Good usage then I'll give him
On Van Diemen's Land